Wimbledon appoints official poet

Holding court: Matt Harvey keeps an eye on the lines

People queuing to get into Wimbledon this year could be entertained by the All England Lawn Tennis Championships' first official poet.

Matt Harvey will write a poem every day during the annual two-week competition in London SW19 next month.

The Championships Poet 2010 will publish his verses - about anything from racquet stringers to strawberries and cream - online and in podcasts.

He will also keep a blog, tweet and recite his poems to queuing spectators.

It's the only time I'll come first in anything at Wimbledon Matt Harvey

Mr Harvey, a regular on BBC Radio 4's Saturday Live and a lifelong fan of the game, said: "Quite simply I'm delighted, with a little bit of healthy anxiety thrown in.

"It's an honour, and I'm acutely conscious it's the only time I'll come first in anything at Wimbledon, unless you count the queue for strawberries."

Wimbledon teamed up with the Poetry Trust to create the role after the concept was proposed by the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum.

Museum curator Honor Godfrey said: "We are always examining different ways of interpreting the championships and this year the club agreed that having an official Championships Poet would provide a novel and interesting way of doing this."

Mr Harvey has already published his first first poem as Championships Poet 2010, called Grandest of Slams.

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