Bowral's Barry Ling reflects on time umpiring at Wimbledon

"I went to work in England with my friend Barry Guest in 1957 and the following year, we were lucky enough to be chosen to be a linesman for the final of the mixed doubles tournament won by Australians Bob Howe and Lorraine Coghlan," Ling said.

Prior to the final, he was chair-umpire for a couple of matches involving Czech Republic's Jaroslav Drobny and another female player at the prestigious tennis tournament before returning to Australia at the end of the year.

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During his time there, the 93-year-old also had the privilege of meeting arguably one of the best English players of all time, Fred Perry.

Umpiring aside, Ling had a fantastic playing career that began when he was 16-years-old.

He said he became interested in tennis when watching his mother play, but learned to play the sport through playing with other people.

"I think most people played tennis on weekends back in those days and I mainly had a hit with Barry Guest and Barry Hambridge," Ling said.

"There were no professional players in Bowral at the time, so we just versed other local players.

"I didn't have huge natural ability but was very keen, so I practised whenever I could and became better and better."

Ling said he would have played earlier, but couldn't due to a tennis ball shortage.

"After WW2, there was a ball shortage and we had to wait several years until more balls were made.

"We played with the old balls until they wore down as thin as paper."

He won his first tournament when he was 24 and went on to win many more titles including a handful at the Bowral Tennis Centre.

The tennis lover will have an eagle eye on Wimbledon from July 3-16 and although he couldn't pick a winner in either the men's or women's competition, he hoped Nick Kyrgios wouldn't take out the title.

"I hope Kyrgios doesn't win because I think he's a disappointment for Australia," Ling said.

"His mannerisms affect my generation and we don't approve of it."

Ling stopped playing in tournaments at age 83, but remains an active player at the Bowral Tennis Centre.

He still tests the skills of many players much younger than him.

He credits his good health, fitness of body and mind to his nearly eighty years of continued interest in tennis.

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