Murray's Wimbledon battle on giant screen
Portsmouth's Guildhall Square remained relatively empty last night as Andy Murray sealed his place in the Wimbledon quarter-finals after an intense five-set thriller.
The giant screen in the square has been beaming out the action live from Wimbledon this week.
And Portsmouth City Council has also turned the square into a giant tennis court in a bid to draw the crowds in.
But as Murray battled away against Swiss player Stanislas Wawrinka late last night the crowds had clearly decided to go home to watch the action instead.
A barman at the Isambard Kingdom Brunel pub in Guildhall Walk said: 'The screen is showing the match but there is hardly anybody watching it.'
Earlier in the day youngsters tooktheir tennis rackets to the square to knock some balls about in the scorching heat.
It was city council leader Gerald Veron-Jackson's idea to recreate the famous grass courts of SW19 on the concrete of Guildhall Square.
He told The News: 'The square is a wonderful space and Wimbledon is a wonderful British event, so let's celebrate it.
'I had the idea to turn the square into a giant tennis court.'
Rows of deckchairs have been set out for spectators to sit and watch the action this week.
It is part of the city council's drive to get people using the square rather than passing through it.
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Weather for Portsmouth
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 14 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 24 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: South
