Wimbledon endures critics' vollies

When a film director sets his sights on a British institution, a little criticism is only to be expected.

And when the director in question makes a movie about Wimbledon, even though he doesn't know his tie breaks from his set points, it is almost inevitable.

Today an expert pointed out a string of errors contained in the eagerly-awaited romantic comedy about the tournament, directed by Richard Loncraine and starring Kirsten Dunst and Paul Bettany.

Ace magazine's John Haylett, who has seen the film, told the Standard:

The computer-generated imagery used to portray fast-paced matches leads to "some ludicrous moves that would be impossible to play in real life".

The only match played in the film on Centre Court is the final. The men's semi-finals are played on No 2 Court, despite its 2,000 capacity.

The film's stars play only six matches to win the Wimbledon title, when in reality there are seven.

Bettany wears Fred Perry kit for his matches - yet no professional player has worn the label for at least 25 years, since it does not sponsor champions.

And Mr Haylett had stinging criticism for Dunst's game. "Her footwork leaves a lot to be desired and it's not Wimbledon material at all," he said of the actress.