THE Liverpool International is playing the numbers game this week.
More than 2,000 litres of Pimms will be drunk during the five-day tennis festival which opened yesterday in blazing sunshine.
At least 10,000 punnets of strawberries and cream will be devoured.
Groundstaff will walk an estimated 850 miles mowing, preparing and looking after the Calderstones Park courts.
And most crucially there are barely a handful of tickets left for the weekend matches.
The appeal is clear.
Superbrat turned commentary box sage John McEnroe is in town from tomorrow to play exhibition doubles alongside the equally charismatic Martina Hingis.
The pair will make a compelling double act.
Hingis is the Swiss Miss with the beaming neon smile. McEnroe, even at 51, is still capable of scowling for America.
And the pair can clearly still play.
“You don't want to have John on the other side of the net,” smiled Hingis yesterday. “Although I'd probably make him run for his money these days!
“He's a demanding partner, but I can play my part. We've played doubles tennis together before and I didn't disappoint; we were a good team.
“We won each time so we have an unbeaten record to defend.”
McEnroe will be returning to Merseyside for the first time since his 1980s hey-day when he featured in the short-lived West Kirby tournament.
Hingis is back in Liverpool – and showed off a little local knowledge alongside French ATP player Paul-Henri Matthieu at yesterday's lunchtime media conference.
“You'll have to go The Beatles museum. I did that last time I was here,” she told Matthieu. “And The Cavern where they played.
“I loved it when I was here two years ago and I kept in touch with Anders Borg, the tournament organiser.
“He's persuaded me to play in a few more tournaments this time round – I was in Nottingham last week, I'm due to play in Manchester after this, so it's kind of a road trip going on. I like the structure of the Liverpool event and it's almost like giving a bit back by supporting tennis and bringing it to people by playing in this public park here. I had a great time last year.”
The relaxed nature of the exhibition events explains why, at only 30 years old, Hingis is still resisting calls to make a competitive comeback.
“Schiavone won the French Open at 29 so I suppose it's a bit odd to be labelled a 'senior’,” she admitted. (Hingis will compete in the Wimbledon Senior Doubles alongside Anna Kournikova).
“But I remember the match I had against her which was in 2001, so it's nine years back. It's not like it was yesterday.
“And yes, I did beat her! But it's her time this time around.
“Obviously the Williams sisters are still going strong too. And they've all had breaks. I didn't have that many breaks in my career. I love to play tennis but now I don't have to train every day for six hours, there's not the same intensity.
“It's less stressful and you're not on the road 35-40 weeks a year. I enjoy being home with family and friends. The girls now are big and powerful and it's a gruelling schedule. It's very pounding on the body.
“We play 80 per cent on hard courts as well which isn't the healthiest surface in the world so on tour it's not as easy as it looks just picking up the prize money.”
On the more forgiving grass of Calderstones Park yesterday Hingis looked in rude health, outgunning Norwegian Ulrikke Eikeri 6-1 in the opening set,
Eikeri hit back in the second set but was only ever holding on.
Hingis broke in the seventh game of the second set, held her serve to 15 and then broke the outclassed Norwegian's serve to 15 to secure a victory which was every bit as comfortable as the 6-1, 6-3 scoreline suggested.
Another statistic trotted out yesterday was Hingis' age. Gallantly introduced as “29 years of age” by tournament organiser Anders Borg, she instantly replied: “No, I'm 30 now."
But she still looks capable of making serious inroads into the women's ATP rankings.
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