A heartwarming moment unfolded on Centre Court on Thursday when mixed doubles champion Sem Verbeek requested the crowd to sing ‘happy birthday’ to his father, and they graciously obliged.
An emotional Frank Verbeek after his son’s tribute on Thursday. Pic/Getty Images
Moments after clinching the title with his Czech partner Katerina Siniakova — the duo beat Britain’s Joe Salisbury and Brazil’s Luisa Stefani 7-6(7-3), 7-6(7-3) — Verbeek said, “I know he’s going to hate this, but I’m going to love it. It’s my dad’s birthday today! His name is Frank. If we could all sing happy birthday to him, it would mean so, so much.”
Verbeek then took on the role of the lead singer as the crowd joined him in belting out the birthday song, as the cameras panned to his father bawling his eyes out in the crowd. Who said Wimbledon is all about the tennis?
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