A 13-year-old got a once in a lifetime chance as he presided over the coin toss at the Ladies’ Singles Final at Wimbledon on Saturday.
Archie Barker, from Streatham Hill, took on the prestigious role as Serena Williams beat Agnieszka Radwanska on centre court.
He spent the day as a guest at the All England Club and had lunch at the competitor’s restaurant before watching the final.
The 13-year-old, who suffers from clubfoot - which leads to a deformity of the foot and results in the child being unable to place the sole of the foot flat on the ground - was representing the children’s medical research charity, Sparks.
Anna Barker, his mother, said her son had the condition diagnosed when he was just five days old.
She said: "Archie has had lots of different operations and treatments to get him where he is today.
"But he has coped with it fantastically and he is the one who has given us strength.
"This kind of perseverance and determination is a big part of Archie’s personality even now."
John Shanley, chief executive of Sparks, said: "We are all so proud of Archie and delighted that he was selected for this honour at Wimbledon.”
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