SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. 51 PRINCE FILIP'S DIARY

LENGTH: 193 words

HEADLINE: LOT OF WORK, LITTLE PRAISE

BYLINE: BY FILIP BONDY

BODY:
WIMBLEDON - For the past two weeks, Colin has been debating whether or not to accept his university's redundancy package. In American terms, his employers are offering a buyout package if he accepts a layoff. Anyway, after working the figures for days, Colin has decided to become a pensioner. Just like that, he gets to stop working, sunbathing his way around the world, while I continue hammering out ridiculous sports stories for readers and editors who don't appreciate me.

Consider that while I have been here toiling 14-hour days and commuting three hours daily on the underground, I have received not one word of praise from upper management, from readers, or even from relatives. The closest was some E-mail from a couple of Bleacher Creatures, teasing me about my tennis expertise.

So, it has come to that. I am really working for the Creatures, the only ones who care and understand me, who offer feedback.

Bitter? You bet I am. But I do want to thank Selena of The Times for guilt-tripping me out of that two-pound bet on Lindsay Davenport early in the tournament. I owe her a Cadbury bar. The one with caramel inside.

Or is that a bet?

LOAD-DATE: July 10, 2000