THE news that bookmakers are offering the miserly odds of 15-8 on Roger Federer winning the Wimbledon men's singles title again next year (that is to say seven matches) and 9-4 against him equalling Bjorn Borg's great record of five successive Wimbledon titles (14 more wins) reminds me of the story my grandfather told me some 50 years ago.

"Son," he said "no matter how many years live, you will never see a bookie with bicycle clips round his trousers."

Malcolm Huntington,

School Lane,

Heslington,

York.

Updated: 11:11 Friday, July 15, 2005