WHEN a teenage Andrew Castle laid eyes on Centre Court for the first time, the beauty of it "hit him like a brick". Decades on since that memorable visit to Wimbledon with his mum, the former British tennis champion finds being inside the iconic club still has that impact, as he returns to the BBC commentary box for Wimbledon 2018.

"Every single day it's exactly the same – it is a pinch me moment," elaborates Castle, 54, whose smooth tones have commentated on more than a dozen tennis finals. "Wimbledon is an amazing event. It's not just the familiarity of it on the television or radio for everybody... That court, and the whole club, it flowers, it blossoms, and then it goes to sleep, and I'm lucky enough to see it go through all these phases."

For Castle – also famous for presenting GMTV for ten years – the story of the summer was the return of Briton Andy Murray following a year out. We chat before the double Wimbledon champion – who has been recovering from an operation on his right hip earlier this year – withdrew from this year's tournament the day before it began.

Castle had been hopeful Murray would be ready to take part and also shared how he empathised with Murray's injury struggles, having had the same hip surgery when he was younger.

"It's difficult to feel sorry for great sportsmen who are celebrated and are well-off, who have a happy and settled family life and a beautiful new baby," notes Castle, who reached one Grand Slam final – the 1987 Australian Open mixed doubles – in his career. "It's not a question of feeling sorry for them. It's just that when something is taken away that you love, you mourn it, you grieve, and that's definitely the case with a sports career."

When it comes to the favourite to win the men's final, which takes place on Sunday, July 15, former British number one Castle says "Federer" without any hesitation. "But you might want to pick somebody from Croatia," he suggests, "because they had the most phenomenal week last week, with Cilic winning at Queens and Coric, he beat Federer in Halle."

Meanwhile, Serena Williams, who is back playing after giving birth to her first child in September, is the first name Castle mentions when we discuss the women's title.

"Take a look at her record, and go and watch her practise, and be around her," he says. "She's just an overwhelming presence, and really rather fabulous. It's going to be really hard for someone to beat her, despite her only playing three tournaments in a whole year."

Neither of Castle's two daughters, who are both in their twenties, have gone on to play sport professionally – Georgina has just finished playing Sophie in Mamma Mia! in the West End while her younger sister Claudia works in sports administration. But they've always had "great fun" playing tennis as a family while on holiday together.

"We have to get young women active," says Castle, who married wife Sophia in 1991. "And young men too. We're so woefully inactive in Britain. I do not understand our attitude towards physical education."

In the past, some people have called tennis out for being elitist (including Murray's mum, tennis coach Judy). When Castle is asked why the sport isn't played more in comprehensives and academy schools, he says: "Well, let's be honest, what sports are played in comprehensives? I know schools are under pressure, but we've all been children – if you exercise, you perform better in all aspects."

We move on to a topic Castle feels more positive about – how tennis is leading the way for gender equality. "Sport is the most merit-based activity there is," he remarks. "It's quite simply win or lose. It's nobody's judgement. Female athletes in tennis are some of the most celebrated and endorsed sports people in the world, as it should be. You should be paid according to what you achieve, and in tennis men and women are paid the same. That can't be a bad thing."

However, Castle points out there are still some questions surrounding the issue of equal pay. "The commercial aspect of these things has to be looked at as well," he explains. "Men's tennis, at the moment, does better than women's tennis when it comes to broadcast rights and the amount of money. And, yet, the prize money is the same."

What everyone can agree on, though, is this – it's clear Castle relishes his time in the commentary box, where he sits alongside retired American tennis great John McEnroe.

One of his happiest memories of the job involves him and McEnroe eating sandwiches together in the sunshine before a game featuring Federer.

"We found ourselves with twenty minutes just to relax, and we sat there in silence just looking out on centre court. No commentary, no players, we were just waiting. And I looked at him and said, 'I'm having a great time', and he said, 'Me too'. To be allowed in the centre court commentary box is such a privilege."

  • Watch Wimbledon coverage on BBC One and BBC Two. Commentary is also available on BBC Radio 5 Live, Red Button and online