At Wimbledon, a behind-the-scenes rivalry was unfolding as fierce as the ones on the court. American Express, the grizzled veteran of consumer debt, was hosting its premium cardholders inside the hallowed grounds, seating them in the fourth row of Centre Court and serving them high tea in a beige suite adorned with hanging petunias.
But just outside the grounds, Chase Sapphire, the feisty up-and-comer in the world of rectangular plastic, had rented a stately home for its customers. Tom Holland had been called in to play tennis on the house’s grass court while liveried butlers served sausage rolls and champagne. The rivalry was not mentioned, but the battle lines were clear to see.
