Wimbledon Courts Stay Green During London Heat Wave

Wimbledon courts stayed green this week while grass across much of London turned brown during a record heat wave. The tournament opened under temperatures that reached 33 C (91 F) last week before easing to 26 C (79 F) this week.

Grounds staff monitor soil moisture with probes on Centre Court and four other courts. The data guide irrigation so each court maintains consistent hardness and grass cover. The 18 tournament courts and 20 practice courts are sown with perennial ryegrass. A grass-species trial running nearly 40 years has identified varieties that tolerate heat and wear.

The club has no private water supply and follows local conservation rules. Projects include drainage layers and systems that recapture water for reuse. Spring rainfall in London was 20 percent of average, according to Thames Water. No rain has fallen during the tournament and none is forecast.

Sliding by players shreds grass leaves on baselines.

The damage is spread across a wider area than the concentrated wear at service lines. Daily readings from the Sports Turf Research Institute count grass blades and measure hardness. Staff adjust water amounts on individual courts to keep conditions uniform.