Wimbledon’s tennis courts are really the unsung heroes of the two week tennis tournament. The 2024 Wimbledon Championship is sure to be as exciting as ever with a full list of competitors to be released shortly looking to take the championship title. You may be familiar with Centre Court and Court No.1 but what about the other courts at Wimbledon?
1. How Many Courts At Wimbledon?
There are 36 tennis courts in total at Wimbledon. 18 grass courts, 20 grass practice courts and 8 clay courts at Wimbledon. Centre Court and Court No.1 receive the most broadcast attention. It can take a whole ten minutes to close the roof on Centre Court and 30 minutes until play can start or continue once it is closed. This is to control and stabilise the environment to make it perfect for play.
The total grounds at Wimbledon covers 42 acres with over 42,000 spectators being able to visit over the two week tennis event.
2. Why a Grass Wimbledon Tennis Court?
The Wimbledon tennis grass courts are very specific when it comes to play. Each court comprises 100% rye grass that is a playing height of 8mm. This is due to research that found it was the optimum length for both tennis court play and to survive year round. The rye grass is perfect to combat wear and presentation. The research was carried out by the The Sports Turf Research Institute in Yorkshire.
The grass tennis courts at Wimbledon are in play from May to September (minus the Centre Court which is used for Championships).
3. How Does a Tennis Court Surface Impact Play at Wimbledon?
There are many factors to consider when it comes to a tennis court at Wimbledon. Soil impacts the bounce of a ball on the tennis court. It must be dry and hard so courts are covered to keep them dry and firm. The court is essential for both ball speed and bounce. The ball itself hasn’t actually changed since 1995.
4. How Long Does It Take To Grow a Grass Wimbledon Tennis Court?
It takes a whopping 15 months for a Wimbledon Championships’ standard grass tennis court to be ready for tennis play. Seeding gets underway in April, they are then cut three times a week to keep them at 15mm until the Championships. It’s then cut every day to be kept at 8mm, the rest of summer it’s cut three times a week and watered to fully mature.
Other Wimbledon Tennis Facts
🎾 Nine Tonnes of Grass seed is used every year.
🎾 Slazenger has been the official provider of tennis balls to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships since 1902.
🎾 There are 42,000 spectators in the grounds at any one time.
🎾 Players must be attired entirely in white from the point in which the player enters the court. This rule was introduced in 1963.
🎾 The fastest serve of all time for a Wimbledon Tennis match was by Taylor Dent of USA at 148mph in 2010.
🎾 191,930 portions of strawberries and cream were consumed during the 2019 Wimbledon Tennis championships.
🎾 There are around 150 Ball Boys and Ball Girls from around 1,000 entries with each going through a rigorous training routine.
Wimbledon Tennis Court Inspiration & Installation
Wimbledon always sees an uptake in tennis court installation enquiries. Whether this is for private or public play, it’s always recommended to enquire with plenty of time if you’re wanting a tennis court for the summer season.
There are four tennis court surface types and all have different playing characteristics. Grass, Clay, Hard and Artificial Grass courts. Cost, installation time and longevity differs between all court surface types for tennis. We can guide you through the best option for you, your club or your school.
Talk to A S Sports About Tennis Courts
Fancy a tennis court of your own? You may be looking for surfacing, resurfacing or maintenance. A S Sports were the first team in the UK to install short dense tennis carpets. Our experience in all tennis surfaces enables us to install the right tennis court system for you. Talk to our team on the best time to enquire about a tennis court.
