Robson wants Wimbledon stars to ditch plastic bottles

WIMBLEDON players should be fined for using single-use plastic bottles on court, a former British No1 has said.

Laura Robson, the 2007 Junior Wimbledon champion who retired from the sport last month, wants the championships to improve its environmental credentials by forcing players to use only reusable bottles.

She also suggested players should limit the number of receptacles they bring with them to matches, but pointed out such a measure would affect “superstitious” Rafael Nadal.

The Spaniard is obsessive about the precise positioning of his multiple water bottles during matches.

It comes as the championships were criticised for the excess of single-use bottles of Evian mineral water, one of Wimbledon’s main sponsors.

Speaking at an event to highlight the All England Club’s commitment to reducing its environmental impact, Robson, 28, talked about seeing players take a few sips from a plastic bottle of water and then leaving them at the court, suggesting they should be fined.

“We’re joking about it, but maybe that is something that needs to happen.

“I’m not sure how you would go about implementing that; whether you would have court coverers snitching on people by the side of the court. “But it would be a start, wouldn’t it?” She added: “So then, we’ve also got players who are superstitious, you know, Rafael with his water bottles, and they all need to be in a certain row.”

Hattie Parks, of the All England club, said: “Visitors who come to Wimbledon can bring a reusable bottle and fill it up.

“We’re working together with Evian on what we can do in the [future].”