Head groundskeeper on why the grass is greener in SW19
The man behind Wimbledon’s famous courts has said they are treated like “mini thoroughbred horses” to ensure they can withstand the speed and agility of modern tennis.
Neil Stubley, head of courts and horticulture, said grass clippings are analysed and soil moisture tested at SW19 in the lead-up to the tournament to create “robust” courts for the world’s best players.
Mr Stubley, who works with a team of 30 ground staff during the championships, said: “By the time we get to the start of the tournament the courts are, for us, like mini thoroughbred horses. They are just in their prime and ready to go.
“The perfect championships for me is that nobody mentions the grass, because at the end of the day, it’s not about the grass, it’s about the tennis.”
Mr Stubley said maintaining the 18 Championship courts and 22 practice grass courts had become “very scientific” and admitted it was a challenge to keep up with advances in the sport.
He said: “If you look at the players of modern sport now, they are so athletic, they are so fast. If you see a [Juan Martin] Del Potro, he’s six foot seven, he’s the best part of 17 stone and he can run, twist and turn at such a dynamic speed.
“How is the grass supposed to survive?”
Mr Stubley said his team worked all year round to try to create the best possible playing surface for modern players, closely monitoring the nutrition, temperature and moisture of the grass.
But he added: “Every time we gain something, it then gets taken away from us so every year we have to keep looking for that extra gain. But that’s what keeps it fun, keeps it real. The beauty of it is you can’t become complacent.”
Despite being on the front row of “some of the greatest moments” in tennis history at Wimbledon, Mr Stubley said he often struggled to enjoy the tournament.
He said: “My first year sole in charge was the first time a British player had won it for 77 years and I was sitting literally about ten yards from Andy Murray when he hit the winning shot.
“I’m not looking at the 25-ball rallies and the cross-court shots, I don’t see any of that.
“I’m too worried about them staying on their feet and not slipping over.”