Wimbledon's Centre Court turf is withstanding record-breaking temperatures after the hottest opening day in the tournament's history. Head groundsman Neil Stubley says the grass is performing within expected ranges despite extreme heat reaching 34.2C on Tuesday.
Monday's opening day saw temperatures hit 29.7C, making it the hottest first day in Wimbledon's history. The mercury climbed even higher on Tuesday, reaching 34.2C as players battled sweltering conditions on the famous grass courts.
Extra watering helps courts cope
Neil Stubley, head of courts and horticulture at the All England Club, revealed that staff managed to apply additional water during practice week thanks to stable weather conditions. "Fortunately, we've been able to put some extra water down," he said.
The groundsman explained that short bursts of hot weather are manageable for the tournament's preparation team. "When you have short bursts of hot weather - we can handle that," Stubley added.
Data shows courts within normal ranges
Current monitoring data indicates the courts are performing as expected for the early stages of the Championships. "The data that we're collecting at the moment is pretty much telling us that they are within the ranges that we would expect for the start of Championships into day three," Stubley said.
With climate experts warning that extreme heat could become increasingly frequent, Wimbledon's groundskeeping team is already preparing for future challenges. The All England Club is researching drought-tolerant grass varieties to ensure the courts can withstand changing weather patterns.
Future-proofing against climate change
Stubley acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding future weather conditions but emphasised ongoing preparation efforts. "Whatever comes in the future, who knows? We're very mindful of the predictions, with all the research that we do," he said.
The club is actively selecting grass cultivars that can better cope with dry conditions. "In the future, if we feel we have to look at different cultivars of grass, we'll pre-empt that sort of thing," Stubley explained.
Research focuses on drought tolerance
All research into grass varieties now focuses on drought tolerance to ensure Wimbledon remains prepared for future weather patterns. "All the research we do with our grasses, we're now selecting grasses that are more drought tolerant," Stubley said.
"By the time we get to future weather patterns, we'll be in the best place that we can be," he added. Wednesday finally brought wet weather to Wimbledon after two days of searing heat, providing relief for both players and the carefully maintained grass courts.
(PA/London) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
