LONDON — Grass in much of London turned brown last week amid a record heat wave that made Britain and the rest of Europe sizzle. Water demand skyrocketed, and suppliers urged people to drastically reduce outdoor usage.
The perfectly manicured lawns of Wimbledon’s famous tennis courts are as green as ever, though, as play at the grass-court Grand Slam got underway this week.
The lush green courts are a standard that players, spectators and broadcasters have come to expect — or take for granted.
“I have not once ever considered the watering of the grass,” American player Madison Keys said after winning a second-round match in the women’s singles bracket Thursday. “They always are (green), so that’s probably why I have never thought about it.”
The players don’t need to worry about it because Neil Stubley, the All England Club’s head of courts and horticulture, and his team of 31 groundskeepers make sure that Wimbledon is always a picture-perfect spectacle thanks to constant maintenance.