Wimbledon is one of tennis’ most prestigious and heralded events, famed for the iconic lush grass of the courts.
This was once the dominant surface on the tennis tour, but nowadays it takes up just a fraction of the calendar.
That is likely what makes the All-England Club so enthralling, given it is one of the few, and by far the biggest, to have retained that tradition.
However, with such a unique surface comes unique problems – the kind that do not crop up on clay or hard courts.
And, nearly nine years ago, both Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic shared the same complaint about the hallowed Wimbledon turf.
When Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic had the same Wimbledon complaint
It was 2017, and the Scotsman returned to the All-England Club as the defending champion.
He was to be challenged for his throne by the likes of Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, the latter of whom eventually wrestled it from him by beating Marin Cilic in the final.
However, despite the fanfare that surrounded the 35-year-old’s remarkable run to the title, it was actually the dry, slippery nature of the courts that dominated the media throughout the two-week tournament.
All three of the aforementioned stars were part of this conversation, with some theorising that the intense heat had distorted the surface to make it dangerous heading into the second week of play.
Murray would claim: “There’s quite a few spots on the court, like just behind the baseline and just in front of the baseline, where there’s quite big lumps of grass, sort of almost like little divots there.
“It’s been pretty hot, pretty extreme conditions. Not much rain. So I don’t know if that’s affected it … I think it’s just getting a bit beaten up early.”
Djokovic later echoed that sentiment: “I was hearing a lot of comments from the other players. They were complaining, especially on the outside courts.
“I could see there is a difference in grass, in the turf itself. It was a bit softer, I would say, especially around a couple of feet inside and outside, around the baseline area. I haven’t had that kind of experience before in Wimbledon, to be honest.”
Why Wimbledon changed its courts over the years
Wimbledon, like many courts over the past few decades, has been guilty of altering the make-up of their courts in order to gain a certain standard of play.
In fact, around 2001 and 2002 they famously began opting for a more resistant grass, thus nullifying the classic serve-and-volley technique that had been effective on this surface.
Instead, less offensive players like Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz were to benefit, encouraging lengthened rallies that would forge a greater spectacle.
Advancements in technology have also aided this gradual change, with better racquets and strings helping return serves and further dulling the serve-and-volley.
This is not just a Wimbledon-related issue though, with Federer having argued all courts have been slowed down to favour Alcaraz vs Jannik Sinner finals earlier this year.
