Case study: Wimbledon Research & Consultancy

Introduction STRI has a long and successful relationship with The All England Club. Consultancy services have been provided at Wimbledon by STRI for the last 50 years. In the early 1990s STRI’s remit increased significantly. A rolling programme of research into grasses for tennis and products used to improve the performance of grass courts began at the STRI trials ground in Bingley. In addition to this, consultancy services at The All England Club also increased. In 1993 the first Championships survey was conducted. These measurements of surface characteristics provide information for the club and offer guidance for management of courts throughout The Championships. The recent Championships in 2017 saw the 25th Championship survey conducted. These data are a terrific resource and enable surface characteristics and playing quality to be compared over more than two decades of Championships. Championship surveys for the benefit of grass court tennis generally, as well providing valuable information for the future management Daily measurements of surface characteristics are conducted of Championship Courts. The All England Club has an to provide Wimbledon groundstaff with information objective of promoting grass as a surface on which to play relating to court performance and playing quality. These tennis. Much of the research they commission reflects this measurements enable groundstaff to tailor management objective. Current and previous research projects include: and maintenance practices to get the best out of courts throughout each Championships. Measurements include: yy Grasses for tennis. These species/cultivar evaluation trials have been ongoing since 1993. The latest yy Surface hardness readings, measured with a Clegg impact incarnation will be sown in 2018 soil tester yy Hybrid turf systems for tennis. This is a new trial yy Volumetric soil moisture content, measured with a PR2 designed to evaluate hybrid turf systems that are soil moisture probe commonly used on football and rugby pitches and to yy Live grass cover readings, measured visually with a ascertain if they can be used on grass tennis courts point quadrat yy Product trials. These trials are on a rolling programme yy Relative live grass cover taken with a chlorophyll meter with new products for turf tested every year and with NDVI yy Warm season grasses. A new warm season grasses yy Relative ball rebound, calculated by dropping a ball from trial has been constructed at our trial site in Brisbane, 100 inches onto court surfaces and calculating relative Australia. This trial is designed to identify the most rebound compared to the bounce on a concrete surface suitable warm season species for grass tennis courts in yy General observations of courts, including counting any tropical and transitional areas surface cracks at the back of and within courts yy Rootzone trial. This trial is designed to ascertain if soils yy Measurements are taken on all Championship and with a lower clay content can be used on grass courts practice courts, 40 grass courts in total and achieve the same surface characteristics

Botanical composition The Lawn Tennis Association Botanical composition of all Championship courts and a As a direct result of work done on behalf of The All England selection of practice courts is measured as courts open for Club, STRI was recommended to act as consultants for the play in May. Lawn Tennis Association, who are responsible for running tennis in the UK. STRI provides consultancy services for all Consultancy tournament venues used by the LTA from County Week Consultancy visits are conducted on a regular basis, to matches staged at regional venues such as Cromer, West provide guidance and advice on the management of grass Worthing and Felixstowe, to International pre-Wimbledon courts throughout the year. events at large venues such as Nottingham Tennis Centre, Edgbaston Priory and Queens Club. Research In addition to this, we have also project managed many The All England Club commissions a significant programme new grass tennis court constructions on behalf of the LTA at of research with STRI on an annual basis. This research is venues such as Nottingham, Eastbourne and Ilkley. Other consultancy work In addition to work conducted for The All England Club and the LTA, STRI also provides consultancy services to independent grass court venues such as St George’s Hill Lawn Tennis Club in London and Kaya Palazzo, home of the Antalya Open, in Turkey.

The results: yy Producing world-class tennis courts for world- class players yy Constantly improving surfaces for over 50 years yy Delivering the best grass courts in the world

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