Wimbledon bosses are confident that the show courts at SW19 will firm up after a number of players slipped on the surface in the opening two days of the tournament.
Serena Williams was the most high-profile casualty and was forced to retire just seven games into her opening match with a leg injury on Tuesday night.
In the preceding match on Centre Court, Adrian Mannarino also pulled out injured after he fell on the grass in the fourth set against Roger Federer. He played on for a few games before withdrawing at the start of the fifth.
On the opening match on Centre Court on day one, Novak Djokovic and Jack Draper repeatedly slipped on the turf although came out of their match without injury.
Andy Murray was among those to raise concerns about the conditions on court, saying: “Brutal for Serena Williams but Centre Court is extremely slippy out there. Not easy to move out there.”
But the All England Club played down fears of ongoing problems throughout the Wimbledon fortnight.
Slips and Falls at Wimbledon Tennis Championships 2021
It said in a statement: “The preparation of the grass courts has been to exactly the same meticulous standard as in previous years. The weather conditions on the opening two days have been the wettest we have experienced in almost a decade, which has required the roof to be closed on Centre Court and No1 Court for long periods.
“This is at a time when the grass plant is at its most lush and green, which does result in additional moisture on what is a natural surface. With each match that is played, the courts will continue to firm up.”
