In the long history of tennis, grass tennis courts have always been known as the fastest of all the tennis surfaces, with low bounce and a ball that zips off the surface. All that has changed over the past 25 years though, as grass courts have slowed down considerably. While grass courts are still the fastest surface, the nature of the surface is quite different to the one that players and fans were accustomed to for more than a century.
Let’s break down the reasons as to why grass courts have slowed down and how it has affected tennis, particularly at Wimbledon:
Grass Court Tennis Had Become a Bit Boring
Modern technology may have improved the overall power of tennis, but it has had unintended negative consequences. Thanks to greatly enhanced string technology and improved fitness levels, “first-strike tennis” on grass became the new normal on grass, reaching near-perfect levels in the 1990s. Booming serves, numerous aces and short rallies became the order of the day, as spectators were often robbed of longer, absorbing rallies, with many points within these matches over within 3 shots.
During this period, players who primarily employed the serve and volley technique were much more successful on grass courts, while players who primarily played from the baseline rarely won the tournament, with the notable exceptions of Bjorn Borg and Andre Agassi. This faster style of play was not appreciated by most spectators, who found the short matches and rallies to be tedious, with baseline rallies seemingly a relic of the past.
Players Were Also Unhappy
Baseline players were the most aggrieved about the fast-paced grass courts. Their complaints weren’t isolated to the speed of the ball; the unpredictable bounce was also an issue, as the bounce on grass was far lower than on other surfaces, and extremely uneven at Wimbledon, making it nearly impossible to anticipate a ball that would stay low or “flatline.” This low bounce encouraged even more net play, as it was a less risky option than staying put at the back of the court.
So, while power baseline tennis was gradually becoming the standard on clay and hardcourt surfaces, grass remained stubbornly resistant to the evolution of tennis. It was therefore clear that an effective and long-lasting change needed to be made that would make grass courts fairer for all players and ensure that matches were more attractive for spectators.
The players’ complaints weren’t just about the speed of the ball; they also had an issue with the unpredictability of the surface. The bounce on grass is inherently lower than on other surfaces, but at Wimbledon, it was also treacherously uneven. It was almost impossible to anticipate when you’d get a ball that stayed low or even flat-lined.
Wimbledon’s Surface Was Changed in 2000
After listening to the voices of dissent, Wimbledon organisers decided in 2000 to change the composition of the grass, intending to make it more durable and presentable. The change involved switching the surface to 100% ryegrass, abandoning the previous mix of 70% ryegrass and 30% creeping red fescue.
There wasn’t a noticeable change in the first year the new surface was used (in 2001), as serve-and-volley specialists Goran Ivanisevic and Pat Rafter contested the final. This slow change can probably be attributed to the rainy conditions over the fortnight of the tournament.
Wimbledon and Grass Courts Enter a New Era
The effects of the change in the grass composition became more pronounced in the following year’s tournament (2002), as two renowned baseliners, Lleyton Hewitt and David Nalbandian, contested the final. Since then, players who primarily play from the back of the court have dominated the tournament, as the courts have become slower and bouncier. However, many of the top players have naturally migrated anyway to being baseline players, as all of tennis’s surfaces have changed.
Grass tennis courts, particularly at Wimbledon, have been intentionally slowed down to reduce the dominance of serve-and-volley tennis and encourage longer rallies. This change, implemented over time, was a response to criticism that fast courts led to a predictable and less exciting style of play.
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