2016 Wimbledon | Tennis | Odds & Tips | UBET WIMBLEDON JUNE 27 - JULY 10, 2016 ALL-ENGLAND CLUB Held annually at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London in late June/early July is the third Grand Slam of the year, The Wimbledon Championships - or simply Wimbledon. The event is the world’s longest running tennis tournament and widely regarded as the most prestigious. To continue the event’s long-time tradition, players are required to wear all white clothing when participating in competitive matches Just under $50 million in prize money is at stake across the singles, doubles and wheelchair doubles competitions, with the ‘gentlemen’s and ladies’ singles winners pocketing roughly $3.5 million each. Like other Grand Slams ( Australian Open , French Open etc) the tournament lasts two weeks, with the finals played on the venue’s famous Centre Court. In the Men’s singles draw, two players have reigned supreme in the open era (1968 onwards).

American ace Pete Sampras claimed seven Wimbledon titles between 1981 and 1989 and Swiss maestro Roger Federer equalled that feat from 2003 to 2012. Four Australian men have won the tournament in the open era; Rod Laver and John Newcombe both went back-to-back in 1968-69 and 1970-71 respectively, while Pat Cash (1987) and Lleyton Hewitt (2002) have also managed victories. Other greats in men’s singles that have won the tournament include Bjorn Borg, John McEnroe and Boris Becker. The women’s singles draw has been dominated by Americans in the open era. In the past 47 years of the tournament, US women have won on 27 times. Martina Navratilova is the most successful woman, having won nine Wimbledon titles. Between 1982 and 1987, Navratilova claimed six consecutive titles and featured in the final in the three years after. The Williams sisters, Venus and Serena, have five Wimbledon titles each.

On four separate occasions the final has been contested by both sisters, with Serena edging her sister 3-1 in the tournament deciders. Promotions, Odds and Previews Worlds Most Famous Tennis Tournaments Worlds Most Famous Tennis Tournaments The four most famous tennis tournaments in the world are known as the Grand Slam tournaments or simply as the Majors. They are the the Wimbledon Championships, the French Open, the Australian Open and the US Open. These tournaments are the most significant in the world in relationship to tradition, world ranking, public attention and prize money. The Australian Open takes place at Melbourne Park during the Australian summer in January, making it the first of the Grand Slam tournaments to be held each year. The Australian Open was first held in 1905, and it was held on grass courts until 1987. Beginning in 1988, the tournament has been contested on hard courts. Its current champions are Roger Federer (men's singles), Serena Williams (women's singles), Bob and Mike Bryan (men's doubles), Serena and Venus Williams (women's doubles), and Cara Black and Leander Paes (mixed doubles). The next Grand Slam tournament to be held on the annual tennis calendar is the French Open.

The tournament, takes place over the course of two weeks in the spring, from late May to early June. The French Open, held in Paris, is the only tournament of the Majors that is held on a clay court, as it has been since it began in 1891. Because clay is a slow-moving surface, the French Open is often regarded as the most physically difficult of the Grand Slam tournaments. Its current champions are Rafael Nadal (men's singles), Francesca Schiavone (women's singles), Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic (men's doubles), Serena and Venus Williams (women's doubles), and Katarina Srebotnik and Nenad Zimonjic (mixed doubles). The third Grand Slam tournament is perhaps the most well-known tennis tournament in the world, and it also has the distinction of being the oldest. The Wimbledon Championships has been held since 1877 in the London suburb of Wimbledon, from late June to early July. Wimbledon places a strong emphasis on tradition: it is the only one of the Majors still held on grass, and spectators eat strawberries and cream, a traditional English dessert, while watching the games.

Wimbledon's current champions are Rafael Nadal (men's singles), Serena Williams (women's singles), Jürgen Melzer and Philipp Petzschner (men's doubles), Vania King and Yaroslava Shvedova (women's doubles), and Leander Paes and Cara Black (mixed doubles). The final Grand Slam tournament of the annual tennis calendar is the most recent addition to the Majors. The US Open began as the U.S. National Championship in 1881, but it did not join the Grand Slam tournaments until 1987. The US Open is held during the weeks before and after Labor Day weekend, from late August to early September. The tournament has changed its courts several times over the years, beginning with grass, then moving to clay in 1975, and finally to hard courts in 1978. The current champions are Juan Martin del Potro (men's singles), Kim Clijsters (women's singles), Lukáš Dlouhý and Leander Paes (men's doubles), Serena and Venus Williams (women's doubles), and Carly Gullickson and Travis Parrott (mixed doubles).

Share Tweet By Things To Do Editors Posted: Thursday May 26 2016 Whether you're a legitimate tennis fan or just in it for the Pimm's, the Wimbledon 2017 Tennis Championships are a must in the London events calendar . The next totally terrific tournament, darling, will take place on Monday July 3 - Sunday July 16 2017 and, from how to get Wimbledon 2017 tickets to the outdoor sports screens in London showing the latest matches, here's all the info you need. Where is Wimbledon 2017? Er, Wimbledon. Ok, to be more specific, the court action takes place at the All England Lawn Tennis Club , but plenty of big screens pop up when the tennis season is in full swing. Check out our favourite Wimbledon 2016 screenings below to find one near you. When is Wimbledon 2017? This year's tennis-athon runs from Monday July 3 - Sunday July 16 2017. What is Wimbledon? Taking place at the All England Club in South West London since 1877, Wimbledon is the oldest tennis tournament in the world.

It now attracts over 500,000 spectators for two weeks every year and has some very old-school rules about what the players can and can't do. Wimbledon 2017: your ultimate guide Things to do Find Wimbledon screenings End up empty handed after the ballot? Enjoy all the action at one of London's big screens Things to do British Sporting Calendar | BritainVisitor - Travel Guide To Britain Britain's Sporting Calendar Daniel Allen Whatever your taste, Britain is home to some of the world's greatest sports - and sporting venues. Many of the most popular sports began in Britain, including cricket, football, lawn tennis, golf and rugby. England's national sport is cricket, although many people believe football (soccer) is the national game. Football is certainly Britain's most popular sport. Some of England's football teams are indeed world famous, such as Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool, although the fortunes of the national team are a constant source of disappointment for the fans. The annual British sporting calendar is typically packed with events - many held on the same dates every year. Here are some of the most popular, many of which require some advanced planning if you wish to attend.

Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race, River Thames, London Boat Race (late March / early April) Dating back to 1829, this is one of the institutions of the British sporting calendar. Taking place in the spring, this is an annual race between the Oxford University Boat Club and the Cambridge University Boat Club, rowed between competing eights on the River Thames in London . The Boat Race course is 4 miles and 374 yards (6.779 km) long, stretching from Putney to Mortlake and passing Hammersmith and Barnes. Drawing large crowds, the start and finish are marked by the University Boat Race Stones on the south bank of the Thames. The Boat Race in 2015 will be held on April 11. London Marathon London Marathon (April) Held in April every year and set over a largely flat course around the River Thames, the London Marathon is one of the world's top six marathons that form the World Marathon Majors competition with a $1 million prize purse.

Dating back to 1981 and spanning 42.195 kilometres (26 miles and 385 yards), the London Marathon attracts amateur runners who make up the majority of the thirty thousand plus entrants. The London Marathon is a typically colourful affair with many amateur participants running in fancy dress for charity causes. The 2015 London Marathon will be held on April 25. Grand National (April) The Grand National held at Aintree National Course, near Liverpool , is Europe's richest steeplechase held over a uniquely challenging 7km-long course. The Grand National was first run in 1839 and features some fences which have become household names: Becher's Brook, The Chair and Canal Turn. Legendary horses which have competed in the Grand National include Devon Loch (who famously lost on the home stretch), L'Escargot, Red Rum (who is the only race horse to have one three times) and Aldaniti. The 2015 Grand National will be held on 11 April.

FA Cup Final, Wembley Stadium, London FA Cup Final (May) First held in 1872, the FA Cup Final - commonly referred to in England as the Cup Final - is the last match in the Football Association Challenge Cup and traditionally played at London's Wembley Stadium . It is the culmination of a knockout competition among all the clubs belonging to The Football Association in England, although Scottish and Irish teams competed in the early years and Welsh teams regularly compete, with Cardiff City winning the Cup in 1927 and reaching the final in 2008. Arsenal finally held aloft a trophy in May 2014 when they beat Hull City 3-2 to win the 2014 FA Cup. In recent years Chelsea have dominated, but Portsmouth and Wigan Athletic have also tasted FA Cup Final glory. Royal Ascot Royal Ascot (June) Royal Ascot is considered the very best of all racing events. Held at the Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire, just outside London, Royal Ascot has been renowned as one of the key events in the racing calendar for nearly 300 years.

Centered on fleet horses and elaborate millinery, Royal Ascot is a truly special event, combining racing, gambling, style and entertainment for five days in June. Royal Ascot is the highlight of Ascot's racing year and the event dates back to 1711 when it was founded by Queen Anne. Every year the event is attended by the reigning monarch and various members of the British Royal Family such as The Prince of Wales, arriving every day in horse-drawn carriages. Wimbledon Tennis Championships, England Wimbledon (June / July) Quite simply the highlight of the global tennis calendar, Wimbledon is also the oldest tennis tournament in the world, having been held at the All England Club in London since 1877. Wimbledon is the only Major tournament now played on grass, the game's original surface, which gave the game its original name of "lawn tennis". The Wimbledon tournament takes place over two weeks in late June and early July, culminating with the Ladies' and Gentlemen's Singles Final.

The majority of centre and show court tickets sold to the public are made available by a public ballot that the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (usually known as the All England Club or the AELTC) holds at the start of the year. This ballot is always oversubscribed and successful applicants are selected at random by computer. General admission to the grounds gives access to the outer courts - tickets returned by people leaving early go on sale at 2.30pm. The last two British winners of Wimbledon are Scotland's Andy Murray in 2013 and Stockport's Fred Perry from 1934-1936. The British Grand Prix, Silverstone, England British Grand Prix (July) One of the only real "classic" races left in the Formula 1 calendar, the British Grand Prix at Silverstone in Northamptonshire is one of the world's special motor races. Taking place every summer, the British GP resonates with history and always draws a passionate crowd. Dubbed the Home of "British Motorsport", Silverstone's first races were held on an airfield (around oil drums) in the 1950's.

The British and Italian Grand Prix are the oldest continuously staged Formula One World Championship Grand Prix. Today the modern circuit has never looked so good and has secured its place in the World Championship for the next decade. Henley Ragatta, England Henley Regatta (July) One of Britain's most famous summer sporting events, Henley Regatta is a historic occasion, set in a riverside village on the Thames that has hardly changed in the last two centuries. Since it began in 1839, the Henley Regatta has grown from a local event into one of the biggest meetings in rowing, with crews from around the world competing in the various Challenge Trophies. The draw at Henley is still conducted on a knock-out basis with only two boats racing in each heat, and nineteen events take place over the five days. But Henley is also a social event, with crowds gathering by the water's edge to picnic and drink Pimm's. De rigueur fashion for oarsmen past and present are fancy blazers, colourful socks and club ties. The British Open Golf Championship The British Open (The Open) (July) The Open Championship, or simply The British Open or Open, is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf.

The Open is the only major held outside the United States. Since 1979 The Open has been played on the weekend of the third Friday in July, taking place annually on one of nine links courses in Scotland or England. The 2015 Open Championship will be held at St Andrews in Fife, Scotland between the 12 - 19 July. Tickets will go on sale late October/early November 2014. Wimbledon’s Guardians of Grass Face Olympics, Too - The New York Times The New York Times Tennis |Wimbledon’s Guardians of Grass Face a Challenging Summer Search Continue reading the main story “The moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself.” — Henry Miller BINGLEY, England — Some 200 miles north of London, there is a field. It sits high above Aire Valley in Yorkshire, up a winding road, on the historic grounds of the St. Ives Estate. This field is divided into sections, which are divided into smaller subsections, which form a vast, mismatched grass quilt.

Its patches, hundreds of species of grass, are colored myriad shades of green, from forest to hunter to lime; tested with fertilizers; worn by machines; and mowed to the millimeter — all in the name of sports. The celebrity grass, the patch synonymous with the next Grand Slam tennis tournament, is near the middle of the field. It is a replica of Centre Court at Wimbledon, the most famous grass in sports, only smaller and unlined. Continue reading the main story The guardians of the Wimbledon grass face an unprecedented test this summer, with two tournaments at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club and less than three weeks between them. Wimbledon begins Monday; the Olympic tennis tournament starts July 28. Advertisement Continue reading the main story The patch’s caretaker is Andy Newell. He works for the Sports Turf Research Institute, home to physicists, chemists, agronomists, biologists and engineers, all of whom share one task central to their job descriptions: to watch grass grow. Newell’s title is head of turfgrass biology; his hobby, lawn bowling. He does not see the idyllic view below.

“You can always tell people who work in the turf industry,” he said, “because once they get on grass, they don’t look up.” For sports fans across Britain, along with worldwide audiences for golf, soccer, tennis, horse racing, rugby and cricket , it would be difficult to miss S.T.R.I.’s influence underfoot. It has consulted the soccer governing bodies FIFA and UEFA, as well as the London Olympics, the British Open and Wimbledon, among others. For the institute’s roughly 70 employees, grass is more than a green surface upon which to picnic. Grass is meant to be dissected, studied, cultivated, grown, defended, trimmed and even cherished. These grass whisperers know the five criteria for the ideal Wimbledon championship court. They know the optimum ball bounce as measured in gravities. They know what the Botanical Battle is and how to win it. They even know the soil underneath the storied Wimbledon grass is actually 23 percent clay. What they do not know, apparently, is home lawn care. S.T.R.I. sent out a recent e-mail, asking for volunteers with sufficiently manicured yards for testing. Not one person responded.

Random stranger: “What do you do?” Lee Penrose, S.T.R.I. development manager: “I look after grass.” Stranger: “Are you a gardener?” Penrose: “Not exactly.” The manual for Wimbledon grass maintenance is 33 detailed pages. Immediately, it says the playing surface affects tennis more than it does other sports. The manual says for grass to survive it must compete with other surfaces. It continues, somewhat ominously: “Failure to do so could result in the demise of grass as an international surface.” They take their grass seriously at Wimbledon, where thousands of visitors tour the grounds each week, where a small green sign sits next to Centre Court. In white letters, it reads, KEEP OFF THE GRASS. Advertisement Continue reading the main story When Eddie Seaward, the longtime head groundsman, arrived in 1990, he saw courts covered in poa annua, or annual meadow or bluegrass — a weed grass, soft and spongy, hated by the grounds crews and greenskeepers. Grass tennis was also in tatters, and not by coincidence.

Grass is the fastest of tennis’s three main surfaces — followed by hard courts and clay — mostly because it is also the softest, least springy surface, with each bounce cushioned. Back then, big servers dominated and clay-court specialists skipped the grass season entirely. For a higher, more consistent bounce, Seaward needed a firmer surface, without the weed grass that caused dead spots. He heard often from members of the All England Club, who wanted answers to the complaints. “You’re using the wrong grass,” Seaward told them. To which they responded: “Don’t be silly, Eddie. Grass is green, and it grows.” Eventually, Seaward persuaded members of the Courts Committee to visit the Sports Turf Research Institute. They saw the trial plots out back, all these varieties of grass and how different they could look. By the time their train returned to London, Seaward had an approved research budget. Newell came to Wimbledon and performed a botanical analysis. Thus began an endearing partnership between Newell and Seaward, bonded by their love affair with grass. Newell and S.T.R.I. act as turf advisers to Wimbledon.

Seaward and his grounds crew implement most, if not all, of the suggestions, on everything from fertilizer to seeding. Newell already knew that different grasses worked better for different climates, different seasons, different sports: fescues and bentgrasses for golf; rye for soccer, rugby and tennis, but different types of rye for each. Wimbledon required a grass that could withstand several days of qualifying and two weeks of the main event and still look mostly pristine along the baselines. Newell kept the perennial rye grass, for its wear tolerance, then examined which of more than 100 varieties best suited the high level of Wimbledon maintenance. The new, all-rye formula was introduced in 2001 to rave reviews, a resounding victory for the partnership, revenge of the grass geeks. Advertisement Continue reading the main story The current seed mix has three types of perennial rye grass: 33 percent Pontiac, 33 percent Melbourne and 34 percent Venice. It removed the creeping red fescue Wimbledon had included since 1877. In layman’s terms, the grass wore out slower and it looked better.

Its blades, shiny on one side, dull on the other, assisted groundskeepers in mowing the courts’ distinct lines. In this case, though, beauty is only blade deep. The key to the low, uniform bounce of Wimbledon’s courts is the soil underneath. Viewed with an undersoil camera from the side, the Wimbledon grass is divided into sections, the smallest of which is green. First, a thin layer of turf, over a 10-inch layer of topsoil, over a two-inch binding layer, over a six-inch drainage layer, over a final layer labeled “subsoil formation.” That soil consists of clay, sand (fine, very fine, medium, coarse, very coarse), silt, coarse silt and fine gravel. The Wimbledon mixture is similar to a cricket pitch, which could consist of up to 40 percent clay, where a soccer field would be closer to 95 percent sand. If the volume of clay at Wimbledon seems sacrilegious, the offended should know it is found naturally in England and is but a distant relative of the red stuff used at the French Open . Dr.

Christian Spring, a soil scientist at S.T.R.I., said Wimbledon uses a “typical British soil that does not drain well, but turns hard when dried to elicit good ball-bouncing characteristics.” A professional-grade bag of perennial rye grass seed costs $234 to $312 for about 55 pounds. That seems like a small price for Wimbledon’s reputation, defined as much as any tournament by the playing surface. “Some of the committee says it’s the best money we spend now,” Seaward said of the S.T.R.I. partnership. Fun grass fact: The International Turfgrass Society meets once every four years. Topics include disease control and pathogen resistance. Advertisement Continue reading the main story Related grass fact: There is an International Turfgrass Society. The mere sight of annual bluegrass causes Newell’s face to scrunch into a scowl. That grass, a “really bad cousin” of Kentucky bluegrass, is his stated enemy, “an offensive little bugger.” Newell sees this in rather extreme terms. “Ah, the Botanical Battle,” he said. “It’s a continual war. There’s a lot of science people don’t appreciate. For the battle, the mowers must be right.

There’s physics, how the blades run around, how fast they go, how many there are. There’s biology. I mean, here are two different grasses we’re fighting a war with! You have the goodies and the baddies! And you have science!” For this Wimbledon, Newell pronounced the battle already won. The bulk of it takes place in the autumn months, when Seaward and his crew embark on an eight-step renovation that includes irrigation (Step 1), aeration (Step 2) and seeding (Step 4). The removal of thatch — the dreaded, thick layer of dead organic matter between the grass leaf and its soil — is most important, because thatch infiltrates the courts, turns them spongy and deadens the bounce. To remedy this, the grounds crew drills small holes in the surface to let the soil breathe, then fills them with good soil. It’s like a Botox injection for grass.

In the winter, when the turf is white with frost, the grounds crew is advised that “there is a danger in breaking the brittle grass leaf” and “the turf will bruise easily.” Even mowing rules are specific: cut to 15 millimeters in the winter, 12 millimeters in March, 9 millimeters in early April, 8 millimeters by the start of play. In this botanical standoff, grass gurus must contend with insects and diseases (more prevalent in higher temperatures), extreme weather and other creatures. At Wimbledon, officials fly a hawk twice a week to scare away the pigeons. In the off-season, an electric fence guards Centre Court to discourage the urban foxes, whose urine is particularly damaging to grass and who like to sunbathe on the roof. Once the tournament begins, the mornings buzz with activity, employees mowing and marking all 19 championship courts. Then there is Newell, Wimbledon’s mad grass scientist. He measures traffic damage, ball rebound, soil hardness and moisture level. One of his contraptions is a long red tube that drops a ball from 100 inches and measures its vertical rebound. The crew does 24 such measurements for each court each day of the tournament.

Optimum bounce, as measured in gravities, is 170 — soft enough to retain the grass feel but hard enough to elicit the bounce intended, which is 80 percent of what it would bounce on concrete. When the reading climbs over 200 gravities, the ball will not bounce higher, and the courts themselves are then more susceptible to cracks. Advertisement Continue reading the main story Other methods are less scientific. “Andy will go out there, and he will measure color, basically,” Seaward said. “If it goes brown, it’s worn.” Additional testing takes place at S.T.R.I.’s headquarters, where steel contraptions, called wear machines, are used to simulate a soccer match or tennis tournament. These gadgets are hulking and gray and controlled by hydraulics, their wheels metallic and black with gray spikes sized according to each sport. They look like minitanks. One wheel on the machine runs smoothly, while the other skids, to replicate all the starts and stops, to not just stomp the grass but tear at it. The soccer machine does the same damage David Beckham and his teammates would do; the tennis version replicates Roger Federer and his opponents.

At S.T.R.I., they have their own, simulated fortnight. Twelve passes over the same surface is equivalent to one day’s play. They do those passes every day for two weeks and measure the damage or, hopefully, lack thereof. If all goes well, Newell is annually crowned champion. “When these clay soils dry out, they get dusty. There can be cracks. The grass is really there to keep the soil together, but when the grass gets rubbed off, you get these depressions, because the clay dries and wears away and turns to dust.” — Christian Spring, the soil scientist, on why the baselines at Wimbledon look so worn by tournament’s end. The founders established S.T.R.I. in 1929. They rented five rooms in the St. Ives Mansion, atop the loamy soil ideal for their experiments. In those days, the golf unions of Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England, along with St. Andrews, helped finance the research. Early clients included the Redcar Cricket Club and the Cardiff Bowling Club. S.T.R.I.’s revenue, about £4 million (or about $6.2 million) annually, is pumped back into research.

Each pitch, court or track tells a story. The craziest: bodies were found underneath a surface as a drainage system was being installed. The site had apparently been built on a cemetery. The man who oversees this sprawling grass research empire is Dr. Gordon McKillop, the chief executive. Like most of his employees, McKillop took a serendipitous route to the institute. He ran a research program that developed nonlethal methods to protect land and crops from animals like rabbits, badgers and foxes. This overlapped with some S.T.R.I. research. Paths crossed. S.T.R.I. hired him. Advertisement More than anything, McKillop wanted to introduce scientific standards to a business that had long trafficked more in the so-called dark arts, turf management heavy on expertise and feel. “The key is the science of agronomy as much as the art of agronomy,” he said. “Quantifying.” Hence the Trueness Meter, a device designed to read the smoothness of a golf green. For years, greenskeepers could measure the speed of the green based on how far and fast the ball rolled.

The Trueness Meter, which costs around 12,000 pounds (or $18,700) and took four years to develop, goes one step further, showing how much the ball moved laterally, how it bounced or snaked or deviated. Underneath the rigid metal frame, there are two joysticks, and in the center of those joysticks, there is a mounted aluminum wheel weighted the same as a golf ball. As the Trueness Meter is pushed across a green, the wheel moves up and down, and side to side. The joysticks record how much the ball moved, horizontally and vertically. Armed with those numbers, greenskeepers can adjust accordingly, with more water or a closer shave. They can intervene before weeds and dead spots become major problems. “When you have the readings, you want to tell golfers who complain, ‘The greens are just fine. It’s you!’ ” said Penrose, the development manager. Question: “How do you get into something like this”? Dr. Ruth Mann, head of turfgrass protection: “I’ve always been a wee bit of a scientist.

I’ve always been into bugs and beasties.” Question: “Same with your husband?” Mann: “No, he’s normal. Over the years, he’s gotten used to the fact I’m not going to be a bank clerk. One of the American pathologists came over for a visit. My husband said: ‘I always thought you were the only weirdo in the world. I’m so glad there are actually two of you.’ ” Seaward will retire at the end of August, but not before the two tournaments conclude. Asked if he found the extra preparation for this summer, with the Olympics also being held at Wimbledon, difficult, Seaward said: “The answer is yes. It’s not good. I have to say that.” When Wimbledon ends, the traditional sponsors will be replaced by Olympic ones. The all-white dress code will vanish, too. Seaward said they held six meetings with Olympic organizers to discuss flagpoles and their placement for the Games, “before we met to decide we’d have a seventh.” Advertisement Continue reading the main story Usually, Seaward and his crew take off the day after the Wimbledon men’s singles final. Not this year.

The process of stripping down the grounds, which usually takes three to four weeks, must be completed in 24 hours. To hurry grass growth, the groundsmen will plant pregerminated seeds, which are already wet when sown into the ground and thus already growing. This will trim three days from the usual process. In addition, Seaward said, officials planned to use a grow cover, which when placed over the court on a sunny day acts like a greenhouse. Wimbledon last faced such scrutiny in 2009, when it added a retractable roof over Centre Court. This, too, affected the grass. When the roof sat over the Royal Box on the southern end, it blocked part of the court from the sun. The roof needed to be stored instead on the north end. Beyond the problem of the shade, officials also introduced a microclimate for when the roof is closed to regulate the air, eliminate condensation and keep the grass dry. They have sensors on the court, linked to computers, along with two weather stations, one on Centre Court, the other outside, to measure and compare climates. “I was worried the air control would change the ball, or move it,” Seaward said.

“We got it so we could play international badminton in here and the air wouldn’t move the shuttlecock.” The ideal result, a sporting event in which athletes do not complain about the playing surface, is the reason for all this preparation, for this business of turf management, at once on the fringe of sports and yet central to so many events. These specialists are like offensive linemen in that way, spotlighted when something goes wrong, part of the background when all goes right. Essentially, they want to remove the excuses, to level, literally, the playing field. After complaints surfaced over the field at Wembley Stadium, Penrose said the issues could not be blamed on a single person or technique. He even sounded like an offensive lineman, missing only something about taking it one blade at a time. People ask Seaward continually, Can I replicate Centre Court in my backyard? The answer is no, not really, unless they want to manage grass like he does, all day, every day, a full-time job. People ask Seaward all sorts of things. Is it plastic? Can I take home a patch? A single blade?

This is what he tells them: “It’s just grass.” A version of this article appears in print on June 25, 2012, on Page D1 of the New York edition with the headline: Turf Wars. Order Reprints | Today's Paper | Subscribe London Events and Festivals in 2014 / 2015: Greater London, England 25th December - Christmas Day 26th December - Boxing Day (If Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year's Day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the next weekday becomes a public holiday). January The London Parade Festival - January 1st, one of the biggest events in London's calendar. With almost 10,000 participants from around the world, it draws a street audience of close to one million people London International Boat Show - early January, Europe's biggest boat show - Earl's Court Exhibition Centre, Warwick Road Charles J.

Commemoration - last Sunday in January, commemorating the anniversary of King Charles' execution, cavaliers march through Central London dressed in 17th-century attire London International Mime Festival - end of January, artists from all over the world come to London to take part in this festival February Great Spitalfields Pancake Day Race - mid-February, on the day before Lent The Olympia Fine Art and Antiques Fair - mid-February, held in Olympia, featuring over 200 exhibitors selling antique period furniture and works of art Chinese New Year - mid-February, famous Lion Dancers, paper dragons and firecracker processions in SoHo Valentine's Day - February 14th, commercialised, romantic celebrations throughout the city March Classic Motor Show - mid-March, one of the largest exhibitions of vintage, Edwardian and extremely rare vehicles in the world - Alexandra Palace, Wood Green, north London St.

Patrick's Day - March 17th, many pubs and other venues have concerts and celebrations, particularly in north London Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race - late March, Cambridge and Oxford universities race their boats along a 4.25-mile / 7-km stretch of the River Thames, between Putney Bridge and Mortlake April Ideal Home Exhibition - new ideas for the home and the garden, technological gadgets that you can see being demonstrated and purpose-built houses Kite Festival - early April, kite flying and displays on the vast Blackheath Common London Marathon - mid-April, around 30,000 people run the 26-mile / 41.5 km course from Greenwich Park and Blackheath to the Buckingham Palace Mall, cheered on by thousands of spectators London Garden Show - late April, Alexandra Palace in Wood Green is home to many hundreds of vendors and gardening artists for this annual spring event May Covent Garden Festival - throughout May, including a wide range of operatic musical concerts The May Fayre and Puppet Festival - one day in May, at St.

Paul's Church in Covent Garden, a great day not just for the children but for all the family The London Dollhouse Festival - mid-May, this festival started in 1985 and is a stopping place for some miniature houses, which will eventually end up at Museum of Miniatures in Los Angeles Outdoor Shakespeare Performances - late May to Summer, bring a blanket and enjoy Shakespeare plays in the open air Chelsea Flower Show - late May, largest flower show in the world, beautiful gardens and displays of plants and flowers Coin Street Festival - last bank holiday of May continuing until September, celebrating cultures from all around the world including music and street performances. Most events are at the weekend on the south bank around Gabriel Wharf and the OXO Tower June Epsom Derby Stakes - early June, this derby is the biggest event in the British horse racing calendar Trooping the Colour - official birthday of the queen, who inspects her regiments while seated in a horse-drawn carriage, as they parade their colours before her - Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall Royal Academy's Summer Exhibition - early June to mid-August. Dating back to 1768, this institution has been sponsored for some two centuries Summer Exhibitions of living painters - June to August.

Browse and make purchases of reasonably priced art - Burlington House, Piccadilly Circus The Olympia Fine Art and Antiques Fair - mid-June, held in Olympia, this fair features over 200 exhibitors selling antique furniture and fine art works Grosvenor House Antiques Fair - mid-June, prestigious antiques show Kenwood Lakeside Concerts - mid-June to early September - this historic tradition of outdoor concerts has been preserved for fifty years, fireworks and dramatic laser shows - North side of Hampstead Heath Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championship - late June to early July, started in 1877 at Wimbledon this tournament consistently draws large crowds - Wimbledon, South-west London Royal Ascot - mid-June, takes place over four days and is the most popular flat race meeting in Britain, with a total of GBP 2.5 million to be won, many famous people attend, including The Royal Family July City of London Festival - mid-July, arts festival around the city Royal Tournament - late July, displays of athletic and military skills performed by the British armed forces - Earl's Court Exhibition Centre The Proms - mid-July to mid-September, the traditional Promenade Concerts began 1895 to attract classical music lovers from all over the

 world Swan Upping on the Thames - takes place over a week in July, this a traditional ritual with boats and oarsmen all dressed up in colorful clothing making it a spectacular sight to see Ealing Summer Festival - includes all types of entertainment for both children and adults - most events are free and are held in Walpole Park or other parks in the area, including shows, sporting events and theatrical performances British 10k Run - end July, open to all entrants, this 10 km / 6.3 mile run across London has a celebrity start and entertainment all along the route August Ealing Jazz Festival - first week in August, this is the largest free jazz festival in the UK, with concerts taking place at lunchtimes and during the evening throughout Walpole Park African-Caribbean Street Fair - late August, live reggae, soul music and tasty Caribbean food attract over half a million people - one of Europe's largest festivals The Notting Hill Carnival - on August bank holiday, this is the largest street party in Europe and the carnival covers a large area off Portobello Road over the Sunday and Monday Great British Beer Festival - with live music, pub games and a wide range of different merchandise to buy - not just for people who like beer -

 with over 700 real ales, ciders and imported beers to choose from September London Open House - where public access is given free of charge to buildings of architectural and community interest across the capital, including The Royal Courts of Justice, The Guards Museum, Royal Opera House, Royal Court Theatre and many more Covent Garden Festival of Street Theatre - over two weeks in September, this street theatre in Covent Garden features many plays, all of which are unique and of a high quality Chelsea Antiques Fair - mid-September, something for everyone no matter what they are looking for or what their budget is, many large antiques shops have a stall at the fair that runs for over a week Thames Festival - celebrating the river that has made London so prosperous and popular - the festival takes place between Waterloo Bridge and Blackfriars Bridge and includes a fanfare, river displays, face painting, craft and food stalls Quintessentially Epicure - early-September, two days food event with tastings of dishes from London's preeminent restaurants, demonstrations from renown international chefs, and sampling of wines, spirits and champagnes October Pearly Kings and Queens Harvest Festival - early October, from all over London, pearly Kings and Queens get together to celebrate the Harvest Festival and parade

 through London to St.

Martin-in-the-Fields church where they have a service of celebration Opening of Parliament - first Monday in October, the monarch opens parliament in the historic House of Lords after riding from nearby Buckingham Palace to Westminster in a colourful royal coach Trafalgar Square Festival - early October, this festival is devoted to poetry, chamber music concerts and many aspects of the visual arts Punch and Judy Festival - first Sunday of October, Punch and Judy take over the Piazza - a great day out for children and grownups alike, with cries of 'That's the way to do it!' November Fireworks Night - early November, bonfires are lit around the city to commemorate the attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament, by the infamous Guy Fawkes Lord Mayor's Procession and Show - mid-November, inauguration of the new 'Lord Mayor of the City of London' - Guildhall to the Royal Courts of Justice Remembrance Sunday Ceremony - first Sunday after the 11th of November, ceremony to commemorate those people who gave their lives for the country in both the First and Second World War - the Queen, the Prime Minister and other Heads of State lay wreaths and observe a minute's silence at 11:00 The Olympia Fine Art and Antiques Fair - late

 November, held in Olympia, featuring more than 200 exhibitors selling antiques, period furniture and fine arts London's Annual Film Festival - mid-November to early December, including a selection of some of World's best films December Christmas Lights - late November / early December, the Christmas illuminations are switched on by a famous celebrity at Regent Street Window Displays - it is worth a trip into the shopping areas just to see the amazing window displays of the major shops at Christmas time Christmas Tree - every year the Norwegian people give the British nation a fir tree to thank them for their help during the war.

The tree stands in Trafalgar Square and is decorated with lights. Occasionally carol concerts are held under the tree during lunchtimes Boxing Day Sales - December 26th, the day after Christmas day - the sales are an absolute must and last for about a month. The best deals are to be found on the first few days New Year's Eve Celebrations - every year the celebrations get bigger and better, with many different celebrations going on around the capital, featuring street theatre and fireworks - alternatively there are always crowds in Trafalgar Square

Question: The Wimbledon tennis tournament that takes place annually in late June and early July runs for how long?
Answer: Two weeks