LONDON -- Serena Williams was injured in the match against Aliaksandra Ssnovich. She had slipped twice on Centre Court grass during the match and retired halfway through. This incident sparked headlines and questions.Is Wimbledon grass becoming more slippery? Is there any change? Are the damp, heavy conditions causing an additional effect?Williams' injury was the result of a Frenchman Adrian Mannarino's knee injury while he was testing Roger Federer. It was a terrible tragedy for Williams and the All England Club, who value the quality of grass courts.It's not surprising, however. It's actually quite common.Centre Court is only used for two weeks each year during the Championships. It is not accessible to club members for the remaining 50 weeks of the calendar year.It's usually in great shape but it also means it is lush for the first few days, until many players have played on it and worn it down.Federer, an eight-time Wimbledon champion, stated that the grass is the same as it was last year."Those first two matches are always very difficult. It's been this way for a long time. It's very important for many players to make it through the first two rounds. The grass is harder and more slippery than it used to be. The court becomes more difficult to maneuver on as the tournament progresses.Grass requires players to move in a specific way.These days, players are used to having their ankles taped. However, even with all the precautions and knowledge, an injury can still occur.The two-day period of intermittent rain did not help. The grass dries quicker when the sky is hot and dry. It takes longer to dry when the sky is damp."The weather conditions over the first two days were the worst we've seen in nearly a decade. This has necessitated that the roof on Centre Court and No.1 Court be closed for long periods of time," the All England Club stated in a statement. This is when the grass plant is at its best, so there is more moisture on what is a natural surface.Although the Centre Court roof, installed in 2008 allows for play even when it is wet, those who have been under it have expressed how heavy and humid it can be.Serena Williams had to withdraw from her Wimbledon first round match after she injured herself on Centre Court. Adam Davy/PA Images via Getty ImagesFederer stated that "I feel it feels a little more slippery under the roof." Federer said, "I don’t know if this is just a gut feeling. It is important to be careful out there. You can fall if you push too hard at the wrong times."I feel that it is drier in the day. The wind and other things can dry out the grass. This is clearly terrible. It's back to back matches, and it also hits Serena. It's unbelievable.Billie Jean King and Andy Murray were among the many to tweet their opinions on the lush court conditions that ultimately led to Williams' withdrawal.@serenawilliams: Brutal, but the centre court is very slippy. It is not easy to move out of there. Andy Murray (@andy_murray), June 29, 2021It was sad to see Serena's Wimbledon win end in injury.She is a champion and I'm glad she will be back on the courts soon. https://t.co/zEEtG9YHgk Billie Jean King, @BillieJeanKing June 29, 2021World No. World No. 1 Novak Djokovic expressed concern after slipping several times in his win over Jack Draper in the first round.He said that he had fallen a few times on the breakpoints. "I was still finding my feet on the grass that had been quite slippery and moist. It was most likely because of the roof.This is not the first time that Wimbledon players have fallen on the courts.Maria Sharapova was one of the many players to slip in 2013. Many others, such as Victoria Azarenka suffered injuries the same day. This was referred to by British media as "Wacky Wednesday".Sharapova, who lost the first round of that year's tournament, said: "How many times more?" This court is dangerous.Wimbledon was moved back one week on the calendar two years later. It was believed that the tournament would be played in the first two weeks in July, which would bring more dry and warmer weather.In 2017, Federer and Murray were among the critics of the courts' slippery nature. The reason was the heat during the tournament's buildup. The courts were too dry and players were falling.Critique soon follows any injury, even if it is to the most well-known players. Players will need to remember that the grass is the same as it was before Wimbledon responded.The All England Club stated that the Grounds team has been around for a long time and have seen almost every type of weather. They keep up-to-date with the latest grass court technology, are prepared for any weather situation and respond to it on a daily basis."We will continue to monitor these readings, and adjust our grass care plan accordingly."
