LONDON (AP) At 7:30 a.m. each day of the Wimbledon fortnight, hours before competition begins, the keepers of the grass gather to meticulously prepare the tournament’s hallowed courts for play.
Dozens of people spread out around the All England Club grounds to mow, paint and mop – yes, with a sponge mop and a pail of water, just like folks might use to make a kitchen floor sparkle. The night before, after a day’s action concludes, the courts are vacuumed (”Hoovered,” as the locals say) to collect whatever debris might have gathered – yes, with a larger, heavy-duty version of what folks might use to clean a living room rug.