Centre Court, Tennis court in Wimbledon, London, GB
Centre Court is a grass tennis court with a retractable roof located within the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon. The arena features multiple tiers of seating that rise in rings around the rectangular playing surface, giving spectators clear views of the court from all angles.
The court opened in 1922 and replaced an earlier location used since 1877, when the club moved to its current site. The retractable roof was added in 2009 to allow play to continue during rain, changing the century-old reliance on weather conditions for the tournament.
The court takes its name from its original central position on the grounds, though it no longer sits at the physical center of the complex. Players traditionally bow or curtsy to the royal box when members of the British royal family attend, a gesture that has been practiced for decades.
Access is granted through a public ballot during the Championships, with tickets applied for several months before the tournament begins. The arena seats roughly 15000 people across different levels, with lower tiers closer to the grass and upper sections offering wider views of the surrounding grounds.
The grass is mowed daily during the tournament and kept at precisely 8 mm (roughly 0.3 inches) in height to ensure consistent ball speed and bounce. The turf consists of a special blend of perennial ryegrass varieties prepared over months for the tournament fortnight.
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