Grantham man's vital Wimbledon role

Steven Davies standing on a tennis court at the All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon
Image caption,

Steven Davies, from Grantham, is a member of the grounds team at the All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon

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A groundsman from Lincolnshire is helping to keep Wimbledon's tennis courts looking pristine.

Steven Davies, a member of the grounds team at the All England Tennis Club in London, currently has one of the biggest jobs in the sporting calendar.

The club plays host to the prestigious tennis tournament each year and the 37-year-old is tasked with ensuring the courts are looking their best to welcome the sport’s biggest names.

“I love working here, it’s the pinnacle of tennis and it is up there with the biggest sporting events in the world,” he said.

Mr Davies earned his stripes at Stoke Rochford Golf Club, which is situated in the grounds of the historical Stoke Rochford Estate near Grantham.

He has worked at the world-famous tennis club since April 2021.

Mr Davies said: “A general day would be to go out in the morning, mowing and marking, a bit of mopping and generally just setting up the courts for play.

“The attention to detail is paramount.

“Everything has to be looking its best when you are putting on a tennis tournament that is on the world stage.”

Andy Murray’s famous Wimbledon win came just three months after Mr Davies started his current role and he has had a close-up view of the star's progress in the 11 years since that historical moment.

While all eyes have been on Murray’s final Wimbledon appearance this summer, Mr Davies has been one of the many unsung heroes ensuring the venue remains one of the finest in the world.

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