How Humidity and Closing The Roof Impacts On Wimbledon

The tennis at Wimbledon is one of our Britain’s great traditions, and while the use of the new retractable roof is wonderful for keeping out the rain and ensuring the play remains on schedule, many people don’t realise that it can play havoc on the density of the air inside the new ‘Wimbledon Bubble’.

Andy Murray said after his recent match under the closed roof, “it [the roof] definitely slows the court down”.

Aerospace and Physics expert Mark Kidger says the condition of the tennis ball also plays a crucial factor in what happens when the roof is closed, he said:

“The roof traps the humidity inside the court,” Kidger explained. “You’ve got 15,000 people inside, all breathing and sweating away, and then there is the moist surface of the grass, which will be releasing more water vapour into the atmosphere”.

“The ball will suck in some of that water vapour and so become a little bit heavier and slower, both through the air and especially off the court. When it bounces, it will sit up nicely to be hit rather than rushing through as normal.”

When the roof is closed the atmosphere becomes more dense, this increases moisture and causes the gameplay to become more difficult. The increased humidity in the air makes the tennis balls feel considerably heavier, causing them to feel sluggish and less responsive than in normal conditions.

The solution to the problem would be to install dehumidifiers inside Centre Court, this would reduce the density of the air and create the perfect playing conditions for Andy Murray and the other tennis stars to continue in their pursuit of victory, without the balls feeling too heavy or rain stopping play.

Founded in 1991, Meaco manufacture and supply dehumidifiers, initially specialising in dehumidification equipment for use in Museums and Galleries, Meaco quickly became THE people to contact about any kind of dehumidifying need. In 1999 Meaco were approached by Mitsubishi Electric to become their sole distributor for their range of portable dehumidifiers in the UK, and this was the start of a successful relationship that continues to this day.

The team at Meaco take pride in the time they take to test each and every single dehumidifier unit they supply, and are confident that they will match their customers to the very best product for their needs so that their day, or even their tennis game, never has to be disturbed again!

Meaco have supplied dehumidifiers for a wide and varied range of different uses, including:

• Dehumidifiers for Offices
• Dehumidifiers for Houses, Apartments and Flats
• Dehumidifiers for Cars, Bikes, Boats and Garages
• Dehumidifiers for Art Galleries and Museums

For more information about dehumidifiers and their benefits, feel free to email the team at Meaco via our contact page.