Officials ban plastic racket coverings at Wimbledon to become more environmentally friendly
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Wimbledon will no longer be contributing to England’s waste trail after announcing this year’s participants will not be allowed to use plastic coverings for new rackets.
Players on the English grass courts will be seen sporting their traditional white ensembles Monday, but, different from past years, they won’t be seen discarding the plastic bag coverings between rackets.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The All England Lawn Tennis Club announced there would be 4,500 fewer plastic bags used at this year’s Grand Slam after banning them from any and all future tournaments at Wimbledon, The Guardian reported.
US Venus Williams removes a racket from a plastic bag during play against Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro during their match on Day 6 at the 2009 Wimbledon tennis championships at the All England Club on June 26, 2009. (Photo credit should read GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images)
The decision comes as players and officials become more aware of the sport’s impact on sustainability.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The club’s chief executive, Richard Lewis, said he believes “Wimbledon, along with other major events, has a vital role to play in helping to protect the environment, today and for the future.”
This isn’t the first time the club has made an effort to become more eco-friendly. Last year, they banned the use of plastic straws.
Some changes are also expected to come regarding the use of plastic bottles at the tournament.