By Tom Degun in London

August 3 - The All England Club will be ready to host the tennis tournament during the London 2012 Olympics just two weeks after hosting the Wimbledon Championships thanks to a revolutionary new technique which will allow them to resurface the grass courts, it was revealed here today.



There had been fears that the pressure of staging two top-class events so close together would place too much stress on the courts.

But the All England's head groundsman Eddie Seaward has been experimenting with a new system that he is confident will ensure that there are no problems for London 2012.

He sowed a fresh batch of rye grass on July 5, the day after this year's Wimbledon finished, and reported a successful result by the 19.

Debbie Jevans, the London 2012 Director of Sport, said: "We have worked for over a year with the groundsmen at the All England Club looking at ways to ensure a playable surface just two weeks after Wimbledon takes place.

"From the tests and research that the groundsmen have conducted so far, it seems there will be no problem at all."

Grass courts traditionally deteriorate faster than other surfaces, particularly after prolonged periods of use, and there were fears that the courts will be in a poor state when the Olympics take place at the historic venue.

But Jevans, a former Wimbledon junior runner-up who was once ranked among Britain's top five, revealed the details of the successful experiment at the World Press Briefing here today.

She said: "Following recent Wimbledon Championships, they have been able to get the court into top condition straight away and in 2012, they will look at planting a fresh batch of fast growing grass straight after Wimbledon.

"Every test they have done so far to recover the grass courts suggests that the court will be fine for the Olympics.

"Following recent Wimbledon Championships, they have been able to get the court into top condition straight away and in 2012, they will look at planting a fresh batch of fast growing grass straight after Wimbledon.

"Every test they have done so far to recover the grass courts suggests that the court will be fine for the Olympics."

The tennis tournament at Wimbledon will take place during the first week of the Games while the All England Club will be hosting Olympic tennis for the first time since 1908.

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