Federer, Djokovic wonder if Wimbledon courts can improve

Roger Federer and his opponent slipped during their third-round match. The two past champions are wondering what sort of work can be done on the middle Sunday, when there is no competition, so the court conditions improve when action resumes with all 16 fourth-round singles matches scheduled for Monday. "The first two matches I didn't see any significant difference. But I was hearing a lot of comments from the other players. They were complaining. Especially on the outside courts," Djokovic said after beating Ernests Gulbis in straight sets at Centre Court yesterday. "Today, I could see there is a difference in grass, in (the) turf itself. It was a bit softer, I would say, especially around a couple of feet inside and outside, around the baseline area," said Djokovic, a three-time champion at the All England Club. "I haven't had that kind of experience before in Wimbledon, to be honest. I mean, the courts are always perfect here."

Federer followed Djokovic on Centre Court and described it as "a tad slippery" after losing his footing during one point in a victory over Mischa Zverev, who also took a tumble. "But I didn't feel like it was unsafe," said Federer, who has won seven of his record 18 major titles at Wimbledon. "Maybe you don't want players to feel that way, because the moment you become scared of moving properly, it's really difficult to play, I must admit. The last thing we want to see is horrible injuries." Some players voiced concerns about the court conditions over the opening week, including Kristina Mladenovic of France and Alison Riske of the United States, who each fell early during their second-round match on Court 18 on Thursday. Riske, who won the match, said afterward that the dirt "is like ice." Measurements taken throughout Wimbledon's first week show the grass courts are as healthy as they have been in recent years, according to Neil Stubley, the head of courts and horticulture at the All England Club.