Wimbledon 2018 courts: Karolina Pliskova praises condition of courts after row that marred 2017 Championships

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The early verdict on the conditions of the grass courts at Wimbledon is in — and it is good news for the All England Club.

Last year Wimbledon’s head groundsman was forced to defend the condition of the courts following criticism from a number of players at the 2017 Championships.

The French player Kristina Mladenovic branded Court 18 ‘dangerous’, while Andy Murray criticised the condition of Centre Court after his third round victory over Fabio Fognini. US player Bethanie Mattek-Sands was meanwhile forced to retire from her second-round singles match and required oxygen after dislocating her knee and rupturing her patella tendon.

The condition of the courts is therefore under some scrutiny at the 2018 Championships, but head groundsman Neil Stubley has insisted they are in top condition — an assessment backed up by one of the first stars to play at this year’s tournament.

Karolina Pliskova beat Great Britain’s Harriet Dart 7-6(2), 2-6, 6-1 and afterwards praised the conditions of Court No. 12, even though her opponent required a medical time-out after slipping on the baseline in the second set.

“It's tough to say as I played just two matches last year, but for me the court was good,” Pliskova said.

“It was pretty fast. Maybe also because of the weather. So far the weather is amazing here. It's pretty fast. The balls are flying.

“It's first couple of matches on these courts, so obviously the courts were in a good shape.”