How often are tennis balls replaced at Wimbledon – and what happens to the used ones?

dailystar.co.uk:

Wimbledon sees the best and brightest tennis stars come to London to battle it out for the ultimate prize.Celebrities and royals grace the stands, with Roger Federer also making a surprise appearance courtside.One of the most overlooked elements of the games are the tennis balls themselves, and it won’t surprise you to know the players go through a lot.That is actually a gross understatement, as tens of thousands are used throughout the entire event.They don’t all go to waste though, as the event has something in store after their time in the spotlight at one of the world’s biggest tennis tournaments.The exact number of tennis balls used varies from year to year for obvious reasons.However, every single year tens of thousands are used, with the 2018 competition clocking up 54,520 balls altogether.These are not just any old tennis balls either, as they are stored at the specific temperature of 20°C in order to be in the perfect condition for the games.Balls are changed on rotation every seven days in order to maintain their optimal playing standard.At stated on the Wimbledon website: “In all matches used balls will be replaced by new balls at the conclusion of the first seven games and thereafter at the conclusion of every ninth game.”If there is any issue with how they are stored, the whole batch will be scrapped.None of the balls go to waste even though so many are being used.In fact, if you attend the event yourself, there is a chance you can take some home.At Wimbledon, there is a used championship kiosk, which sells a set of three balls that saw court action for £2.50 a pop.You can also get a set of six for £5, with the proceeds going straight back into the event as part of the Wimbledon Foundation’s charity work.The.