Matthew Gibson - The All England Lawn Tennis Club - Groundsperson

Matthew plays an integral role in the preparation and presentation of the world-famous courts at Wimbledon.

His journey into the profession began over a decade ago, with seasonal roles at Wimbledon dating back to 2012. Alongside these early opportunities, Matthew gained international experience that broadened his expertise in turf management. Through the Ohio State programme, he spent a year in the United States working on golf courses in New York and Florida. He went on to build his skills further at The Hills in New Zealand in 2016 and at Kingston Heath in Melbourne, Australia, one of the world’s top 20 golf courses, in 2019.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Matthew returned to the UK with the goal of building a permanent career within grounds management. He spent the 2020 winter as Lead Groundsperson at Surbiton Racquets Club, where he relished the opportunity to plan, implement and oversee works, gaining valuable leadership experience during a challenging period for the country.

In 2021, Matthew secured a full-time position at the AELTC, joining the six-person practice court team at Aorangi Park. Over three years, he earned the trust of colleagues and management by introducing improvements to operations including equipment organisation and rota planning for The Championships. His contributions were well received and helped strengthen efficiency across the team.

More recently, Matthew has taken on greater responsibility within the Championship side of operations. Highlights include marking out Court 3, the fourth largest stadium court, and spray-marking baselines on Centre Court and No.1 Court - tasks requiring the highest attention to detail. He has also been entrusted with mentoring Wimbledon’s first apprentices, guiding them through their coursework and developing their practical skills on a weekly basis.

Matthew has embraced modern communications by co-running the AELTC Groundstaff TikTok account, creating engaging content that shines a light on the craft of grounds management.

Looking ahead, Matthew is determined to progress into management where he can continue to mentor and inspire new entrants to the industry.

Matthew Gibson has consistently demonstrated a high level of skill and professionalism in his role as a Groundsperson. Over the course of his career to date, he has developed exceedingly well, both technically and in his understanding of best practice across a range of sports turf disciplines including football, golf and tennis. His adaptability and depth of knowledge across these different surfaces have made him a key asset to our team. In addition to his own professional growth, Matt has also played a significant role in the development of our apprentices and the shaping of the AELTC apprenticeship scheme we offer. He’s been actively involved in their preparation for their Level 2 exams, offering guidance, practical training and support that have helped them succeed. His approach to mentoring is both thorough and encouraging and he’s shown a clear commitment to helping shape the next generation of sports turf professionals. Matt’s contribution to the department, through both his hands-on work and his support of others, continues to be of a very high standard."

John Entwistle, Head Groundsperson – AELTC Wimbledon