If you ever wondered what happens to the thousands of tennis balls used during Wimbledon after the championships are over, you can rest assured that they’re going to a good cause.
In a heartwarming twist to the iconic tennis championships, organizers have donated many of the tennis balls to serve as shelters for field mice in the UK.
While many of the balls make their way to England’s field mice, Wimbledon also sells some of its used tennis balls on-site at the tournament. The proceeds typically benefit the Wimbledon Foundation.
The eco-friendly mice initiative, which many fans don’t know about, has supported British wildlife for years.
The second life of a yellow ball! 🥎
Used tennis balls are carefully cleaned and then turned into shelters in which mice can nest and rest.
They are placed in tall grass and among bushes – where the rodents feel safe. pic.twitter.com/KYJBaV4zrS— Anna Daryush 🌐 (@Us48434Anna) July 21, 2025
How Wimbledon’s tennis balls became tiny eco-homes for UK field mice
Tiny Harvest mice across the pond, which are about the size of a thumb, typically lived in tall grass in the countryside for protection against predators. However, they’ve faced habitat loss over the years due to industrial farming methods and changes in weather patterns making a it a concern for conservationists.
In the early 2000s, Wimbledon organizers entered into a partnership with the All England Lawn Tennis Club and Wildlife Trust to help get the balls repurposed into homes for the tiny critters.
The tennis balls are attached to poles with a small hole cut into them, making it a perfectly ready-made shelter for the mammals, especially for nesting females.
It’s not just a win for wildlife, but also a small gesture that can have a big impact.
The sight of a harvest mouse peeking its head out of a bright ball has become a charming symbol of how major sporting events can make a big serve, not just on the scoreboard.
Tennis fans can’t get enough of Wimbledon’s wholesome wildlife win
Wimbledon may be known for fierce competition on the court, however, the fuzzy yellow tennis balls turned into mouse mansions have social media abuzz.
After several photos of the repurposed mouse homes went viral on X, fans started raving about the eco-conscious initiative calling it the “cutest sustainability story of the summer.”
One user wrote on X, “This is the sweetest idea! Look how happy they are!”
“This is so cool,” another person wrote.
“From Centre Court to mouse resort Wimbledon’s real champions might be the harvest mice,” a third person said.
“Turning tennis balls into mouse shelters—ingenious! Who would’ve thought tennis balls could serve as ‘real estate’ for mice? That’s creativity in action,” another person commented.
“My day is happier now that I learned this,” someone else wrote.
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