On this day in 2009 – New Centre Court roof closed for first time at Wimbledon
The roof was closed midway through the match between Dinara Safina and Amelie Mauresmo.
Wimbledon’s new Centre Court roof was closed for the first time for a match on this day in 2009.
The retractable roof was shut midway through the fourth-round encounter between Russian world number one Dinara Safina and Amelie Mauresmo after light rain interrupted proceedings.
At 4.35pm a team of 17 pulled the covers across the court as a voice came over the speakers, stating: “Ladies and gentlemen play is suspended and a further announcement will be made shortly.”
Four minutes later the lights went on in the four corners of the stadium and the state-of-the-art roof buzzed into life, taking seven minutes to shut completely.
Ian Ritchie, chief executive of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, told the BBC: “We’ve been waiting for it for so long, it’s the first time ever at Wimbledon somebody’s waiting for rain, but we’d still prefer the sunshine.”
The roof, reported to have cost £80million to install, was not used during play in the first week of the tournament except as a sun shade for the royal box.
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