Tennis fans have been left frustrated by delays on Centre Court and No.1 Court despite their high-tech roofs.
Ahead of Wimbledon 2024, the unpredictable British weather remains a key topic of discussion after a challenging 2023 tournament plagued by rain delays.
These conditions have prompted crucial decisions on whether to play with the roof open or closed to maintain match schedules.
Wimbledon has adapted to the times, now equipped with retractable roofs over Centre Court and No. 1 Court, ensuring continuous play regardless of Weather interruptions. But with all the talk about the ‘wettest’ summer on record, one question remains crucial—how quickly can these roofs close to shield the courts from rain and allow play to resume swiftly?
RadioTimes.com dives into the details of Wimbledon’s retractable roofs, exploring which courts are covered and the mechanics of how long it takes for them to close.
Which courts at Wimbledon have a roof?
Only two courts at Wimbledon have retractable roofs to avoid rain stopping play.
The first one is at Centre Court, which was first used in a match at the tournament in 2009 after rain interrupted the match between Dinara Safina and Amelie Mauresmo.
The second roof over No.1 Court was used for the first time in 2009.
How long does it take to close the roof on Centre Court?
The roof takes about 10 minutes to close, but more time is required to ensure the conditions inside the area are suitable for play, meaning the match often cannot resume immediately.
The break to close the roof takes approximately half an hour.
This was the case at Wimbledon 2023, with tennis fans left frustrated by delays on Centre Court and No.1 Court despite their high-tech roofs.
After Novak Djokovic’s opening match on Centre Court was delayed for 80 minutes on the tournament’s first day, Wimbledon organisers defended their Centre Court roof policy in a statement and said that player safety was always the priority in such circumstances.
“Every care is taken by the Championships Referee when checking the courts are fit for play following a rain delay, as player safety is our top priority,” the statement said.
“In this instance, Centre Court took longer to dry than anticipated. Furthermore, given indications that the rain was due to stop imminently, the decision was taken to resume play with the roof open.
“The players were regularly updated during this time.”
For more Wimbledon features, check out: Wimbledon FAQs, facts and figures | Who has won Wimbledon the most times? | How does Wimbledon Hawk-Eye work?
Check out more of our Sport coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.