The roof at Wimbledon’s Center Court? It was installed in 2009 to keep the rain from disrupting top matches on the premier court.
Wimbledon’s Roof Policy Is Confusing
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On Friday, it left both players and fans a little perplexed about the rules of the rain and the roof. For Americans who watched Roger Federer battle back from two sets down, ESPN had a tiny box just below the score that indicated "roof closed." It was closed, the AP reported, "just as the sky was clearing up ..." The roof remained closed for three matches, during which no rain fell outside.
It happened on Thursday, too. Rafael Nadal had just played his fourth set against Lukas Rosol when the closing of the roof -- during dry weather -- created a 45-minute delay which, according to the AP, ensured “the match could be completed under the lights as darkness fell.”
So what is the rule? Once the roof is closed, the remainder of the match must be played indoors. The roof will only reopen prior to the start of another match -- and that decision is made by the referee.
“I was a little bit surprised when I saw sunshine that the roof is closed,” Djokovic said. “But obviously they’re relying on the forecast that I don’t think is very reliable here.
“This is an outdoor tournament, so I think everybody wants to play when the roof is open.”
A full Wimbledon 2012 scoreboard can be found at SI.com. For more throughout Wimbledon, visit SB Nation’s tennis hub.
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