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WIMBLEDON, England - Rhythmic clapping rang out on Centre Court, accompanied by not-so-staid chants of “Roof! Roof! Roof!”
Yes, indoor tennis has arrived at Wimbledon, more than a century after the tournament’s debut.
The new retractable roof over Centre Court was closed for the first time Monday after a light sprinkle halted play during the second set of a match between No. 1-ranked Dinara Safina and 2006 Wimbledon champion Amelie Mauresmo.
As luck would have it, by the time the match resumed, the wet weather had disappeared, and action proceeded on other courts around the All England Club without the help of modern technology. Despite the clear sky, the roof remained shut throughout the evening, which allowed No. 3 Andy Murray to finish a five-set victory over No. 19 Stanislas Wawrinka that ended at 10:39 p.m., more than an hour later than anyone ever had hit a tournament shot on that patch of grass.
“It took a while to get used to,” Murray said after participating in the first Wimbledon match to be played indoors in its entirety.
The novelty of it all certainly created quite a buzz. The roof is making its debut this year atop a stadium that opened in the 1920s — and at a tournament that began in the 1870s — and this was the first rain delay of the fortnight after a sunny first week.
“It’s a plus, definitely, for the tournament to be able to play. Of course, we haven’t seen really bad days so far in the tournament,” Mauresmo said after losing 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. “But I remember a few editions of Wimbledon when we would really have needed a roof. So it’s a good thing.”
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The translucent roof allows natural light, in addition to floodlights that were switched on, and, really, the most discernible difference from the stands was the sound: There was an echo, not just when a ball came off a racket with a “thwack!” but also from hand-clapping and line judges’ yells of “out!”
Mauresmo thought the roof changed the playing conditions.
“The ball is flying a little bit more. That’s how I felt. And we both kind of took a little time to adjust,” Mauresmo said. “When the ball is in the air, and when you have the overhead or stuff, it’s very bright.”
Safina lost the first set and was ahead 4-1 in the second when it began drizzling. The court was initially covered with a green tarp, Wimbledon’s timeworn method of waiting for rain to subside so play can resume, before All England Club officials quickly decided to shut the roof.
Last week, on the hottest of days, organizers moved part of the roof ever-so-slightly to provide shade for those sitting in the Royal Box. This time, they closed it fully, and for the originally intended purpose: protection from Mother Nature’s intrusions, which are generally so common that the event’s official record book, “Wimbledon Compendium,” contains sections called “Days which have been completely rained off” and “First weeks badly interrupted by rain.”
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Wimbledon is the second Grand Slam tournament with the possibility of indoor play: The Australian Open has retractable roofs over its two main courts and plans to cover a third. The French Open intends to have a roof over its center court by 2011; the U.S. Open is looking into the possibility of covering a court.
“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 club’s chief executive, Ian Ritchie, said while the roof was being closed. “It’s a historic moment in many ways, and I’m sure they all feel delighted to be here. We’ll be grateful if the sun comes back.”
The United States completed a 5-0 rout of Switzerland in the Davis Cup on Sunday, with 19-year-old Ryan Harrison and John Isner winning closing singles matches.
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Zambia has won the African Cup of Nations, beating pre-tournament favorite Ivory Coast 8-7 on penalties in a dramatic final at Stade de l'Amitie.
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