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 | Record performances Take a look at players who have won and put themselves in the record books at the U.S. Open. NBCSports.com |
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Well, the sun did reappear, yet the roof remained shut during the next match on Centre Court, between Murray and Wawrinka, because the forecast called for later showers, (which never came). That decision, it turned out, allowed them to finish their 3-hour, 57-minute thriller match. Without the roof closed — or on any other court at the All England Club — they would have been sent home sometime before the fifth set began and told to resume Tuesday.
A little more than five minutes after Safina and Mauresmo were sent to the locker room when the rain started, fans began their “Roof!” chorus. Moments later, the lights were switched on, drawing cheers.
Soon, the white steel bars supporting the canvas roof were gliding, earning another round of applause and flickering camera flashes. Every so often, the operation paused before the pieces resumed their journey. It took six minutes for the roof’s two sections to slide into place, meeting in the middle at 4:46 p.m. When it was completely closed — making the most hallowed arena in tennis look something like an airplane hangar, with all of those “V”-shaped support beams overhead — the fans roared, many rising for a standing ovation. They also put away their umbrellas.
Cool air filled the arena as a ventilation system kicked in to remove moisture from the air. While the scoreboards showed a documentary about the making of the roof, a voice over the loudspeakers announced at 5:10 p.m.: “The good news is, play is to resume on Centre Court round about two minutes from now.”
And exactly two minutes later, Mauresmo and Safina stepped back onto the court. Mauresmo looked up and checked out the new setup.
Following the usual warmup players are given when returning from a rain delay, the match resumed at 5:19 p.m., 45 minutes after Safina and Mauresmo had left.
On the first point played indoors at a tournament first held in 1877, Safina hit a backhand passing winner down the line. Mauresmo hit a 110 mph ace on the next point and eventually added two more aces to win the game.
Safina, though, went on to win a match that is sure to be noted forever in the “Wimbledon Compendium.”
“Even the crowd also wanted the roof, so it was, like, unbelievable atmosphere on the court,” Safina said. “I won, so everything was perfect.”
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