Tennis: Wimbledon to get new Roof.

Wimbledon today confirmed plans for a retractable roof over Centre Court which will keep television companies, if not the traditionalists, happy.

Construction on the multi-million pound structure will start in 2006 and is scheduled to be completed in 2008, although All England Club officials admit it could take until 2009.

The roof will be in two sections, is translucent to let in natural light but also contains additional lighting, and will close in 10 minutes.

It will be of little use in terms of the tournament schedule if there is heavy rain during the first week of the championships, when hundreds of matches are scheduled on the 19 courts at SW19.

But it will guarantee television can show at least three or four top matches per day from Centre Court and, in the event of rain in the latter stages of the fortnight, will ensure the championships finish on schedule on Sunday - unlike in 2001 when the men's final between Goran Ivanisevic and Pat Rafter was played on Monday.

its about time that Wimbledon received one of these roofs. I was sick of just a little rain ruining the whole play of tennis and watchign re-runs all day

Well its only for center court so the rest could be rained off.

But at least the semi's and finals will be ok.

no reason to get over exicted its just a roof

when it rains and you keep seeing the same match over and over again, you know why we complain and why we are happy about the new roof

Damm right i'm sure they are running out of repeats to show LOL.

sometimes they even go back to the 70's or the 80's to show stuff...when they do that i think its kindof sad