The Wimbledon Championships start on Monday with the rainproof roof on the centre court. The centre court will see uninterrupted matches for the first time since the tournament began in 1877. The roof has cost many million pounds. 

Andrew Jarrett, the tournament referee, has said that he is looking forward to the roof slide over the centre court in case of rain. Jarrett took over as tournament referee in 2005 after Alan Mills quit.

The roof is made up of lightweight fabric, Tenara. The roof is 16 metres above the surface of the court, thus only the highest lobs are likely to hit the roof. Populous, the architectural designers, who were involved with Wembley Stadium and the O2 World Arena, designed the new structure of the centre court. It takes 10 minutes for the roof to slide in.

The roof will have lights so that play is possible after dark. The court has a seating capacity of 15,000, an increase of 1,200. The full house and the roof will add to the ambience of a tense final match. The air management system in the court removes condensation and allows play to start 30 minutes after the roof is closed.

It has to be seen the extent to which the roof will help in smooth running of the tournament. If it rains, play will continue on the centre court, but not on the outer courts.