Wimbledon's new roof gets stamp of approval

By Pritha Sarkar

LONDON (Reuters) - It was blustery, cold, cloudy and drizzly over southwest London -- just the kind of weather fans had prayed for on Sunday when Wimbledon unveiled its new multi-million-dollar retractable roof over Centre Court.

Former Wimbledon champions Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf, along with Kim Clijsters and Tim Henman had been billed to take centre stage for an exhibition event but for once it was not the players who were the main attraction.

At 2.39 p.m. local time, 15,000 wide-eyed fans tilted their heads back in unison as the 1000-tonne concertina structure over Centre Court started unfurling at eight inches a second.

Seven minutes and four seconds later, the most famous tennis court in the world had become an indoor arena for the first time in its 87-year existence, complete with a translucent roof and bright floodlights.

"It sure has lived up to the beauty that has existed here for a long time. It's an exciting change, it's an addition for the players and the fans," Agassi said before teaming up with wife Graf to take on his European rivals in a game of mixed doubles.

"It's an honour to be part of history here. Any time Wimbledon breaks with its tradition, you have to sign up."

DRESS REHERSAL

While spectators loudly cheered the moment when the north and south sections of the roof locked together to block out the grey sky and harsh elements, there were some residents who were less than thrilled.