The USTA is sure getting its money’s worth last night and today.
With a sprinkling of rain last night, play was stopped in Rafael Nadal’s second round match and the roof commenced to close.
It took five minutes and 33 seconds to shutter, and the delay was seven minutes and 22 second in the match.
It was a big hit.
“Is great to be the first player to play with the roof closed, on the competition, because I was the first player to hit in the center court with the roof closed,” Nadal said. “Just happy. The difference is not many. No big difference. With the roof open there is no wind at all, so is not a big change. And the roof is so high you don’t feel that you are closed, no? That’s my feeling. Today I didn’t feel the change.
“Is great. Is an unbelievable, unbelievable court. So nice.”
Nadal did say the court was a bit more noisy, but nothing too distracting. “Was a little bit more noise than usual,” he said. “No, I didn’t feel the difference when the roof was closed and when the roof was open, but is true that for the first… You get used later.
“I don’t know, with the new court, even if the roof is open, there is more noise out there. Normally probably is not the fault of the people, because I have been playing here for so many years and I don’t remember that noise when you are playing, no?”
Today, Andy Murray’s second round match was played with the roof closed and when the rains came around 2 pm, suspending play on the 17 other courts, Murray’s match went on and there were 23,000 dry fans to cheer.
The $550 million renovation already seems like money well spent.
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