Players divided over Open roof even on rainy day
Sunday, 30th August, 2009
Showers drenched US Open qualifying matches Saturday and disrupted "Kids Day" activities at Arthur Ashe Stadium, prompting the question of whether or not organizers should put a roof on the famed venu
Top players entered in the year"s final Grand Slam event which starts Monday had mixed reactions but generally were fine leaving things as they are.
"All the Grand Slams have been played a pretty long time without one," said US fifth seed Andy Roddick. "I think it"s a rarity that it gets backed up enough to where it becomes a real problem."
The Australian Open has protection from the elements and Wimbledon"s retractable roof debuted this year. French Open officials have plans, but no guarantee, for a roof within five years.
That could leave the US Open one day as the lone holdout exposed to the elements, something that men"s world number one Roger Federer would prefer to see changed simply for the sake of predictability.
"Is it necessary? Maybe not. I don"t know," Federer said. "With a roof you can make it more predictable for fans, sponsors, TV, players. That"s why it"s a good thing to have. That"s why I"m obviously for it."
Federer cites the stadium advances that have created numerous domed stadiums in North America.
"In America we have so many wonderful stadiums, you figure it"s normal they would be taking the lead with something like this," Federer said.
None of those were established venues retro-fitted with a roof such as Ashe Stadium would become with a shield over the court, something defending women"s champion Serena Williams of the United States hopes never to see.
"It would be hard to add a roof on this wonderful stadium so I think we"re fine," she said. "Historically we"ve done well. It would just be kind of weird to put a roof on Arthur Ashe Stadium."
Britain"s Andy Murray would not mind seeing a giant tarp that could be pulled out to cover the court from downpours that often leave towel-armed brigades mopping the courts dry.
"Maybe not a roof. Maybe covers. I"ve seen a few times when it has rained where they sort of have 100 people out on the court with towels drying them," Murray said.
"I think they could do with investing in some covers or those things that dry the court. I don"t think it"s necessary really to have a roof. There"s only normally a couple days during the tournament where there"s some bad weather.
"But some covers would definitely help."
World No. 1 Dinara Safina of Russia said something might be lost if there were no rain delays to sit through.
"It makes for something special. You sit in the players" lounge and you wait," she said. "It doesn"t rain so often here so I don"t think they should change anything."
"All the Grand Slams have been played a pretty long time without one," said US fifth seed Andy Roddick. "I think it"s a rarity that it gets backed up enough to where it becomes a real problem."
The Australian Open has protection from the elements and Wimbledon"s retractable roof debuted this year. French Open officials have plans, but no guarantee, for a roof within five years.
That could leave the US Open one day as the lone holdout exposed to the elements, something that men"s world number one Roger Federer would prefer to see changed simply for the sake of predictability.
"Is it necessary? Maybe not. I don"t know," Federer said. "With a roof you can make it more predictable for fans, sponsors, TV, players. That"s why it"s a good thing to have. That"s why I"m obviously for it."
Federer cites the stadium advances that have created numerous domed stadiums in North America.
"In America we have so many wonderful stadiums, you figure it"s normal they would be taking the lead with something like this," Federer said.
None of those were established venues retro-fitted with a roof such as Ashe Stadium would become with a shield over the court, something defending women"s champion Serena Williams of the United States hopes never to see.
"It would be hard to add a roof on this wonderful stadium so I think we"re fine," she said. "Historically we"ve done well. It would just be kind of weird to put a roof on Arthur Ashe Stadium."
Britain"s Andy Murray would not mind seeing a giant tarp that could be pulled out to cover the court from downpours that often leave towel-armed brigades mopping the courts dry.
"Maybe not a roof. Maybe covers. I"ve seen a few times when it has rained where they sort of have 100 people out on the court with towels drying them," Murray said.
"I think they could do with investing in some covers or those things that dry the court. I don"t think it"s necessary really to have a roof. There"s only normally a couple days during the tournament where there"s some bad weather.
"But some covers would definitely help."
World No. 1 Dinara Safina of Russia said something might be lost if there were no rain delays to sit through.
"It makes for something special. You sit in the players" lounge and you wait," she said. "It doesn"t rain so often here so I don"t think they should change anything."
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