Wimbledon: Novak Djokovic is happy under cover

Published on 30/06/2012 00:42

A STRUCTURE that was originally designed to ward off the terrible British weather divided opinion between Novak Djokovic and Rafa Nadal after it was employed in two contrasting matches with barely a raindrop in sight.

After No 2 seed Nadal was knocked out on Thursday with the Centre Court covering in place against little-known Czech Lukas Rosol, it was Djokovic’s turn yesterday to play under the lights. Unlike the Mallorcan, however, the Serb seems to like playing under cover and dispatched Rosol’s compatriot Radek Stepanek 4-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 to prove the point.

In both matches, however, rain was not the reason for the massive mechanical structure being wheeled into place. It was moved across in the early evening gloom to allow Nadal to finish his second-round encounter, much to the Mallorcan’s annoyance, and remained in place for Djokovic’s third-round clash against Stepanek.

The defending champion, who also played his previous match under cover, confessed to being slightly bemused as there was clear sky and pale sunlight when the players came out on court, but he was told a patchy forecast meant it would be staying in place.

“You cannot affect the weather,” he told reporters. “Today we got to the court, they closed the roof, and then we saw sunshine and clear blue sky. But the rule is you cannot open the roof when it is closed. That’s what I was told...

“I was a little bit surprised when I saw sunshine that the roof is closed. But obviously they’re relying on the forecast that I don’t think is very reliable here. This is an outdoor tournament, so I think everybody wants to play when the roof is open but it was exciting to be playing in a closed roof.”

Djokovic ended his match against Stepanek in swashbuckling form but early on it looked like the tennis gods were about to repeat a trick as the Czech was rampaging round court with the bit between his teeth in the opening set, reviving memories of Nadal’s demise.

Stepanek, however, is a very different type of player to Rosol, whose firecracker forehand was exploding winners left, right and centre against a bemused Nadal. Djokovic eventually upped his level to nullify the 33-year-old’s serve and volley game and set up a last-16 tie with fellow Serbian Viktor Troicki.