Roof makes an early appearance at All England Club

SPITTING rain set in over the All England Club to halt play on day one of the Wimbledon championships yesterday and ensured the Centre Court's hi-tech roof made an early appearance at the tournament.

Francesca Schiavone's tussle with Jelena Dokic was delicately poised at one set all when the weather stopped the contest.

The match resumed under the roof, in use for only the fourth time, and Italian Schiavone completed victory, with home hope Andy Murray then winning his match against Spain's Daniel Gimeno-Traver under cover last night. The British fourth seed played the most memorable match so far under the Wimbledon roof, against Stanislas Wawrinka in 2009.

By the evening, rain had set in for the rest of the day. Fifteen matches were in progress when the wet weather arrived and 31 had been completed. Fernando Verdasco's clash with Radek Stepanek on Court Two, and Jelena Jankovic's Court Three meeting with Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez were among 13 matches to be delayed.