The most controversial moment of this year's Wimbledon occurred when Novak Djokovic clashed directly with the organization, fiercely criticizing the decision to close the roof of the Centre Court before 8 p.m. The Serbian's protest, which did not hold back in defending a truly outdoor tournament, once again exposed the lack of clarity and consistency in the decisions of the British Grand Slam.
In the quarter-final clash against Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, held on Tuesday, Djokovic was taken by surprise by the order to close the roof right after losing the second set. It was only 7:40 p.m. and, according to the 39-year-old player, there was no weather reason to justify the interruption. “Why now? Why now? The other day, they didn’t want to close until 8:20-8:30 p.m., and now they want to close? Don’t they want to get to 8:30? It’s 7:40 now. We could play an entire set outdoors. We are an outdoor tournament,” Djokovic exclaimed, visibly irritated by the lack of criteria. “Where is the consistency? You are so proud of your rules and you are not following any. I have no idea what the rule is,” added the Serbian, who insisted on the need to respect the tournament's outdoor DNA.
After winning the match 7-6(10), 3-6, 6-3, 6-7(4), 7-6(4), in an epic five-hour and fifteen-minute battle, Djokovic maintained his position at the press conference: “I feel like I’ve played more indoor tournaments than outdoor, to be honest,” said the current seventh seed, reinforcing his dissatisfaction with how Wimbledon has managed the use of the retractable roof.
Criticism of the organization has extended beyond Djokovic himself. Gill Gross, a tennis content creator and commentator, described the actions of those in charge as “chaotic” and demanded clear rules. On his YouTube channel, Gross was emphatic: “Everything seemed chaotic. I don't like the way Wimbledon is set up technologically, with the pause in play, the late start on Centre Court, and always those 10 minutes to close the roof, changing the conditions mid-match – it’s not ideal.” Gross also insisted that the decision should not be left to the players: “Players will always try to figure out what is best for them. In this case, none wanted to close the roof. What they should do is write a policy; it’s not that difficult. This shouldn’t be confusing or a matter of judgment. Write a policy on when the roof closes and when it doesn’t. I don’t get this. I don’t think it changed the match much. Felix and Novak are both great indoor players.”
The questionable decisions of the tournament do not stop there, as Wimbledon has also been criticized for its late start of matches on Centre Court at 1:30 PM, which has led to several matches finishing close to the 11 PM limit or being suspended until the next day.
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With his victory over Auger-Aliassime, Djokovic secured a spot in the semifinals, where he will face world number one and defending champion Jannik Sinner, in what promises to be an explosive Friday. The controversy surrounding the roof is set to continue to shape the rhythm of this Wimbledon, with the eyes of the tennis world focused on the organization’s response.
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