Flushing Meadows set to receive a massive upgrade to avoid weather delays.
US Open holder Andy Murray stopped short of an endorsement Wednesday about plans to finally put a roof over the main showcourt at the tournament’s Flushing Meadows venue.
The multi-million dollar project is set to be unveiled with details to be filled in by US Tennis Association officials.
The plans would end years of weather misery at the major, including five straight years of men’s finals forced to be played a day late on a Monday.
But Murray, a veteran of the closed Wimbledon Centre Court roof, which was completed in 2009, hinted that the change might be of greater benefit to organisers and television schedulers than to himself.
“I don’t necessarily miss being rained off, but rain delays used to be part of it, that’s kind of going away gradually,” Murray, said after advancing into the third round at the Cincinnati Masters by beating Mikhail Youzhny 6-2, 6-3.
“I don’t particularly like going from indoors to outdoors to indoors. It’s also tough. But it’s good for TV,” the world number two added.
“It’s good for fans that are watching. For the players that are scheduled on that court, it’s great. For certain reasons it’s fantastic. It’s always good that you know matches are going to get finished.”
Murray lost the 2012 Wimbledon final to Roger Federer under the roof when it was closed for part of the match due to weather. He won Britain’s first men’s title in 77 years at the All England Club last month with the roof open and summer sunshine streaming in.
America’s Serena Williams, however, cheered the decision to put a roof on the New York tennis stadium, even though it will take years to complete.
“Obviously it’s going to be great,” she said. “It’s going to take a really long time. They have a long term plan, super long term, and it’s not going to happen next year or the year after.
“The last four US Opens I’ve played they’ve had to change completely the schedule. It will be good.”
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