Wettest Wimbledon in 25 Years

LONDON, England, July 5, 2007 — -- It's the wettest Wimbledon in 25 years. Players, fans and staff at the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) are trying their best to keep a stiff upper lip, but even the most genteel observers are grumbling.

Tournament referee Andre Jarrett faces a backlog of matches courtesy of the torrential storms and steady rain over the last nine of 10 days.

Jarrett told journalists covering Britain's traditional summer sporting event that the weather was "utterly ghastly," and that "it is a serious situation, one of great concern."

The real challenge for the AELTC is to succeed in completing the championship on time, he added.

Wimbledon spokesperson Johnnie Perkins told ABC News that at the moment "the championship is 177 matches behind and about $2 million out of pocket."

"Attendance is down by 1,500 fans a day from last year," he said, but "center court and courts one and two are not affected as these seats are mostly presold."

It has also been tough on the players. Due to the backlog, players will have less time to recuperate between matches and will be expected to play each day if necessary.

Staff at Wimbledon report that two of the most difficult rain-soaked matches were probably Rafael Nadal vs. Robin Soderling and Serena Williams vs. Daniela Hantuchova earlier this week.

Nadal and Soderling's match ended only after five days. The men arrived on center court Saturday June 30, but rain forced them off even before they had finished warming up. No tennis was played middle Sunday, despite the dry weather. Rain and scheduling issues prevented Nadal and Soderling from completing the match until Wednesday, July 4. In the end, they battled it out over four hours and five minutes of heavily disrupted playing time.

Nadal was not alone in his disappointment over the no-play rule on the middle Sunday. He told reporters on site that he "could not understand why tennis was not played on Sunday as the weather was clear." He added, "They don't think very much about the players here maybe." John McEnroe, BBC sports commentator, accused officials of "bungling" their scheduling around the rain-hit tournament.

When ABC News asked AELTC Chief Executive Ian Ritchie what his thoughts were on McEnroe's observations, Ritchie responded, "I think that's between John and the LTA (Lawn Tennis Association)."

On Monday, Williams succeeded against her Russian counterpart but only after enduring the searing pain in her left calf brought on by a cramp during the second set. After Williams lost the second set, the skies opened for two hours, allowing her to rest. She came back to take the final set 6-2, defeating Hantuchova with some fierce tennis.

How are the fans taking it? Zunaira Zaki, who attended the Williams vs. Hantuchova match, told ABC News that the match seemed "endless, and the delays were really disconcerting."

"One thing I definitely noticed was that people seemed to be looking up at the skies nearly as much as at the tennis court before them," she said, only half joking.

Canadian Dr. Noelle Grace and her husband fly over from Toronto to watch Wimbledon every couple of years. Dr. Grace told ABC News that when the rain begins the fans keep a brave, humorous face on the situation. While waiting during the many rain delays for play to commence, "strangers often strike up conversation and share a laugh." She admits her husband is in no rush to fly overseas for the championship again in the near future.

Roger Wood, a London native and Wimbledon fan for decades, told ABC News that he believes the rain delays suit players who are less prone to emotional turmoil and who are calmer coming on and off. While his Wimbledon television viewing habits are frustrated, he said, "Rain is very British, so if you can't handle it, leave."

According to AELTC's Ritchie, "fans are coping brilliantly," and for that he is very grateful. However, Ritchie downplayed the challenges facing the athletes brought in by the poor weather. "It's certainly more difficult for some, and other players will be better at it than others. Generally it is something the players are used to from other outdoor events."

So, what about a roof over center court? Perkins confirmed to ABC News that a roof is currently under construction, and it should be ready for Wimbledon 2009. The roof is expected to take 10 minutes to close, so court coverers will still have to earn their pay and scurry with a tarpaulin over the court. Play is expected to resume within 40 minutes.