Tennis-Player safety key, organisers say, after Centre Court roof delay

Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - July 4, 2023 General view as the outer courts are covered during a rain delay in the first round matches REUTERS/Dylan Martinez

LONDON (Reuters) - Wimbledon organisers defended their Centre Court roof policy on Tuesday after Novak Djokovic's opening match suffered an 80-minute delay after a rain shower made the grass too slippery.

Djokovic was leading by a set with light rain falling on Monday before the retractable roof, installed at a cost of a reported 80 million pounds ($102 million) in 2009, was closed.