Novak Djokovic clashed with Wimbledon tournament referee Denise Parnell on Tuesday evening after she decided to close the roof on Centre Court at approximately 7.40pm local time. The seven-time former champion was locked at one set all against Felix Auger-Aliassime and argued that conditions were still bright enough to continue playing outdoors.
Djokovic questions consistency of roof closure rules
The No.7 seed had won a gruelling 82-minute opening set 12-10 in a tiebreak, but Auger-Aliassime bounced back to take the second set 6-3, securing the first break of the match. At the end of the second set, Parnell walked onto court to inform players and the umpire that the roof would be closed to avoid an interruption mid-way through the third set due to fading light. Djokovic objected strongly.
“Why now? Why? The other day you didn't want to close it until, like, 8.20, 8.30, and now you want to close it? You don't want to get to 8.30? It's 7.40 now. We can play a whole another set. Outdoors. We are an outdoor tournament,” Djokovic said, according to reports. Parnell referenced Jannik Sinner's fourth-round match against Shintaro Mochizuki, where the roof had to be closed mid-set at 4-4 due to darkness.
Djokovic dismisses comparison with other matches
“With Jannik, I don't care what happens. I care about our match right now,” Djokovic replied. He also pointed to his own first-round match against Wu Yibing, where the roof was closed nearly an hour later, at around 8.25pm, when Wu levelled at one set apiece. “And you remember the first round? You didn't close it until, like, 8.20, 8.30. And now you want to close it at 7.40. Where is the consistency? You're so proud of your rules, and you're not sticking to any kind of rule. We have no idea what the rule is,” Djokovic added.
Commentators and pundits weigh in
Commentator Nick Mullins described the exchange as “very uncomfortable.” Former player Todd Woodbridge supported Djokovic, saying: “Rightfully so. Novak is right, we've got another 40 minutes. You can play a set within 40 minutes. I am a bit perplexed when - Novak is right - when every other night, we've played to a certain point.”
Tim Henman, a former British No.1 and member of the All England Club board, offered a different perspective: “Looking out there now, could they carry on? They probably could. But I think from Denise Parnell's point of view, she would like to have the delay in closing the roof at a convenient time, and that is end of set. Is there a possibility of then playing this third set, getting to the latter stages, when you'd need to stop, and it being at 4-4 or 5-5? So I think it's a conservative time to shut the roof.”
Match resumes under closed roof
Both Djokovic and Auger-Aliassime left the court while the roof was being closed, returning shortly after it had fully shut. Following a brief warm-up, the third set got underway under the lights.
