LONDON, England (Reuters) – The wait is over. Rain finally arrived in south west London yesterday and Wimbledon got to show off its multi-million pound Centre Court roof in all its glory.

Never before has the sight of drizzle raised so many cheers as spectators stood up in anticipation when Amelie Mauresmo and Dinara Safina had to run for cover and groundsmen sprinted on to the arena to pull the covers on court for the first time during the two-week championships.

Once that formality was completed, 15 000 pairs of eyes glanced skywards with the sense of wonder that normally overcomes a visitor to the Sistine Chapel.

This may not have been a Michelangelo masterpiece on show but fans nevertheless clicked away with their cameras as the 1 000-tonne concertina structure over Centre Court started unfurling at eight inches a second.

About eight minutes later — at precisely 1547 GMT — the most famous tennis court in the world had become an indoor arena for the first time during competition time in its 87-year existence, complete with a translucent roof and bright floodlights.

The moment when the north and south sections of the roof locked together to block out the grey sky a spontaneous round of applause burst out.

“We’ve been waiting for it for so long … it’s the first time ever at Wimbledon somebody’s been waiting for rain,” All England Club chief executive Ian Ritchie said in a courtside interview.

“It’s a historic moment in many ways for the first proper match and I’m sure they all feel delighted to be here.

Once the roof had done its bit, officials switched on the air management system which removes condensation from within the bowl and stops the grass sweating to ensure the turf does not become slippery.

About 40 minutes after the players had to scurry back into the locker room midway through their fourth-round match, it fell to Mauresmo to play the first serve to be fired in a competitive match under the Centre Court roof.

During the first week of the championships, organisers partially closed the roof by around 1.8 metres to provide shade from the sun for the great and the good sitting in the Royal Box.

With the cost of the roof estimated at around 80 million pounds ($132.2 million), Wimbledon organisers were breathing a huge sigh of relief that their investment did not turn out to be a damp squib.

Also celebrating were the British bookmakers, who feared a big payout after large sums were placed on the tournament staying interruption-free after a first week of almost unbroken sunshine.