Summary
24 June 2009
This year's Wimbledon displays a modern touch. The new roof on the main court will ensure uninterrupted matches. And another piece of history will be made if Roger Federer becomes the champion.
Reporter:
Alex Capstick
Tennis rackets and ball
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The oldest and most traditional of tennis tournaments has had a facelift. They still use grass courts, players must continue to wear white, and the middle Sunday remains a rest day. But at least Centre Court, where most of the big matches take place, will be sheltered from the worst of the British weather. The organisers have spent millions of dollars building a retractable roof. So no more damp dismal days for fans and players on the main show court.
The innovation has been welcomed by the leading players. Roger Federer will be hoping for an uninterrupted run towards a record breaking 15th Grand Slam title. His task has been made easier by the withdrawal of the man who wrestled the Wimbledon title from him 12 months ago in an epic final. Rafael Nadal's dodgy knees have stopped him from taking part. Britain's obsession with finding a men's champion for the first time in 73 years rests on the shoulders of Andy Murray. He's ranked number three in the world and is considered to have a genuine chance.
The names on top of women's tennis keep changing through retirement, injury or loss of form. The two constants are the Williams sisters. Few people are looking beyond either Venus or Serena to add another trophy to their glittering collection.
Alex Capstick, 大象传媒
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Vocabulary
- has had a facelift
here, has been renovated/modernised (literally, if you have a facelift, you undergo a surgical operation in which the skin of your face is tightened to remove wrinkles, so you look younger)
- sheltered
here, protected by a roof
- a retractable roof
a roof that covers a venue when the weather is bad and can later be pulled back
- dismal
depressing
- an uninterrupted run
here, when matches do not have to be paused and postponed because of the bad weather
- epic
very important and spectacular
- to have a genuine chance
here, to be really successful and win the tournament
- constants
here, players who are certain to take part and be successful
- are looking beyond
think anyone other than
- to add another trophy to their glittering collection
to win yet another competition
