There was, the announcer intoned, a 40 per cent chance of showers at Wimbledon on Friday afternoon. “Fingers crossed,” someone muttered.

Like everyone else with Centre Court tickets this week, he was hoping it would rain. This reverses almost a century and a half of Wimbledon psychology – indeed the entire thrust of Britain’s relationship with its climate. But simply everyone has wanted to be present when the historic moment comes and the new roof glides into action.