The new face of No 1 court unveiled at Wimbledon
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Your support makes all the difference.A workman applies some finishing touches yesterday to Wimbledon's new No 1 Court (above), while the remains of the old court are photographed for posterity (right). The All England Club describes the new court - which will be ready for this year's championships (23 June to 6 July) - as the "younger brother" of the Centre Court and is keen to ensure that the new boy does not overshadow the original star of the show, writes John Roberts.
Like the Centre Court, the new No 1 Court is four storeys high. "However," the Club points out, "as part of the stadium is countersunk into the hillside, this ensures the roofline is no higher than Centre Court and serves to underline its desired status.''
None the less, the new building is imposing and demands of the best, as many younger brothers do. Only past singles champions who have won Wimbledon three times or more will be invited to form a guard of honour when the Duke of Kent, the club's president, conducts the opening ceremony on Monday 23 June.
Circular in plan, and drawing inspiration from the original design of the Centre Court, the new No 1 Court will have approximately 11,000 clear- view seats, 4,500 more than the old No 1 Court, which was closed last September. Since then, the North Stand and the Lower West Open Stand of the old No 1 Court have been demolished, and the area will be cordoned off for this year's championships Photographs: David Ashdown
Wimbledon prize-money increases, page 27
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