Djokovic explodes over roof closure during match against Aliassime: "You have no idea what the rule is"

Fernando Murciego | 7 Jul 2026 | 21.13

Djokovic explodes over the ceiling closure during match against Aliassime: "You have no idea what the rule is."

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The All England Club decided to close the roof of the Centre Court at the end of the second set of the match between Novak Djokovic and Felix Auger-Aliassime, at a moment when the score was tied with one set each. This decision caused the anger of both players, especially the Serbian.

It is the latest controversy at Wimbledon. When the quarter-final match between Novak Djokovic and Felix Auger-Aliassime was tied with one set each, the organization decided to stop the match to close the retractable roof of the Centre Court. This happened right at the end of the second set and forced a break in the match rhythm for several minutes, despite the weather conditions not seeming to demand an immediate suspension.

Cameras captured the evident discontent of both players while they waited for the match to resume, although it was Djokovic who showed more anger towards the tournament officials. The Serbian visibly protested the decision and had a conversation with the chair umpire before temporarily leaving the court. On social media, the images quickly went viral, and many fans questioned the timing chosen by Wimbledon to modify playing conditions that could significantly affect a match.

Novak Djokovic not happy with a tournament supervisor as they just announced they will be closing the roof at 7:40 during his match with Aliassime at Wimbledon

“The other day you didn’t want to close it until 8:30. Now you want to close it. You don’t want to get to 8:30? It’s… pic.com/i9SLK39eqX
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) July 7, 2026

A Change that Completely Alters the Conditions

It is not the first time that closing the roof has sparked debate at Wimbledon. Transitioning from playing outdoors to indoors modifies aspects like the speed of the court, humidity, ball bounce, and even players' visual perception. Djokovic himself had acknowledged in previous editions that competing with the roof open or closed "feels like playing two different matches," so the decision of the All England Club is once again at the center of controversy at a crucial moment in the tournament.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Djokovic estalla por el cierre del techo en pleno partido ante Aliassime: "No tenéis ni idea de cuál es la regla"

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