Tennis: Raising the subject of the roof (again)

The ASB Classic has been lashed by rain this year. Photo / Photosport

Tennis is a sport of certain customs. You wear white at Wimbledon; you nod to an opponent after winning a lucky point through a net deflection; and - every few years - Aucklanders earnestly discuss the need for a roof over the tennis centre on Stanley Street.

The awful weather that blighted the women’s ASB Classic last week, taking the tournament as close to sheer ruin as it’s ever been, once more elevated discussions about the roof. The men’s competition this week has also suffered.

The rain ruins the sport, and ruins a magnificent day out for spectators.

Some optimists hoped that the foul weather might stir the powers that be into actually making the roof happen. Perhaps it takes a week of ruinous rain to make the city’s powerbrokers rise up in their corporate boxes, reach into their wallets and build the damn thing.

Last weekend, Tennis Auckland chief executive Rohan West told the Herald on Sunday: “The last four days have obviously sharpened the discussion around the roof and the redevelopment. It is definitely on our radar to get that plan revised and up and running very quickly and a roof structure of some sort is definitely a viable possibility.”

Sadly, that’s not a new hope. In 2012, a Herald headline read: “Tournament rain pushes roof up wishlist ladder”.

The accompanying story quoted then-Auckland Tennis chief executive Robyn Kiddle. “We’re having very serious discussions with both local and regional authorities about funding options. There are already roofing anchors in place but as yet no cash to complete the job. We are talking to people about the retractable roof. That is absolutely our priority now,” Kiddle said.

The roof debate sits squarely in Auckland’s rich history of reaching the wrong destination on discussions about sporting venues. If tennis fans think they have it rough, they might spare a thought for lovers of test cricket in a city that has hosted only three test matches since 2006.

Debates about our sporting venues have gone round in circles for years. Cricket could go to Western Springs, rugby should go to a waterfront stadium and league would get in there, too. Coulda, shoulda, woulda.

The city’s current mayor and the looming recession are unlikely to boost the prospects of a spend-up on tennis’ ceiling.

On the plus side, the redevelopments of the Stanley Street site over the past decade have broadly been a success. It’s an intimate venue for one that hosts some of the sport’s biggest names. Spectators and players alike enjoy the experience of Auckland’s tennis tournament, and it stands to reason that the institutions that made the venue and, by association, the tournament such a success can be trusted to put the roof up.

Climate change might also be on the side of those who would like to see a roof over centre court. Like many summer sports, tennis is likely to face a great deal more weather disruptions in the seasons ahead. With major weather events more common, surely the roof is a necessity.

One problem is that in years when the sun is shining, we don’t talk about the need for a roof. It’s long been the Kiwi way - we’re not great at saving for the future when our earning capacity is at its strongest.

Rain or shine, sport or superannuation - we need to get better at discussing long-term forecasts.