Wimbledon's new Centre Court roof has been fully closed for the first time in the tournament.

The state-of-the-art roof was closed overnight after a decision from the head groundsman.

Until now, it had only been edged forward a few feet to act as a sunshade for the Royal Box.

But the groundsman decided to close the retractable structure to protect the turf against the possibility of thunderstorms.

A Wimbledon spokesman said: "It was shut at 9pm to give the groundsmen complete control over the conditions.

"The tournament referee, Andrew Jarrett, will make a decision on whether to open it 45 minutes before play starts today.

"If it turns into a beautiful day, then of course we will open it."

First up on Centre Court at 1pm is Roger Federer, who plays German Philipp Kohlschreiber.

The new roof was designed to prevent lengthy rain delays and unfolds with a concertina effect.

It takes between eight and 10 minutes to close and once the court is fully covered, the air management system kicks in, taking between 20 and 30 minutes to remove condensation from the arena before play can resume.

The roof weighs 1,000 tonnes and covers 5,200 square metres.

It is made of a material which is lightweight, flexible, strong and translucent, and stretches across 10 white metal trusses, 52.5ft (16m) above the surface of the court.

Tournament organisers said before the championships that the roof would only be shut if absolutely necessary.