THE queue to get in today began yesterday lunchtime.
By 8.30 this morning, there were 3,224 people waiting in line for the turnstiles to open.
Many wanted to see Tim Henman play Spaniard Feliciano Lopez.
That match is scheduled last on Centre Court, with BBC TV bosses hoping for some primetime evening drama.
But with rain forecast in mid-afternoon, any major delay could see Henman back here tomorrow for the fourth day in a row.
Around 500 tickets are sold daily for each of Centre Court (aside from the last four days), No 1 and No 2 courts.
Once those 1,500 seats are gone, there are 6,000 tickets for admission to the grounds.
As it happens, the last Centre Court ticket today went to an American woman who arrived at 5.45am.
She had come to see Andy Roddick – not Henman.
Attendances for the first two days of Wimbledon 2007 were up on last year.
A total of 72,198 fans have been through the gates so far, 1,315 more than 2006.
The players’ verdict is also in on the roofless Centre Court, and it’s not good.
Henman said: “I don’t want this to be negative, but I prefer it the way that it was.
“I just think it’s missing something – when you’re looking towards the royal box, it just looks bizarre.”
Spaniard Rafael Nadal is sharing a rented house in Wimbledon with his friend – and Henman’s next opponent – Lopez.
Nadal played on Centre Court yesterday. “I prefer with the cover. Is nicer. This is strange,” he commented.
Young Serb Novak Djokovic – definitely one to watch – was a little more awe-struck.
“It was a fantastic experience to play on the Centre Court at such a great event,” said the No 4 seed.
“Now they put away the roof, the court gets more sunshine.”
Henman reckons the grass is denser, possibly due to that increased sunlight.
But Nadal – raised on clay courts far from the lawns of SW19 – disagreed.
“The grass don’t change. Always is grass.”
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