Roger Federer is wondering whether he will get a chance this year. Andy Murray was ready to use it but glad he did not have to.

With Britain hit by a heatwave and the Wimbledon tournament facing its first dry fortnight since 1995, the new retractable roof across Centre Court has not been needed yet.

"We have been so lucky," said Johnny Perkins, spokesman for the grasscourt event, which has in the past so often ground to a halt as rain stopped play.

Amused by the fickleness of the British climate as the championships headed into their second week on Monday, he said: "If ever there was going to be a dry fortnight, it was bound to be the first year we had a roof."

With temperatures soaring, organisers are more concerned that fans reach for their sun hats, water and sun cream.

"We don't plan to use the roof as a giant sun hat so people should be careful and take suitable precautions," Perkins said.

The roof is the talk of the locker room among players with American Andy Roddick quipping: "I think the common joke has been that they haven't had to use it yet. All this money and the weather's nice."

THUNDER CLOUDS

With thunder clouds swirling around Centre Court and a light smattering of rain falling on Saturday, British world number three Murray looked set to be the first to play under the new roof, built at an estimated cost of 80 million pounds ($130 million).

He was heading for a straight sets victory over Viktor Troicki and was leading 5-3 in the third when light drizzle began. But the skies held off long enough and he was able to race to victory.

"It would have been a nice bit of history," Murray said. "But obviously I wanted to finish it before the rain came."

Federer, chasing a record 15th grand slam title, is in no hurry.

"I'm definitely looking forward to my first time under the roof. I don't know if it's going to be this year -- but I'll stick around and get an opportunity."

Before the tournament started, bookmakers offered generous odds of 10-1 that the roof would not be needed. Those odds have now tumbled to 3-1.

"We face a five-figure payout but we are not panicking," said Graham Sharpe, spokesman for bookmakers William Hill. "But we may be doing a rain dance on Centre Court by the end of the week."