Arthur Ashe Stadium’s retractable roof was completed in 2016. The roof was added nearly two decades after the stadium opened, largely to reduce weather disruptions at the US Open.
The original 1997 design had no roof, and rain repeatedly interrupted the tournament. The men’s singles final was delayed by rain for five straight years, from 2008 through 2012, increasing pressure on organizers to provide weather protection for the main court.
The completed roof uses two lightweight fabric panels supported by a large cantilevered structure. Its design had to account for the site’s difficult soil conditions, since the tennis center occupies land associated with the former Corona Ash Dumps and earlier wetlands. The roof project formed part of a broader $550 million renovation of the National Tennis Center.
The roof does not turn the stadium into a fully enclosed indoor arena. Instead, it can cover the court while allowing the tournament to continue during rain, with ventilation and humidity controls used when the roof is closed.