Hightex has completed its work on the membrane element on the new retractable roof over the centre court at Wimbledon.

The retractable roof will enable all-weather play during the forthcoming Championships and can be closed and opened in just 10 minutes.

Installation work began in late 2008 with Galliford Try as the main contractor.

The retractable roof is made out of a type of 'folding fabric concertina'. This allows the roof to be folded into a compressed area and parked over the fixed canopy when not in use over the court.

More than 7,000 m2 of a translucent woven PTFE material have been used. The upside is that it allows a level of natural light to reach the grass.

It is divided into two sections with a total of nine bays of structural fabric - four bays in one section and five in the other. Each of the nine bays of structural fabric is clamped on either side by prismatic steel trusses.

To celebrate the new roof, Wimbledon saw play take place under cover for the first time on Sunday in a star-studded event to test the new retractable roof over Centre Court.

Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf, Tim Henman and Kim Clijsters played mixed doubles and singles matches, watched by a crowd of 15,000.

The roof was unfolded at the event while singers Faryl Smith and Katherine Jenkins sang 'Amazing Grace'.