Photo Gallery: Revealing the U.S. Open Roof

Also on display on Tuesday was the new, curvy 8,125-seat Grandstand.

It’s encircled by teflon-coated mesh panels, to help with shade and wind.

Though anyone who has spent years trying to sit on the old Grandstand’s backless benches may appreciate the new seat-backs here even more.

Elsewhere, a feverish work schedule was kept up in the shadow of Ashe. Much of the grounds will be new to fans this year.

The statue of Slew Hester, the man who moved the U.S. Open to Flushing Meadows in 1978, even got into the act. The Mississippi wildcat oilman would have been proud of what his site has become.

But he might have been a little sad to see his old Grandstand, which is due to be demolished after this Open, along with Louis Armstrong Stadium. Next year, a 10,000-seat “stopgap” arena will rise in its place; in two years, a new 14,000-seat Louis, complete with its own retractable roof, will open.

For now, the old Grandstand is where the DecoTurf is stored. But while that arena's intimacy will be missed, its appears to have a worthy successor.

On Tuesday, the public received its long-awaited first glimpse of the new roof above Arthur Ashe Stadium. Washouts will now be a thing of the past at the U.S. Open, which begins at the end of August. Steve Tignor and photographer Anita Aguilar were at Flushing Meadows to capture and caption the happenings.

After so many rain delays over the last 10 years, the sun was out for the U.S. Open’s official roof unveiling inside Arthur Ashe Stadium on Tuesday.

“Witness Spectacular” was the USTA’s theme. As we looked up with Billie Jean King at the 6,500-ton, $150-million structure, it was hard to argue.

Ashe’s widow, Jeanne—here with USTA president Katrina Adams—did the symbolic honors by hitting a button that signaled the roof to close for the first time.

Thirteen million pounds of steel, guided by 48 computers, began moving at 25 feet per minute.

A mere six minutes later, the roof's two panels had closed. That should be fast enough to keep the players on the court during the process.

Once it had closed, it was King’s turn to hit the button to open it again. Except that it didn’t open. Apparently, one of the sensors that keep the teflon-coated panels moving along their tracks had malfunctioned. That had never happened before, and officials said they would test the roof every chance they got before the Open begins on August 29 to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

Another try was accompanied by a prayer from Billie Jean.

Finally, the panels split and we could see the light again.

For King and USTA executive director Gordon Smith, that was worth a high-five.

The glitch aside, the USTA’s architects and builders have pulled off a spectacular feat of engineering. The stadium is now 55 feet higher than than the Statue of Liberty, and the roof’s support columns are driven 175 feet into the ground.

When the roof closes, air is pumped from a nearby “chiller building” through massive ducts at the top of the arena.

Even if it doesn’t rain, the roof should be popular with fans. At noon on Tuesday, the entire top section of the stadium was shaded from the sun.

Also on display on Tuesday was the new, curvy 8,125-seat Grandstand.

It’s encircled by teflon-coated mesh panels, to help with shade and wind.

Though anyone who has spent years trying to sit on the old Grandstand’s backless benches may appreciate the new seat-backs here even more.

Elsewhere, a feverish work schedule was kept up in the shadow of Ashe. Much of the grounds will be new to fans this year.

The statue of Slew Hester, the man who moved the U.S. Open to Flushing Meadows in 1978, even got into the act. The Mississippi wildcat oilman would have been proud of what his site has become.

But he might have been a little sad to see his old Grandstand, which is due to be demolished after this Open, along with Louis Armstrong Stadium. Next year, a 10,000-seat “stopgap” arena will rise in its place; in two years, a new 14,000-seat Louis, complete with its own retractable roof, will open.

For now, the old Grandstand is where the DecoTurf is stored. But while that arena's intimacy will be missed, its appears to have a worthy successor.