WIMBLEDON -- In 1997, Venus Williams, playing her first Wimbledon, didnt set foot onto the court for her first match until the middle Saturday.Only 17, the hype gave way to soggy grounds and festival of brollies for nearly a week. When Williams finally appeared on Court 1, she stumbled on the lush turf -- and not necessarily because of the court conditions -- falling to Magdalena Grzybowska in three sets.At the time, the tournament was about 120 matches behind schedule and had to make up ground by playing on a usually match-free middle Sunday.Williams didnt appear bothered by the extended wait, going as far as saying she wasnt disappointed at all.Perhaps, but when it rains at todays All England Club, which has one roof under Centre Court, the rich get richer.On Wednesday, during one of several rain delays, ESPN analysts Chris Evert, Pam Shriver and Mary Joe Fernandez weighed in.It pays to be a top-ranked player when it rains and theres a roof, said Evert, an 18-time Grand Slam champion. Is it fair? No, its not. But thats one of the perks of being a top player.Pam Shriver, who won 21 major doubles titles, said there are more positives than negatives. One show can go on, TV can broadcast live and fans who bought a Centre Court ticket can watch, she said. Guess what? Everyone whos left behind, they have to figure it out.Said Mary Joe Fernandez, a longtime WTA player, Getting some matches done is better than none.No. 1-ranked Novak Djokovic, playing his second consecutive match on Centre Court and his first under the roof, vaulted into the third round just about the time they were serving tea.Meanwhile, out on water-logged Court 8, John Isner was nine minutes into his first-round match with Marcos Baghdatis. After rain washed out play Tuesday, there was a more than four-hour delay between Wednesdays second and third games.More evidence the balance of power has shifted to the elite players?Eight players have yet to hit a single ball, while Djokovic and Roger Federer, who won under the roof late Wednesday, are into the third round.Were the only match played at the time, Djokovic explained. I was fortunate I was scheduled for Centre Court, which helps on days like this. When the roof is closed, it is more special, it gets loud. It was fun.Especially enjoyable now that he can sleep in Thursday, practice leisurely and watch for the result of the Sam Querrey-Thomaz Bellucci, who were only in the second set of their match on Court 7.Weather permitting, of course.After losing a first-set tiebreaker to Isner, Baghdatis complained to a supervisor that he didnt feel safe on the court.Teenager Alexander Zverev won his first-round match but said, It was tough to move. The court was quite fast. Im just happy to get it done.The rain also gives the All England Club the discretionary power to grant favors to their favorites. Case in point: Belinda Bencic got the golden ticket when her match against Tsvetana Pironkova was added to the Centre Court card.After the outside matches were suspended for the day, Eugenie Bouchard was permitted to finish up her match with Magdalena Rybarikova?in Centre Court. It might be a coincidence, but Bouchard was famously named after Great Britains Princess Eugenie by her mother, Julie Leclair, a self-avowed Royals fanatic.Championships Referee Andrew Jarrett has been frantically busy, canceling matches with an eye to the sky and keeping in touch with his on-court supervisors via walkie-talkie.The final count after three extended rain delays Wednesday: 62 matches were scheduled but only 16 completed. Twenty-six matches never began.One decision was made to keep things moving once the skies clear: to reduce the mens doubles first-round matches to best-of-three sets. This was the eighth time its happened here and the first since 2011. In theory, the remainder of the doubles will be best-of-five affairs, something that happens only at Wimbledon.Australian Bernard Tomic was about to enter into the fifth set Tuesday evening against Fernando Verdasco when rain intervened.It was just a pain, Tomic said. The last 24 hours was just very tough because you have to go to sleep, you have one set to go, and then to come out playing well.After breaking Verdasco Wednesday and holding to take a 4-3 lead, rain forced the players from the court again, this time for four hours. Tomic eventually served out the match. His reward? He plays his second-round match Thursday against qualifier Radu Albot.Back in the mid-80s, when the Australian Open was held in Kooyong, Evert and Shriver experienced similar delays. Bored, they raided the mens locker room.Attacked it, actually, Evert said. Stefan Edberg was standing there with only a towel around his waist.As was ESPN analyst Brad Gilbert.Thank god he was dressed, Evert quipped.The other women in the locker room caught wind of this and joined Shriver and Evert, about five or six in total.But we were the ringleaders, Shriver said forcefully. Evert said the guys love it, but conceded they didnt see anyone naked.Yeah, we didnt see anyone, but when we left, we at least got to tell each other dirty jokes for about a half hour, Shriver said.But dont expect anything like that to happen today.Wed have to get past at least five security guards, Evert said. Wholesale Air Max 90 Essential . "I wrote 36 on my sheet at the beginning of the game," the Cincinnati coach said, referring the yard line the ball would need to be snapped from. 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Air Max 90 White Outlet . - Oakland Raiders running back Rashad Jennings was speaking to a group of local high school students earlier this week when the conversation turned to the importance of being prepared when opportunities in life arise.Anna Woolhouse and Tamsin Greenway are joined by Natalie Seaton to reflect on Netball Manchester Live and cast their semi-final prediction. In the latest of her video diaries, Anna is at the Thunderdome for the final Monday night netball of the season, moments after Manchesters victory over Yorkshire Jets, a win that wrapped up a home semi-final for the Thunder.With just four remaining fixtures and the top four now decided, Tamsin casts her expert opinion and we get Natalies take on who will make the final and how the season has gone.And for good measure, we takee a look at the footwear causing a stir.dddddddddddd.. 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