Rain or shine, the show must go on! But today’s London showers have thrown a wrench in the works at Wimbledon. While Ben Shelton was ready to give a better run than last year when he had a second-round exit, the Wimbledon rain changed the landscape in the first round on Day 2. Much like the young American, Danielle Collins and Taylor Fritz await their fate too.

Rain forced play to be halted on the outside courts, which significantly prolonged the matches. Despite the seemingly bad weather, play had originally started at 1:30 pm on Center Court as planned but shortly before 3:30 pm, the rain finally hit, causing a second delay. Those playing on outside courts had to halt their rackets.

Shelton, one of them, was only able to win three sets (down 1-2) the night before and is currently getting ready to wrap up his match on Court 18. As the game resumed again, he went the distance, winning the fourth set with a lead over his Italian opponent, Mattia Bellucci. The two are equally matched and while Shelton’s 1-3 record on grass this season has been disheartening, he’s better prepared for Wimbledon this season.

“I’m gonna choose myself as a grass court ‘dark horse.’ I think I learned a few things last year that I hope will help me this year. The grass suits my game well, and I’m excited,” he told ATP.com a few days ago.

Apart from Shelton, other notable athletes like Collins and Fritz were also subject to inclement weather and had to play on uncovered courts. The rain forced a break in the tough battles that both players were engaged in.

Both athletes and supporters were left waiting tensely for the clouds to clear so that play could resume. On the other hand, their schedules had been similarly thrown off. The weather delays have made Shelton’s schedule more and more stressful. After practicing yesterday and finishing his match today, he might have an even more demanding schedule. The American will have to play for three days straight if he wins his match against Mattia Bellucci; his next game is set for tomorrow.

Match Update: Ben Shelton won against Bellucci, 4-6,6-3,3-6,6-3,6-4.

Not only that, but the rain delay resulted in an unexpected incident at Wimbledon, with play being delayed after a ball child stumbled while hurrying to get covers on the court. The tragic incident occurred as a result of the quick action taken to shield the court from the downpour, complicating an already difficult day.

Wimbledon rain caused a small mishap

On the second day of the Championships, play at Wimbledon has been halted due to rain, forcing the outside courts to be covered. When the rain started, British players Paul Jubb, Billy Harris, Jan Choinski, and Harriet Dart were among the contestants. As the rain got heavier about noon, it was decided to halt play on the outside courts.

The day’s interruptions continued on Court 15, where Harris was playing Spanish player Jaume Munar. One ball boy fell while rushing to put on the covers and pull down the nets in an attempt to prevent as much rain as possible as a result. He was fortunately unharmed and bounced back from what could have been a minor injury, looking fit as a fiddle.

Nevertheless, what are your thoughts on the rain creating a problem? How far do you think Ben Shelton can go at SW19 this year?