honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Saturday, September 12, 2009

U.S. Open washed out by rain; more forecasted


By Howard Fendrich
Associated Press

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Spectators slosh through puddles at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center after play was postponed due to rain at the U.S. Open in New York.

CHARLES KRUPA | Associated Press

spacer spacer

NEW YORK — Rafael Nadal stepped out of the players' cafeteria at the U.S. Open a little before 3 p.m. (EST) yesterday and pressed his face against a window, cupping his hands around his eyes as he scanned the soaked tournament grounds.

Yep, it was still pouring.

And he, like everyone else, was still waiting.

Rain threw the U.S. Open into disarray for the second consecutive year, meaning both singles finals will be pushed back again, and the tournament will end Monday at the earliest.

"There are some unknowns here," U.S. Tennis Association spokesman Chris Widmaier said.

A mix of showers and mist forced postponement of all of yesterday's three scheduled singles matches. That included six-time major champion Nadal's quarterfinal against No. 11-seeded Fernando Gonzalez, a match already suspended Thursday night because of showers after Nadal won the first set in a tiebreaker and led 3-2 in the second-set tiebreaker.

Also delayed: The two women's semifinals, one between defending champion Serena Williams and 2005 champion Kim Clijsters, the other between a pair of 19-year-olds never before this far at a Grand Slam tournament, Caroline Wozniacki and Yanina Wickmayer.

"They canceled my match for today! U all have to wait until tomorrow!! (I have to wait too) I love u all for sticking around to watch!! Xxx S," Williams wrote on her Twitter feed.

Those three matches were all rescheduled for today, when the forecast again calls for rain.

If the women's semifinals can be completed today, that final will be played tomorrow.

Should Nadal-Gonzalez finish today, the men's semifinals will be tomorrow.