US Open delays Thursday start after wild weather wreaks havoc

Remnants of Hurricane Ida brought torrential rains and high winds to the grounds, flooding roads and interrupting one match that was being played under a roof.

Published : Sep 02, 2021 21:52 IST , NEW YORK

The start of day four of the 2021 US Open was delayed after remnants of Hurricane Ida wreaked havoc. (Representative Image)
The start of day four of the 2021 US Open was delayed after remnants of Hurricane Ida wreaked havoc. (Representative Image)
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The start of day four of the 2021 US Open was delayed after remnants of Hurricane Ida wreaked havoc. (Representative Image)

A water-logged US Open delayed the start of Day Four action on Thursday, hours after remnants of Hurricane Ida brought torrential rains and high winds to the grounds, flooding roads and interrupting one match that was being played under a roof.

The powerful storm led the National Weather Service to declare a flash flood emergency in New York City for the first time in history, with at least nine deaths reported in the region.

In a statement early on Thursday, the tournament said it was evaluating the site's readiness and would issue an updated schedule. The tournament website said no matches would begin before noon.

Fans and players may have a difficult time getting to Flushing Meadows in Queens, where the year's final Grand Slam is held. Nearly all New York City subway lines were suspended due to flooding overnight, though some service had been restored as of Thursday morning, and widespread road closures remained.

READ MORE: Stefanos Tsitsipas jeered after another long break, beats Mannarino at US Open

The three major commuter train lines that serve the New York region were either entirely suspended or experiencing significant delays.

In mid-town Manhattan, where most players stay during the tournament, players, tournament staff and media members lined up in the morning sun to wait for shuttle buses to transport them to the tennis center. The drive to Queens was slowed significantly by detours due to the storm.

At Louis Armstrong Stadium on Wednesday, strong winds blew rain sideways into the court despite the retractable roof, forcing Diego Schwartzman to finish his win over Kevin Anderson at Arthur Ashe Stadium after a lengthy delay.

"Crazy weather," the Argentine said after the match concluded around 1 a.m.

The driving rain turned pedestrian plazas into rivers, with debris flying and umbrellas little match for the fierce winds.

The second-round match between former champion Angelique Kerber and Ukraine's Anhelina Kalinina, originally scheduled to begin after Schwartzman and Anderson, was pushed to Thursday, along with dozens of other matches that could not be completed due to the rain.

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