It’s Flushing Meadows mayhem. Yesterday’s postponements have forced a U.S. Open Monday men’s final for the second straight year and a Sunday prime-time women’s final.
Yesterday’s rainfall at the Open postponed the Rafael Nadal quarterfinal match, wiped out the two women’s semifinals and wrecked the final weekend’s schedule.
The event is in chaos. The USTA waited until 6 p.m. before making the final call, leaving fans in the rain for several hours.
Last September, the USTA unveiled plans for a $150 million roof to be built over Ashe Stadium to prevent this kind of mess. Those plans were put on hold because of the economic times, but now active discussions are underway to revive the plan according to a USTA source. The Open will be the only Grand Slam event without a roof when the French Open adds one in about three years.
Rain is expected again early today, but USTA officials are hopeful to resume the Nadal-Fernando Gonzalez quarterfinal at noon. The match was postponed in the second-set tiebreaker after Nadal had won the first set.
After Nadal-Gonzalez, the plan is for the less-intriguing semifinal between No. 9 Caroline Wozniacki and unseeded Yanina Wickmayer to be staged.
That leaves the Kim Clijsters-Serena Williams semifinal showdown for the evening card in prime time. On Sunday, the men’s semis will be held during the day and the women’s final at 9 p.m. The men’s final is expected to be held Monday at about 5 p.m.
Ticket holders to yesterday’s matches will be allowed in for today’s day card, and today’s ticket holders are permitted for tomorrow’s card. Those with tickets for what was to be the men’s final tomorrow will be allowed in Monday.
The Open had gone swimmingly, with the Melanie Oudin Cinderella story and only sunny skies for the tournament’s first 10 days. Then Oudin got ousted, revelations her parents were divorcing over the mother’s alleged tryst with Melanie’s coach surfaced and then came the downpours Thursday night, postponing the Nadal match.
Lying on her husband’s lap in the players’ lounge for several hours, Clijsters seemed relaxed. Perhaps too relaxed.
“I’ve had two days off so a third day off I hope won’t be a big difference,” Clijsters said. “I’m happy to be here and not at home. I’ll try to see the positives.”