Danny Zausner, manager director of the USTA Billie Jean King Tennis Center, said major preparations for Hurricane Irene made for very light damage on the grounds, enabling an on-time start of the U.S. Open at 11 a.m., though the Ashe Stadium matches will be delayed until 1 p.m.
Zausner said in the two days leading into yesterday’s storm, workers worked round the clock dismantling the place for safety reasons. The grounds were closed yesterday as the facility was being virtually rebuilt after the USTA announced “minimal damage.”
“We spent 48 hours before the storm taking down most of the things we had spent the last few months putting up,” Zausner told The Post.
Zausner said banners and graphics on lightposts were removed, broadcast equipment were secured, video screens on site protected, awnings for stores, and outdoor sponsor tents were removed.
The eye of the storm passed 10 miles to the east of the facility, and flooding was not as big issue as feared. The facility is in the Zone B evacuation area.
“We were 99 percent successful,” Zausner said. “Two hundred trees went down in Queens, but we just have tremendous volume of leaves falling through the site. We’re very thankful we’re picking up leaves off the ground and not trees.”
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No. 4-seed Andy Murray took issue with John McEnroe saying it was the Brit’s best chance at his first Slam.
“It’s a silly thing to say because it’s not one tournament,” Murray said. “It will be ‘[Roger] Federer is not playing well and Rafa [Nadal] is struggling and [Novak] Djokovic‘s shoulder is sore.’ But I know come Monday they’ll all be fine.
“I have a chance of winning, for sure,” Murray said. “Whether it’s my best chance or not, no one has a clue like that.”
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No. 3-seed Maria Sharapova, who The Post reported will grace the Garden in March against Caroline Wozniacki in their annual tennis event, plays the day card vs. Britain’s Heather Watson.
“I feel my tennis is at a much better level than it was last year,” Sharapova said.
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New Jersey’s red-hot Christina McHale debuts vs. Canada’s Alexsandra Wozniak on Court 17 today at about 3 p.m.