The 2023 Houston Open faces yet another downpour and tournament organizers are scrambling to salvage the event, with matches grinding to a halt due to the relentless rain.
The tournament, initially set to run smoothly, has spiraled into disarray, forcing officials to cancel both Day and Night Sessions on Friday, April 7th. The decision came as a result of continuous showers over the past few days, with forecasts predicting no respite for the rest of the day.
With the courts soaked and the drying process slowed by unseasonably cool temperatures, Tournament Director Bronwyn Greer announced the cancellation of all matches, except for the first-round encounter between Max Purcell and Daniel Altmaier, which was finished on Court 7.
Tennis fans now brace themselves for a jam-packed Saturday as the Houston Open attempts to make up for lost time. The singles second round, featuring the suspended matches between John Isner and Gijs Brouwer, and JJ Wolf and Denis Kudla, is set to resume at 11 a.m. Saturday. The singles quarterfinals will follow suit, with the doubles quarterfinals also scheduled for the same day.
Spectators holding Saturday tickets can expect a tennis marathon, as their tickets will be honored for all matches throughout the day. As for Sunday, the singles semifinals will kick off at 12 p.m., with the singles final slated for no earlier than 6 p.m. The doubles semifinals and final will be worked into the schedule, taking into consideration the players participating in both singles and doubles.
Amidst the chaos caused by the unrelenting rain, the Houston Open has been a true test of patience and adaptability for players and fans. As everyone hopes for clearer skies, the tournament's climax approaches, leaving everyone wondering if the weather will finally cooperate, or if the Houston Open will continue to be drenched in disarray. Announcing the last one change, Tournament Director Bronwyn Greer said:
“We have had several inches of rain in the past two days that have saturated our courts and these unseasonably cool temperatures are slowing down the drying process.”
“We want to ensure that our courts are in the best possible condition to complete our tournament this weekend, and with that in mind we have decided to forgo play today with the exception of that first round match that is deep into the third set.”
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