NEW YORK — After two consecutive years of rain-delayed singles finals, the U.S. Open is not committed to adding a roof.
And despite grousing by players about the men’s semifinals and final on back-to-back days — unlike the other Grand Slam tournaments — organizers are not seriously looking at tweaking their schedule.
While rain wreaked havoc with the U.S. Open again Saturday, tournament officials faced questions on everything from improvements for the tennis center to the Grand Slam’s three-day first round.
“It will be some time before there’s any decision made on whether or not to go forward with the roof,” U.S. Tennis Association executive director Gordon Smith said. “We would be looking at issues some years down the road, and the present economy has not slowed the process at all.
“We want to move that process along, looking long-term and not at the current economy.”
Last year, when Tropical Storm Hanna rolled into New York and forced the first Monday men’s final since 1987, then-USTA executive Arlen Kantarian said a retractable roof over Arthur Ashe Stadium was “a matter of ‘when,’ not ‘if.’ “
The USTA appointed a group to study the infrastructure at the tennis center and received preliminary roof plans from a Kansas City architecture firm, but it doesn’t appear to be much closer to a concrete solution a year later.
“We will take the time to make the right decision, and will not hold ourselves to a specific timetable,” said Lucy Garvin, president and CEO of the USTA board.
TV troubles.
During Hour No. 5 of the rain delay, CBS put a graphic on the screen with the title, “Tournament Summary.” The first entry: “Connors advanced to play Courier in the 1991 semifinals.” Yes, the TV producers are scrambling this weekend.
Out of desperation, the CBS coverage has turned into a mix of ESPN Classic and The Weather Channel — some entertaining, albeit old, footage of U.S. Opens past, along with weather updates, live shots of the rain, a bit of chitchat and the occasional video essay from Dick Enberg.
Among all that have been some gems — most notably, a replay of Jimmy Connors’ classic five-set win over Aaron Krickstein from 1991, the win that propelled Connors to those semifinals at age 39.
Courier finally ended that run.
“Kind of like shooting Bambi,” said Courier, who is part of CBS’ reporting team at Flushing Meadows.
Another treat, shown Friday, was a replay of Ilie Nastase’s crowd-inciting temper tantrum during a 1979 match against John McEnroe.
Streak continues.
The wheelchair semifinals were completed before rain scrubbed out the afternoon session. Top-seeded Esther Vergeer defeated Aniek van Koot of the Netherlands, 6-0, 6-1, for her 374th straight victory, a string dating to 2003.
The Associated Press
