New York: Rains played spoilsport at the US Open on Tuesday, the second day of play. All 64 matches on the schedule, including the opener for third seed Maria Sharapova, were pushed back to Wednesday. Only nine matches started, and that was after a three-and-a-half-hour rain delay. None of them came close to completion.
Amelie Mauresmo wiped raindrops from her face and Lleyton Hewitt nearly skidded into a split as bad weather played havoc with the US Open on a stop-and-go.
Play finally started three-and-a-half hours late. Amelie Mauresmo raced through her first set against Germany's Kristina Barrois 6-2. But the rain returned when Mauresmo was trailing 5-2.
Although Lleyton Hewitt's match against Albert Montanes started, play had to be suspended for the day when the two were locked at 5-5 in the first set. Hewitt was trailing 5-2 in his match before breaking back to level the scores.
Hewitt, the 2001 US Open champion, skidded badly on the baseline and discussed the situation with the chair umpire before play was suspended. He will be holding three break points when play resumes with the Spaniard serving at love-40 in the 11th game.
"It can be tough when you're waiting around all day," said 13th-seeded Mary Pierce, who was supposed to play Elena Vesnina of Russia. "Sometimes you have to be ready in 20 minutes after you've been waiting for hours."
Only a few thousand fans were in Arthur Ashe Stadium when Mauresmo began her match. Those sitting in the upper deck were allowed to move down to the lower, pricey seats. That didn't stop them from booing, however, when play was stopped.
During the Lleyton Hewitt-Albert Montanes match, Hewitt's right foot slid on the slippery baseline and he almost went into a split.
Other players who managed to get on court included 2004 French Open champion Anastasia Myskina, up-and-coming French teen Gael Monfils and Chinese star Li Na.
(With AP inputs)
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