If TennisLink is up to date, it appears the women's 3:00 and 4:30 matches from yesterday (four total), and men's matches in the same time-slots also remain (seven total). To make matters a bit worse, it appears they can't get started until 9:00 am today. Here is the schedule:
- Friday 3pm matches will now be at 9am
- Friday 4:30pm matches will now be at 10am
- Updated Saturday Schedule:
- Saturday 7:30am matches are now at 11am
- Saturday 9:30am matches are now at noon
- Saturday 11am matches are now at 1 pm
- Saturday 1pm matches are now at 2 pm
- Saturday 3pm matches will remain at 3pm
- Saturday 4:30pm matches are now at 4pm
Astute readers will note they only have hour slots for these matches, so yes, a short format will be used. They will play 2 out of 3 short sets, first to four games, win by two, no ad. At 4 games all, they will play a seven point tie break. If you split sets, you will play a match tiebreak to 10 points. This is effectively normal format, but with no-ad and played as if you are starting at 2-2 each set.
Now, the challenge is that the forecast calls for rain to come back starting around 3pm.
If the rain comes at 3pm, and assuming matches are done quickly enough to stay on schedule, that still leaves 10 matches currently scheduled to be played that may be affected. That is 50 court hours needed and even if they can get the courts dry at 8pm, and also use the limited indoor courts, it could be a late night to get everything in.
Now, credit to the USTA for communicating with the players and doing what they reasonably can do adapt to a challenging situation. They are also helped a bit by the men's event having just 16 teams, otherwise they'd have a few more matches they'd have to be getting in.
Let's hope it goes as well as it can and the format doesn't have to be shortened any further.
Every year. They really need a SOLID rain plan for every nationals. People are spending thousands to play and shouldn't be rushed to play 15 minute sets.
ReplyDeleteAnd, only 6 indoor courts at NTC? It's Florida, not Nevada. Can't make 15% or 20% of courts covered?
ReplyDeleteEarlier, you mentioned that it was nice of the tournament officials to provide regular updates to keep us all informed of updated plans. The reality on-site though was that it was an absolute cluster%#$*. At 1pm, rain would be coming down in sheets, and the update would remain "check in at 2pm for 2:30 match". Meaningful realistic updates were impossible to get, meaning players were handcuffed to the site for hours and hours. Any time you could find a live person to ask a question of, you'd just get a deer-in-the-headlights look. I was stunned to see Nationals treated with such amateurish lack of planning, given the high probability of rain in Orlando at that time of year. Very, very disappointing.
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