11/18 Weather Update: 40 & Over 3.5 USTA League Nationals, what was learned from last weekend?

Yes, I'm writing another blog post with the dreaded rain image. 🙄

The 40 & Over 3.5 men's and women's Nationals is scheduled to begin play tomorrow in Arlington, TX, but the weather forecast for Friday is not good with a 100% chance of rain.  Thankfully, the forecast for the weekend is better, it appears cloudy to partly cloudy both days.

Here is the forecast as I write this Thursday morning.

Chances are then that there will be significant delays, if not an entire washout of matches on Friday.  That is, unless there is a contingency plan.

Last week, there apparently was no plan in place prior to the event, despite the forecast all week for heavy rain Friday and Saturday, leading to a scramble to find indoor courts and playing nearly every match in a short format, about half using a single first to 4 set to decide a match.

I can only imagine the complaints the USTA received, and in response my understanding is a letter was sent to 4.5 captains/players acknowledging the feedback and apologizing for the inconvenience and experience players had.

The letter also stated that starting this weekend, "adequate contingency plans are in place at each of the various sites for the remainder of the 2018 USTA League National Championships season."

Given the forecast for Friday, I would expect the contingency plan now in place to kick in for Arlington, but have not yet heard what that might be.  I would think it has to be one of:

1. Indoor courts have been secured for Friday should they be needed and matches will be played in full with normal scoring.
2. The forecast for Saturday and Sunday is good enough that even if play is completely washed out on Friday, all matches will be played using a short scoring format on Saturday to fit them all in.
3. Some indoor courts have been secured for Friday, but not enough to get all play in with normal scoring.  Either short scoring is used Friday to try to get all the matches in, or they plan on getting enough matches played Friday that they can catch-up on Saturday, resorting to short scoring if required.

I will update as I hear more, I'd think the plan would be communicated at the captains meeting this evening, but which option would you prefer they incorporate?  I'm guessing folks would vote for #1, but if that isn't possible, which of #2 or #3 would you prefer?