Just when everyone thought the qualifiers for the US Open were almost through, an interruption derailed everything. Things have taken a turn for the worse at Flushing Meadows, and players were removed from the court due to a sudden disruption.
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“The last round of US Open qualifying matches is delayed due to rain,” reported edgeAI on X, and it was said that there will be no play un til 11:30 AM EST. But it got worse as a few hours later, they posted, “No play for another hour or so (estimate) at the US Open final round of qualifying.”
Rain has disrupted the final day of US Open qualifying, leaving several players waiting on the sidelines.
Qinwen Zheng was facing Elena Pridankina when rain stopped their third-round match Thursday afternoon. Jacob Fearnley, Coleman Wong, Robin Montgomery, and Gabriela Knutson were among others who have been caught in this mess.
Zheng reached the final qualifying round after beating Clara Burel 6-1, 7-5 on Wednesday. Fearnley was battling Jurij Rodionov, while Wong faced Dusan Lajovic.
Qualifying was scheduled to end Thursday, with 16 men and 16 women earning a place in the main draw. Now, every remaining match must fit into a shrinking window before the tournament begins on Sunday.
The latest reports suggested play would not resume before 3 p.m. local time as rain continued to pour.
Thursday’s forecast carried a 60% chance of thunderstorms, with a flood watch covering Queens and nearby areas. Friday looked better, but there was still a 30% chance of storms, and that could complicate the schedule. If qualifying matches run late, some players could have less recovery time before their first game as the main competition starts.
That becomes important for Zheng and others who have already played multiple games this week. And if unsettled weather continues into the main draw, organizers could face even tighter scheduling and pressure. For players chasing their place, the weather has suddenly become an opponent they hadn’t expected to face.
US Open is making changes that might make things easier to solve
On one side, we have the rain troubling the start of the tournament, but on the other hand, we have technology solving problems.
The US Open has added flashing red lights to net posts, instantly confirming electronic out calls. A close forehand near the baseline can now trigger a red flash, and it doesn’t leave any room for confusion. This solves the major problem of having to wait minutes before we get a call. Because with the red light, the call is immediate and there will be no problems.
The system was first used at January’s United Cup before appearing at the Australian Open. Now, the US Open has also adopted the idea of electronic line calling. But the problem is that this tech doesn’t change the call, but makes its outcome easier to understand.
That matters because tennis has steadily moved away from human line judges to automated decisions. The US Open introduced Hawk-Eye in 2006 before expanding live electronic calling across courts by 2021.
Most line judges then disappeared, leaving players and spectators dependent on automated voices and screens. But recent disputed calls have raised questions about how good the tech is and how reliable the calls are.
In those moments, the red lights offer an immediate answer without having to stop the game. Players hear the call, fans see the flash, and the match continues without any problems.
It is a small change, but one that makes fast-moving points easier to follow.