As the Miami Open nears its finale, the clay-court swing looms, with the WTA 250 event, Copa Colsanitas, already setting the tone in Bogotá. Stars like Marie Bouzkova, Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, and Camila Osorio headline the action as qualifiers began on March 28. Yet relentless rain and a sudden panic alarm halted momentum, casting uncertainty over the tournament’s early rhythm.

During the qualifying rounds at the Copa Colsanitas, multiple matches faced repeated interruptions. Most of them were halted due to likely thunder and lightning warnings. The situation quickly disrupted the flow of play.

Matches such as En Shuo Liang vs Selena Janicijevic, Laura Pigossi vs Katarina Zavatska, and Marina Bassols Ribera vs Alicia Herrero Linana were all stopped mid-play. The delays created uncertainty for players and organizers.

Officials initially expected a short pause. Play was projected to resume within 35 to 50 minutes, depending on weather conditions. However, the rain persisted and extended the delays.

As a result, even scheduled matches like Ana Sofia Sanchez vs Gabriela Ce were also interrupted. The disruptions affected both ongoing and upcoming fixtures.

Live matches continued to suffer as heavy rain flooded the courts. Encounters like Bassols Ribera vs Herrero Linana and Carol Zhao vs Lia Karantacheva were delayed again. In some cases, play was stopped for nearly two hours.

Eventually, conditions improved, allowing matches to resume. Players returned to the court and completed their contests. The schedule slowly moved forward despite earlier setbacks.

Janicijevic secured a straight-sets win over Liang, 6-4, 7-5. Zavatska also impressed, defeating fourth seed Pigossi in three sets. These results helped stabilize the draw.

Elsewhere, 31-year-old Sánchez claimed victory over Ce. Bassols Ribera also delivered a strong performance, winning in straight sets against Herrero Linana. The results reflected resilience after long interruptions.

In another resumed match, Karantacheva defeated Zhao in straight sets. With qualifiers concluding, attention now shifts to the main draw. The round of 32 matches are set to begin tomorrow.

Focus will also be on Camila Osorio, one of the tournament favorites. The third seed from Norte de Santander will face Caroline Dolehide, with their head-to-head standing at one win each. Ranked World No. 58, Osorio aims to claim the title and match Fabiola Zuluaga’s four crowns. 

This isn’t the first time the Copa Colsanitas has been disrupted by rain, as the Bogotá event has frequently seen matches affected by wet weather.

Lara Arruabarrena’s Colsanitas match halted twice by rain

In 2018, Lara Arruabarrena battled through tough conditions at the Copa Colsanitas. She faced Mexican qualifier Victoria Rodriguez in a challenging opening match. The contest was heavily disrupted by the weather.

A three-and-a-half-hour rain delay halted play during the match. Despite the interruption, Arruabarrena managed to hold off an inspired upset bid. She eventually secured her place in the second round.

After the match, she reflected on the conditions. “The conditions here are different from those of the other tournaments because of the altitude, and it is always difficult to get into rhythm during the first matches,” Arruabarrena said. Her words highlighted the unique challenges in Bogotá.

Coincidentally, the 2012 champion and the 2017 finalist faced similar issues again in the tournament. In the R16 stage, the weather once again interfered with play.

Earlier, she had defeated Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-0, 6-1 in the second round. However, that match was also heavily affected by rain throughout the day. The conditions made consistency difficult.

More broadly, South American tennis events have faced serious weather challenges this year. Rain has repeatedly disrupted schedules across tournaments.

On the ATP side, the Rio Open was also affected. Persistent rain postponed the semi-finals after just 50 minutes of action. The disruption left the matches incomplete.

At the time, Vit Kopriva was leading eighth-seeded Tomas Martin Etcheverry 5-4 in the first set. Meanwhile, Ignacio Buse and Alejandro Tabilo were unable to even step on the court. The schedule was thrown into chaos.

Even outside South America, at the Miami Open, first-round matches were washed out by torrential rain. Organizers were forced to delay play and adjust the schedule.

Officials had planned a night session on the Grandstand court. Matches included Venus Williams vs Francesca Jones, followed by Matteo Berrettini vs Alexandre Muller. However, heavy rain made the courts unplayable, forcing a full shutdown around 7 p.m. and removing up to 37 matches. 

As rain once again disrupts Bogotá, attention now turns to how organizers will manage conditions and keep the tournament on track.