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Canada's Week of Rain
Have you seen all the rain that Toronto and Montreal got this week? It threw off the schedule so badly that most of the players had to play 2 matches on the same day to get into the quarterfinals. They are doing everything they can to squeeze in the men's and women's semifinals late at night.Also with a 2+ hour rain delay that occurred at the tail end of the first set in DC at the Citi Open, it really put a damper on the TV guys who were probably showing replays of semi's the night before. Many fans who attend the ATP Finals are older, have kids/families and time is scarce so generally those long delays mean when play finally starts back up, only about 3-4 rows of people actually can stay for the conclusion.
A similar rain delay happened to me back at the 2009 Nadal vs. Djokovic US Open Final where there was a long delay that made me miss my flight back home. But like a true fan, I had to watch Rafa seal his last major to complete his career grand slam. I've also watched him playing through steady rain in Paris at the French Open, with just a baseball cap on while others were scrambling for their ponchos, umbrellas and many even for the exits. My opinion: it's worth getting a little wet to watch a legend.
Let's not beat around the bush - Rain Delays suck.
Fans may not come back or want to wait it out, and your TV crews will try their best not to show an empty stadium.What happens when the weather drys? How do you fit 5 days of tennis into 3 1/2 days? Should there be an extra day of rest between the semis and finals? Is playing under a roof good or bad?
Back-to-back 3-set matches (up to 6 sets in 1 day)
Playing 2 back-to-back matches on same day is NOT the same as playing best of 5 match. Also players have to get back on the very next day usually to play again without the usual day off break. The next opponent you face in the 2nd match could have had a hour less of match time and an extra hour of recovery time. All of that matters in these rapid fire situations during the summer.Mother nature is now deciding when players must play again
So as they are mentally preparing for a match while trying keep their body temperatures and heat rate up if they feel like they might go back on soon. They are waiting in the players locker room or lounges for the call to play. Having been there in those locker rooms, and I can tell you it can be pretty stressful game of "get ready and wait".Rain-checks: Monday Finals
This is not ideal as Sunday Finals are the norm and get much higher viewers. But as the US Open has gotten in the last 3 out of 4 years, the rain delays during the 2nd week have eaten into players ability to count on their matches starting on time.
It is important the needs of the players be put of paramount importance. In the past, players such as Nadal have completed (and I believe rightly so) that they have been pushed to get on court and play even when the conditions are too wet to proceed. I know that it is tough financially to delay play, but if tennis is to be played at the highest level, you cannot push the players beyond safety limits in favor of court time or air time.
I am a firm believer that when both players agree to postpone, then the tournament director should oblige them.
Having a roof is another option, but I feel like it changes the dynamics of the game. Wimbledon is not suppose to be an indoor tournament, but for much of the Grand Slam and even the Olympics, many important matches and finals were played in that controlled environment.
Whether the players feel that is better than getting rain delayed is a good question.
What do you think? Post your comments below!