Kevin Anderson and Diego Schwartzman’s second-round singles match was halted early in the second set due to water leaking through multiple vents in the roof of Louis Armstrong Stadium.
The match was later moved to Arthur Ashe Stadium and ended just after 1:00 AM ET with Schwartzman winning in straight sets 7-6 6-3 6-4.
“Thank you all for staying tonight,” Schwartzman said in his court interview.
Crazy weather. (It) was very difficult before the match. We spoke not only because we want to play, (but) also because security and the government, police, everyone (who) was involved in the decision to go to this court. “
New York City declared a state of emergency early Thursday morning as high winds and torrential rain hit the northeast.
At least 11 people have died in New York City, New Jersey and Maryland as a result of the weather.
Newark, New Jersey experienced the wettest day in recorded history on Wednesday, and Central Park also recorded its wettest hour with 3.15 inches of rain between 8:51 PM and 9:51 PM ET.
As the rain poured down on Flushing Meadows, fans turned to ponchos and umbrellas to fend off the elements. Blowers were used to clear the water from the lanes and ball boys also mopped the surface with towels.
There were two rain delays in the 108-minute first set between Schwartzman and Anderson before the match was interrupted by three points in the second set.
It resumed after the match between Stefanos Tsitsipas and Adrian Mannarino on Arthur Ashe, who has a roof.
“I could hear (the rain),” Tsitsipas told reporters after his 6-3 6-4 7-6 6-0 win. “At first I thought it was the crowd, people talking in the back seat, but now…I just realized it wasn’t the crowd, it was the rain. There was just a lot of noise coming from there.
“Anyway, I’ve got a bed here, so maybe I’ll sleep here tonight.”
The match between Angelique Kerber and Anhelina Kalinina, which was scheduled to take place at Louis Armstrong Stadium on Wednesday, has been moved to Thursday.
With limited train services from stations near Flushing Meadows, the United States Tennis Association said it is working with New York authorities to identify routes to get fans home from the venue.
DailyExpertNews’s Jill Martin contributed to the coverage.