Organisers could do better handling rain, top seeds say
French Open organisers can`t stop the rain from falling on Roland Garros, yet they could have done a better job at smoothing things out on Monday, according to Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
|Last Updated: May 27, 2014, 09:50 AM IST|Source: Reuters
Paris: French Open organisers can`t stop the rain from falling on Roland Garros, yet they could have done a better job at smoothing things out on Monday, according to Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
Eight-times champion Nadal, who demolished American Robby Ginepri to reach the second round, complained that the Suzanne Lenglen court was too heavy, while second seed Djokovic questioned the umpire`s decision to leave the courts uncovered for 10 minutes while rain was falling.
Spain`s Nadal, who is more efficient on dry courts because this is where his top spin is at its most devastating, barely suffered from the conditions as he thrashed Ginepri 6-0 6-3 6-0.
But the world No.1 said the court could have been dried out before his entrance.
"Today it`s true that the court was very heavy. The balls were very heavy, very wet," Nadal told a news conference.
"Why don`t they dry the court before we start playing? The court is soaked with water. Why don`t they do anything?"
Forecasters predict a rain-hit first week in Paris, with only Tuesday`s action likely to be spared.
World number two Djokovic also had his say on the way organisers managed the day, after his three-set victory over Joao Sousa. "In my opinion there are a few times today they maybe should have covered the court earlier," the Serbian said.
"So I think the chair umpire should have made a decision earlier to take us off the court and cover the court. I`m talking for the court`s sake, you know, for a good condition, because it was a lot of rain.
"I know that on clay, of course, we can play with a certain level of rain, but still it`s not that great for the court`s condition." Djokovic spent one rain interruption chatting with a ball boy who shared his courtside seat.
Play started one hour late on Monday because of persistent light rain and was later interrupted for another hour when heavy showers forced the players off the courts.
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.