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Rain pushes Montreal Cup to Monday finish
Source: Agencies |
August 23, 2010, Monday
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THE Montreal Cup final was postponed until today as a relentless rain continued to prevent any play yesterday.
With showers wiping out all but 10 minutes of action on Saturday, tournament officials had hoped to stage both semi-finals and final yesterday. However, after several false starts and with conditions worsening, organizers announced they had no choice but to try for a Monday finish.
The dreadful weather left world number two Caroline Wozniacki stranded for the second day running with a 2-0 lead in the first set of her semi-final against Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova, while Wimbledon finalist Vera Zvonareva and Victoria Azarenka of Belarus have been unable to start their match.
It marks the first time this year that a WTA event will end in a Monday finish but the second time in five years that the Montreal Cup has spilled over into a second week because of rain.
Serbia's Ana Ivanovic beat Swiss Martin Hingis in a Monday final in 2006.
With a bleak forecast calling for even more rain desperate officials will again try to again squeeze in both semi-finals followed by the final at 1730 GMT.
The forecast leaves the door open for what according to the WTA would be a first -- a possible Tuesday finish.
If the tournament is not completed today, the WTA said it would reassess the situation consulting with Montreal Cup officials, the players and television about extending it another day.
If the tournament is abandoned all the remaining players will split the prize money and ranking points.
The last time the WTA was forced to abandon an event was 10 years ago in Scottsdale when Lindsay Davenport and Hingis were unable to play the final because of rain.
The rain has created major headaches for Denmark's Wozniacki and Italian Flavia Pennetta, who is playing in the doubles final.
Both are competing in next week's event in New Haven, where Wozniacki is the defending champion and top seed and Pennetta is seeded seventh.
"The weather hasn't really been nice to us," Wozniacki told reporters. "I haven't thought about that (Tuesday finish) yet, hopefully we will have good weather tomorrow and finish this tournament."
Officials decided late on Sunday to stage the doubles final indoors after which Pennetta and her coach will make the six hour drive to Connecticut.
"I'm playing New Haven and I have a bye in the first round so I will not play before Wednesday," said Wozniacki.
With showers wiping out all but 10 minutes of action on Saturday, tournament officials had hoped to stage both semi-finals and final yesterday. However, after several false starts and with conditions worsening, organizers announced they had no choice but to try for a Monday finish.
The dreadful weather left world number two Caroline Wozniacki stranded for the second day running with a 2-0 lead in the first set of her semi-final against Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova, while Wimbledon finalist Vera Zvonareva and Victoria Azarenka of Belarus have been unable to start their match.
It marks the first time this year that a WTA event will end in a Monday finish but the second time in five years that the Montreal Cup has spilled over into a second week because of rain.
Serbia's Ana Ivanovic beat Swiss Martin Hingis in a Monday final in 2006.
With a bleak forecast calling for even more rain desperate officials will again try to again squeeze in both semi-finals followed by the final at 1730 GMT.
The forecast leaves the door open for what according to the WTA would be a first -- a possible Tuesday finish.
If the tournament is not completed today, the WTA said it would reassess the situation consulting with Montreal Cup officials, the players and television about extending it another day.
If the tournament is abandoned all the remaining players will split the prize money and ranking points.
The last time the WTA was forced to abandon an event was 10 years ago in Scottsdale when Lindsay Davenport and Hingis were unable to play the final because of rain.
The rain has created major headaches for Denmark's Wozniacki and Italian Flavia Pennetta, who is playing in the doubles final.
Both are competing in next week's event in New Haven, where Wozniacki is the defending champion and top seed and Pennetta is seeded seventh.
"The weather hasn't really been nice to us," Wozniacki told reporters. "I haven't thought about that (Tuesday finish) yet, hopefully we will have good weather tomorrow and finish this tournament."
Officials decided late on Sunday to stage the doubles final indoors after which Pennetta and her coach will make the six hour drive to Connecticut.
"I'm playing New Haven and I have a bye in the first round so I will not play before Wednesday," said Wozniacki.
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