Rain Delay and Roof Malfunction at U.S. Open Leads to Long Waits and Beverage Rush

On Sunday night, unexpected rain delayed matches at Louis Armstrong Stadium during the U.S. Open.

Despite a day of humid weather, rain began falling shortly after 9th-seed Elina Svitolina’s victory over Solana Sierra. This interrupted play for Alexander Bublik and J.J. Wolf’s match.

Ordinarily, the stadium’s electronic roof would close to protect the players and spectators. However, a malfunction with the roof’s sensors caused a significant delay in closing.

As rain poured onto the court, Bublik and Wolf’s match was postponed for about 90 minutes. This gave spectators more time to purchase Honey Deuce drinks, a tournament favorite, resulting in long concession lines.

Cheers erupted when the roof eventually closed and the court was dried. The match commenced around 9:30 p.m.

By 9:45 p.m., one stadium bar reported low supplies of melon balls, an ingredient of the popular Honey Deuce.