A US Open game at Flushing Meadows’ Louis Armstrong Stadium was halted due to torrential rain despite the tennis arena being covered by a retractable roof.
Strong winds blew rain from the remnants of Hurricane Ida through the gaps between the concourse and the retractable cover, causing the stadium to become soaked. The match between Kevin Anderson and Diego Schwartzman on Wednesday evening was suspended before being switched to the nearby Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Louis Armstrong Stadium, which holds 14,000 seats, was updated ahead of the 2018 US Open with a naturally ventilated roof.
The National Weather Service recorded 3.15 inches of rain in New York’s Central Park in one hour, far surpassing the 1.94 inches that fell in one hour during Tropical Storm Henri on August 22, which was believed at the time to be the most ever recorded in the park.
Meanwhile, Hurricane Ida has also led to the National Football League’s New Orleans Saints season opener to be switched to Florida.
The home game against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, September 12 will be played at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville due to the ongoing recovery efforts in New Orleans and the surrounding communities in the wake of Hurricane Ida.
An NFL spokesperson said the decision was made in consultation with state and local officials and both clubs, in the interest of public safety.
“I am proud of the collective communications that occurred between many entities in a short amount of time that led to us making this decision,” said Saints owner Gayle Benson.
“It is never easy to make a decision that involves not playing a Saints home game in the Caesars Superdome, but I am confident that this is the right decision for our city at this juncture. Collectively, we have a monumental task ahead of us in cleaning up the after effects left by Hurricane Ida, but it has been inspiring to see people getting right to work and starting the process.”
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