Officials Saturday were battening down the US Open complex for approaching Hurricane Irene, with Monday's planned opening day of the Grand Slam a huge question mark,dpa reported.
Potential lingering after-affects of the monster storm might well put the start in trouble if worst-case scenarios come to pass. Officials at the Grand Slam may soon have to deal with issues that are much bigger than just the tournament, with flooding, storm damage and power outages all quite real threats.
With New York public transport shut down for the weekend, all flights cancelled and the Open complex to be locked down on Sunday when the weather is due to hit, practise time before the storm was a rare commodity.
Serb Janko Tipsarevic got in an early morning session and joined his colleagues in Tweeting their reactions to the hurricane which is churning up the Atlantic coast of the US.
Most ATP players - as opposed to the women - have kept radio silence about the approaching disaster. But the advice is for everyone to shelter in hotels and have flashlights, food and water on hand. Many Tweets have shown pictures of sold-out store shelves in Manhattan and queues stretching out the door at others.
The Open, which is not that far from the waters of Flushing Bay and LaGuardia airport, has already cancelled Arthur Ashe Kids Day and will empty the facility on Sunday when the storm is due to hit.
Monday's opening is an entirely unanswered question.
Flights into the area from all over the world have been cancelled, with players involved in the finals events this week on the ATP and WTA in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and Dallas looking to be stranded.
Most top player are already in New York and players have been Tweeting their concerns, including Serena Williams, who said: "Ok. Its official. I'm scared. I'm in NYC. Oh boy..... #HurricaneIrine :( "
German Sabine Lisicki looks to be temporarily marooned in Dallas after her weekend final with Aravane Rezai.
Added Yaroslava Shvedova: "Waiting for Hurricane Irene. Feels like there is no one in New York City!" And former Grand Slam champion Amelie Mauresmo, doing French television commentary said: "Everyone preparing for the worst here in NY ! Me hoping for Irene to slow down and pass easily on the city... We'll see."
ESPN's Pam Shriver made a red-eye arrival from LA on Saturday bringing along her own emergency supplies. Said the mother who left her family: "My maternal instinct said to stay - ESPN told me to try and beat Irene into NYC."
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