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The torrential rain that has plagued Costa do Sauípe has forced the officials of the Brazil Open 2003 to postpone until Wednesday the first matches for Brazilian local heroes, Gustavo Kuerten and Ricardo Mello, as well as all the other matches that were due to take place this Tuesday.
Guga will have time to blow out all the 27 candles of his birthday cake before a 16h00 appointment with Swede Magnus Norman on Center Court.
The weather had been overcast for pretty much the whole day in the municipality of Mata de São João, where Costa do Sauipe Resort is located. Matches that started at 12.45 were all rained off one hour later, and none of the matches were concluded.
Suspended Matches
Two of the Brazilian players were in winning positions when rain stopped play. Júlio Silva, one of the qualifiers to get through to the Main Draw, was 6/5 up in the first set against Austrian Werner Eschauer. Meanwhile, wild carded Franco Ferreiro had a one set upper hand on Danish Kenneth Carlsen in a match suspended at 6/4, 0/2.
Play will resume at 11.00 on Wednesday, with the organizers hoping to complete 13 matches from the first round and, if possible, get the first round of the doubles event under way.
The event organizers have guaranteed that, despite the upheaval caused by the weather, the first round will be played through on Wednesday, with Thursday scheduled for last sixteen, leading to the quarterfinals being played out on Friday as planned.
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