Play was suspended at the Miami Open during Gael Monfils’ round-of-16 showdown with Sebastian Korda after the Frenchman asked for the stadium lights to be switched on. With the score level at 1-1 in the third and final set, dark clouds filled the sky and left visibility low on the stadium-within-a-stadium in Miami’s iconic Hard Rock venue.
The tennis court is built inside the regular Hard Rock Stadium and the high surroundings meant there was barely any light left on the court. But the umpire was informed that it would take a while for the lights to be switched on and the match was suspended, with Monfils and Korda left waiting on court. When play finally resumed, they only managed to get a few more games in before the rain came and the players were sent off the court.
Less than three weeks after they faced off in Indian Wells, Monfils and Korda found themselves embroiled in a battle at the Miami Open with a spot in the quarter-final up for grabs. After losing the first set, Monfils stormed back to force a decider when the weather took a turn.
It’s set to be a tricky day in Miami on Tuesday with rain in the forecast. But it was the clouds that caused an issue in the first match of the day on the main Stadium court, making it so dark that Monfils was struggling to see. At 1-1, the world No. 46 asked the umpire if the lights could be switched on while the score was level.
Korda appeared to be in agreement and chair umpire Mohamed Lahyani got on his walkie-talkie to ask for the stadium to be lit up. But it wasn’t a quick fix and the umpire announced that play was suspended until the lights came on.
“It is obviously not just a switch. ‘Put the big light on’. Gael Monfils clearly wants to wait,” Sky Sports commentator Colin Fleming said.
Jonathan Overend replied: “It’s very dark and it makes sense if you’re going to change the match conditions, it makes sense to do it at 1-1, one set all, one game all.
“Obviously it’s complicated by the fact that we’re in this gigantic stadium, there’s a combination presumably of permanent lights and temporary lights. You would have thought the tournament officials would have been ready for this, giving the forecast.”
The players were initially told that it would take two minutes for the lights to come on. But the minutes passed and nothing changed, leaving Monfils and Korda waiting around. Fleming wasn’t happy, suggesting they should have kept playing.
“This is a frustrating delay for all involved, that’s for sure. I’m a little surprised at how lenient they’ve been. Pretty much allowing Gael Monfils to dictate things here, aren’t they?” he continued.
“You can see Korda wants to keep playing, he’s at the back of the court. I’m a little surprised Mohamed Lahyani in the chair isn’t saying, ‘we’ve got to keep playing and the lights are coming’. It’s a little surprising how long the lights are taking to come on.”
Nine minutes later, the floodlights still hadn’t come on. Korda, who had been waiting at the baseline, convened at the net with Monfils and the umpire.
The supervisor joined them, confirm that it would be another five minutes before they could resume. Korda was allowed to leave the court but just moments later, the Stadium court suddenly lit up and he was quickly called back to continue the match.
Fleming still wasn’t happy, adding: “It’s a farcical situation, isn’t it? Couldn’t get the floodlights on and then you let one of the players go so there’s another delay once you do get the lights on. Not ideal.”
Play finally resumed almost 13 minutes later, with Monfils getting an easy hold of serve. Korda was the first to break in the decider, taking a 4-3 lead before calling the trainer and taking a medical time out.
The delays continued – it started to drizzle after the medical time out and both players waited at their benches for the rain to pass before resuming. They played just one point but the court was clearly too slippery and play was suspended for the second time.
The players and umpire agreed that the singular point would be replayed when play resumed after the rain delay, and Korda and Monfils walked off the Stadium court together while another match on Grandstand was also suspended.
Content Source: www.express.co.uk