| | Associated Press
PARIS -- Steady rain washed out an entire day's schedule at
the French Open for perhaps the first time, forcing postponement of
64 first-round matches.
Rain began falling overnight and continued through the day, with
no letup forecast until late Wednesday morning.
|  | | The statue of French tennis legend Jacques Brugnon emerges amidst spectators' umbrellas Tuesday at Roland Garros. |
Defending champion Andre Agassi, Magnus Norman, Lindsay
Davenport, Venus Williams and Anna Kournikova were among those with
matches postponed.
"Today's my 24th birthday, and I hoped to celebrate better than
this," Norman said. "But that's life. What can you do?"
Unlike Wimbledon, which keeps copious records of its many rain
delays, no such comprehensive information is available regarding
the 66-year history at Roland Garros.
Tournament officials at first said the 1973 men's final was
delayed two days by rain before Ilie Nastase beat Niki Pilic.
Further research determined that some tennis was played every day
that year before the tournament ended on a Tuesday.
Some players waited in vain at Roland Garros six hours or more.
In a crowded lounge beneath Suzanne Lenglen Court, players played
cards, pool and pinball.
"Everybody's crazy already," said Russian Lina
Krasnoroutskaya, at 16 the youngest player in the tournament.
"Everybody is sitting, talking, eating, drinking."
"No alcohol," fellow Russian player Anastasia Myskina added
with a smile.
Despite the miserable weather, a large crowd arrived early at
Roland Garros, and scalpers sought up to $140 per ticket.
On center court, fans huddled under umbrellas and overhangs and
entertained themselves by singing, whistling, clapping and
chanting. Lines were long at concession stands.
"There is not much to do apart from queue for sandwiches and
beer," Stephane Nauroy of Paris said.
Business was brisk at souvenir shops, with one so crowded that
security guards limited admission to control the number of
customers inside. Because the entire schedule was postponed, fans
were entitled to reimbursement for their tickets.
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