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| 04 Sep 2003 | |
| Wet Wednesday brings laughter in the rain |
By Eleanor Preston in New York
There was a depressingly familiar feel to Wednesday’s wet weather, which, for the third day in succession, wiped out all the junior play.
You don’t get to be Wimbledon champion without knowing a thing or two about rain though, so reigning junior Wimbledon champions Kirsten Flipkens and Florian Mergea at least felt at home in the persistent drizzle.
The pair, who are seeded No.4 and No.2 respectively, have yet to play their first round matches at Flushing Meadows and like everyone else have endured hours of frustrating delays but neither allowed the inclement weather to get them down.
ITFjuniors.com invited the duo to venture out into the showers and pose for pictures on a soaking wet court. Flipkens and Mergea, who are great friends, entered into the spirit of the occasion, pretending to dry the court, mimicking the Flushing Meadows ground staff who have spent much of the last three days desperately trying to get the courts ready for play.
“This is what you get for being Wimbledon champion?” laughed Mergea as he and Flipkens donned wet weather gear for the photo shoot.
Flipkens was also accompanied by a crew from Belgian television. The 17-year-old, who comes from Geel, in the Flemish part of Belgium, is fast becoming something of a star in a country which is in the grip of a tennis boom thanks to the success of the world’s top two women players Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin-Hardenne.
Clijsters acts as a mentor to Flipkens – who plays doubles with Clijsters’ younger sister Elke – and even during the rain delay Flipkens was emulating her friend and countrywoman. Clijsters had worn a mackintosh and posed for a photo shoot on the Arthur Ashe stadium court on Tuesday.
“I guess if it’s good enough for Kim it’s good enough for me,” laughed Flipkens as she put on her US Open anorak.
She and Mergea couldn’t resist some high jinks in the rain, starting a play fight with the soggy towels which ended with both players having the wet towels on their heads!
“I’m absolutely soaked now,” said Mergea, grinning as he did his best to soak ITF staff and photographers standing by. “It was a fun way to spend the time. I don’t know when I’m going to get on court so you have to have fun.”
US Open organisers will be hoping the weather clears up soon. The forecast for Thursday promises some early showers but a far brighter afternoon, which should allow the junior tournament to get underway in earnest.
Photos by Susan Mullane
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