US Open Rain Delay Empties Honey Deuce Stock

Rain falling on Louis Armstrong Stadium’s court due to a technical issue with the roof sensors at the U.S. Open led to delays on Sunday night. Despite the inclement weather, concession sales thrived, particularly those of the popular Honey Deuce cocktail.

Earlier on Sunday, the weather was humid but fine for the day session. Come the night session, play began after 7 p.m. ET with matches scheduled both on Armstrong and Arthur Ashe Stadium. Elina Svitolina, seeded ninth, dispatched Argentina’s Solana Sierra efficiently in just 51 minutes, winning 6-1, 6-2. Her victory meant the subsequent match featuring No. 15 seed Alexander Bublik and American wild card J.J. Wolf was ahead of schedule.

Rain began falling around 20 minutes following Svitolina’s match, causing suspension on other courts while the roofs on Armstrong and Ashe were expected to close, shielding players from the rain.

“A roof sensor malfunction prevented Armstrong’s roof from closing promptly,” a USTA spokesperson explained.

The court needed significant time to dry following the delayed roof closure. Consequently, Bublik and Wolf were held off from starting their match, with the delay totaling approximately 90 minutes.

Once operational, the closing of the roof was met with cheers from the audience, who had awaited in long concession lines that dwindled as the court dried. Match commencement was ultimately at 9:30 p.m.

In a testament to the delay’s length, by 9:45 p.m., at least one bar ran out of its signature drink garnish, the beloved melon balls.