Spectators take shelter during a rain delay at the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York August 27, 2012.EDUARDO MUNOZ/Reuters
Play was suspended on the opening day of the U.S. Open on Monday when rain showers swept through the National Tennis Center at Flushing Meadows.
Defending champion and seventh seed Sam Stosur of Australia was one of the few players to reach the second round before the rain came as she crushed Croatia's Petra Martic 6-1 6-1.
The showers arrived at 12:30 p.m. ET and halted play on all of the courts as fans raced for cover. Scattered showers are forecast throughout the day.
Among those scheduled to play later on Monday were five-times champion and world number one Roger Federer, three-time winner Kim Clijsters and 2006 champion Maria Sharapova.
In other matches completed, Czech Lucie Hradecka defeated Spain's Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-3 6-3, Casey Dellacqua of Australia beat Lesia Tsurenko of Ukraine, 6-2 6-3, and Anna Tatishvili of Georgia bounced France's Stephanie Foretz Gacon 6-2 6-0.