Rain washes out full day at US Open

Rain washed out all of Tuesday's schedule at the U.S. Open, postponing matches involving defending champion Rafael Nadal and the three American men left in the tournament: Andy Roddick, John Isner and Donald Young.

Second-seeded Vera Zvonareva, the 2010 runner-up, also had been scheduled to play Tuesday, the first time play has been delayed by rain at this year's U.S. Open.

Steady showers than began overnight carried into the morning, first delaying what was supposed to be an 11 a.m. EDT start.

About 2½ hours later, the U.S. Tennis Association announced that the day and night sessions were being called off, issuing a statement that said: "The latest forecast indicates worsening conditions with no projected breaks in the rain through the remainder of the day and into the night."

A total of 54 matches — including four in the fourth round of men's singles and two in the quarterfinals of women's singles, along with doubles and juniors action — were postponed at least until Wednesday, when the forecast predicts more rain.

There also is a chance of rain Thursday and Friday, which could throw the schedule into disarray. The two-week U.S. Open began Aug. 29, and is scheduled to end Sunday. Each of the past three years, though, rain pushed the men's final back a day until Monday.

The men's matches originally set for Tuesday were No. 2 Nadal against unseeded Gilles Muller of Luxembourg; No. 21 Roddick, the 2003 U.S. Open champion, against No. 5 David Ferrer of Spain; No. 28 Isner against No. 12 Gilles Simon of France; and the unseeded Young against No. 4 Andy Murray, a three-time Grand Slam finalist.

In women's singles, Zvonareva was to face No. 9 Sam Stosur, and No. 26 Flavia Pennetta was scheduled to play unseeded Angelique Kerber of Germany.

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