Rain hits again at US Open

Nikolay Davydenko of Russia held a 6-1 5-7 6-3 lead over 17th-seeded Brit Andy Murray before rain suspended play at the US Open.

British number one Murray, seeded 17th in the men’s singles at Flushing Meadows, had just gone two sets to one down against the seventh seed at Louis Armstrong Stadium when rain caused a suspension of play that eventually led to his match being abandoned for the day at 5:18pm local time.

Also affected was 2000 champion Marat Safin, who was up a break at 2-1 over number 14 Tommy Haas of Germany when play was halted.

Nobody got back on court after that, with play called off for good at 7:45pm.

Two men’s fourth-round matches did not get under way; the afternoon encounter between fifth-seeded American James Blake and 12th-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych, and the night clash between top seed and two-time defending champion Roger Federer and unseeded Frenchman Marc Gicquel.

Two men’s quarter-finals and four fourth-round matches are scheduled to be played on Wednesday, as well as a number of doubles matches, including two mixed doubles encounters that are still stuck in the second round.