US Open organizers are hopeful the contest will be able to start on time after storm Irene passed through Flushing Meadows without inflict major damage. The hurricane was downgrade to a tropical storm when it hit New York and, although there were patches of localized flood and twigs torn down around the site in Queens, the worst prediction of weather forecaster were not realised.
A message on the US Open's Twitter site read:Hurricane Irene has come gone. We're getting the tennis center ready for a tentative Monday start at 11am ET (Eastern Time).Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova will kick off play on Arthur Ashe Stadium against Romania's Alexandra Dulgheru while Roger Federer, Venus Williams and Mardy Fish will also be in action.
British focus will be centred on Heather Watson's first-round clash against third seed Maria Sharapova while Laura Robson faces Japan's Ayumi Morita.