HOUSTON, United States (AFP) - Rain showers shut down the ATP Masters Cup for the third day in a row as players waited out the showers and questioned putting the season-ending event in an outdoor venue.
Spain's Carlos Moya and Argentina's Gaston Gaudio were the latest to have a round-robin match delayed by storms, their start postponed Wednesday at the 3.7 million-dollar showdown of eight top players.
Forecasts were bleak with tornadoes in the area and thunderstorms in the region through the weekend, although organizers were confident of dodging the raindrops long enough to finish.
"The weather, there's nothing they can do. It's bad luck," Moya said. "It's not the organizers' fault. They put a lot of money in. They made a great effort."
The Masters Cup has typically been played indoors but this year and last was played at a specially built stadium. The event will shift to an indoor venue next year at Shanghai.
Australian Lleyton Hewitt's 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, 6-4 opening triumph over Moya began Monday, was halted briefly, then suspended after half an hour of action and finished Tuesday.
Hewitt saw both sides of the indoor-outdoor issue.
"It's a tough decision," Hewitt said.
"They had a little rain last year, but the forecast is probably for worse this year. Yeah, it's awkward with TV and such a huge event, trying to schedule matches. That's the positive about playing it indoors.
"Playing indoors all the time suits certain players more than others so I don't disagree with it being outdoors, just to throw a couple extra variables in there with the wind and weather and pace of the court.
"I can see the other side of the coin. It's difficult to schedule when you are exactly going to be on."
Hewitt took the Cup in 2001 and 2002, his first title won indoors in Sydney.
"They just thought at that time they had to keep playing it indoors. It was just seen as an indoor event at the end of the year. Houston has made different inroads, breaking though. I don't think it's a bad thing.
"There's not a lot you can do about the weather... It's tough for everyone," Hewitt said. "But it's just like playing Wimbledon."
At Wimbledon, a tarpaulin covers the court during rain and no night matches are scheduled. Here, as at the US Open, blowers and towel drying is used and the programme runs into the night.
"At least you get called off a little bit earlier," Hewitt said. "The court gets pretty slippery out there as soon as there are a few drops. This kind of event you can't go risking."
Britain's Tim Henman, who waited out rain nearly two hours Tuesday before the start of his loss to American Andy Roddick, said a tarpaulin would mean little with the high humidity here.
"Stick a cover on it, it's just going to sweat underneath," Henman said. "I don't think when it's this humid it would make much difference."
11/17/2004 - 19:43 GMT - AFP