TENNIS fans and commentators raged at farcical scenes at the Miami Open – as no one could turn the lights on.
The skies over Florida grew increasingly gloomy at lunchtime ahead of impending rain.
And on the main showcourt – built inside the Miami Dolphins’ Hard Rock Stadium – Gael Monfils and Sebastian Korda agreed it was too dark to carry on their last-16 clash.
Most presumed it would be a simple case of turning on the floodlights with the flick of a switch and carrying on.
But it turned into a 13-minute delay at 1-1 in the deciding third set as bungling tournament organisers could not get the lights working.
Umpire Mohamed Lahyani tried to figure out what was happening over the walky-talky.
However, after stopping play for nearly nine minutes, he was then told it would take a further five for the lights to come on.
Sky Sports Tennis commentator Jonathan Overend branded the shambles as “really embarrassing” then later declared “it’s a joke” as the fiasco continued.
And tennis fans on social media also blasted the Miami Open for their embarrassing blunder.
One fumed: “This light delay at the Miami Open makes no f***ing sense. It’s 1pm in the afternoon. What the f*** are we doing? A 10-minute delay is just going to tighten up 40-year-old Monfils. Always something.”
Another raged: “Ridiculous delay while waiting for the lights to go on in the Korda-Monfils match. Totally inefficient and slowing down the match.”
And a final user moaned: “What a joke the @miamiopen is! Fiasco changing of courts at the weekend and now they can’t even turn a light switch on.”
Incredibly, Korda of was then allowed off court to go for a toilet break – and while he did so, the lights came on.
So it meant Monfils had to wait for the American to return before they could finally get back underway.
But with the rain looming, they only got five more games in and then the drizzle started.
Ironically, Korda – brother of golf world No1 Nelly – broke for 4-3 then needed a medical time-out for treatment on his right wrist.
As he was tended to by the medic, the rain started and play was suspended again.
Lahyani deemed the court safe so the pair continued.
But in the first point in the 4-3 game, Monfils skidded on the slippery surface and it was clear a break was needed as the rain intensified.
And as they packed their bags and headed off for shelter, Korda showed his classy sportsmanship by agreeing to replay that point because of the dangerous conditions.
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