The courts at Pueblo City Park on Friday morning. (Bethany Brookens/CHSAANow.com)
Rain, again, is causing delays in the Class 4A boys tennis state tournament. The start of the 5A tournament is also delayed.
Overnight rain which is continuing in the Pueblo area Friday morning has caused puddles on the courts at Pueblo City Park, site of the 4A tournament. As a result, the scheduled 9 a.m. start has been delayed.
Thursday’s opening rounds in 4A saw a 5-hour, 42-minute rain delay. It resulted in just 25 matches being completed by day’s end.
Update, 7:49 a.m.: Rain has not let up in Pueblo. No new start time has been set. Coaches are advised to keep checking CHSAANow.com and @CHSAA for updates every half hour.
Update, 10:26 a.m.: After a brief reprieve, it is now raining again in Pueblo. The planned noon restart will not happen.
Update, 3:10 p.m.: The 4A tournament will begin play just as soon as the courts are dry. Players should head over the the venue.
“We’ll try to finish as many rounds as we can,” said assistant commissioner Bethany Brookens, who oversees tennis.
Update, 5:54 p.m.: Play in the 4A tournament is finally underway. Here’s the plan:
- First-round and quarterfinal matches will try to complete Friday at Pueblo City Park, for most positions.
- No. 4 doubles will try to play first-round and quarterfinal matches at Pueblo Centennial High School.
- Upon completion of their first-round matches, No. 3 doubles will head to Pueblo Centennial to play quarterfinals.
- If two rounds are completed Friday, semifinals will begin play at 9 a.m. Saturday at Pueblo City Park. Playbacks will follow. If not, they would be scheduled for later on Saturday.
- If — and only if — two rounds are completed on Friday, the finals and third/fourth place matches will be Saturday upon completion of semifinals and playbacks.
- If two rounds are not completed on Friday, Sunday is being considered to complete the tournament.
Meanwhile, the 5A tournament, held at Gates Tennis Center in Denver, is also delayed because of wet courts. It is not currently raining in the Denver area, but overnight rain has left moisture on the courts. Play was scheduled to start at 9 a.m.
Update, 10:30 a.m.: Play has started in the 5A tournament.
When play does resume in 5A, the tournament will stay at one site on Friday, as only 14 courts are needed.