Britain’s Francesca Jones is in action. (Image: Getty)
The ITF W75 in Lisbon has been struck by chaos after organisers cancelled play on Friday due to the courts not meeting quality standards. Players now face competing in as many as four matches this weekend in a rushed conclusion of the tournament in the Portuguese capital.
The sun was shining onto the clay courts on Friday afternoon, but Lisbon was hit with heavy rainfall throughout Thursday night, causing them to become too slippy.
Britain’s Francesca Jones cruised past Jesika Maleckova of Czechia 6-2 6-1 in the first round on Thursday, playing the match indoors.
She was scheduled to face Burundi’s Sada Nahimana in the last 16 on Friday, but play didn’t start at 10am as planned.
Organisers delayed the start time to 12pm, but there was still no sign of any action when noon came around.
The next updated start time was 4pm, with Jones’ match rescheduled for 5:30pm. But the women’s singles was later cancelled, and the doubles moved indoors.
The three indoor courts were unavailable for the women’s singles as they were occupied for the men’s matches due to TV commitments.
It left the tournament scrambling to reshuffle the weekend’s schedule, which will involve a hectic conclusion for those still participating.
Sada Nahimana is due to face Francesca Jones. (Image: Getty)
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The revised ITF W75 Lisbon schedule sees Saturday host last-16 and quarter-final matches in the women’s singles and the women’s doubles final.
In the latter, Spain’s Yvonne Cavalle-Reimers and Angela Fita Boluda face Portuguese second seeds Francisca Jorge and Matilde Jorge.
There will also be the quarter-final and semi-final matches in the men’s singles and the men’s doubles semi-finals.
On Sunday, those victorious on the day prior will contest the women’s singles semi-finals and final, the men’s singles final, and the men’s doubles final.
If Jones defeats Nahimana, a qualifier, in their last-16 meeting, a quarter-final clash with Fita Boluda or Romania’s Miriam Bianca Bulgaru awaits later in the day.
No Brits were involved in the men’s singles, but the draw is set up for an exciting finale, with the first, second and third seeds exiting in the opening two rounds.
Thiago Augustin Tirante is the favourite to triumph in Lisbon and will face lucky loser Elmer Moller of Denmark in Saturday’s quarter-final.
If he secures an expected victory, the Argentine will meet the winner of unseeded pair Zsombor Piros and Raphael Collignon later in the day.
Switzerland’s Alexander Ritschard is the only other seeded player among the final eight. He will face Chile’s Tomas Barrios Vera in his potentially first match of the day.