Houston Has a Problem with Rain at ATP Masters Cup

Last month Marat Safin leveled against the ATP in the media for scheduling the year-end championships outdoors on the tail end of the indoor European circuit. Luckily for organizers, Safin is not on the schedule Wednesday after yesterday defeating French Open runner-up Guillermo "El Fragile" Coria, who is coming off shoulder surgery, in his opening round robin match.

With a low front and rain moving through Texas, organizers are hoping to begin play in the late afternoon or early evening, with the singles schedule including (1) Roger Federer vs. (3) Lleyton Hewitt in a re-match of this year's US Open final, and (5) Carlos Moya vs. (8) Gaston Gaudio in a battle of French Open winners.

Slated in the doubles are (2) Bob/Mike Bryan vs. (5) Mahesh Bhupathi/Max "The Beast" Mirnyi in a carry-over from the previous day with the Bryan twins leading 5-4 in the first set, world No. 1s Mark Knowles/Daniel Nestor vs. Czechs (6) Matin Damm/Cyril Suk, and Zimbabwe's Wayne Black/Kevin Ullyett vs. Belgians (8) Xavier "X-Man" Malisse/Olivier "The Roach" Rochus.

Roger Federer, who has already clinched the No. 1 year-end ranking and won last year in Houston, is coming off a muscle tear in his thigh last month but won his opening round, as did Andy Roddick and Lleyton Hewitt.