Auckland Tennis could have cashed in if the rain, which did its best to ruin their tournament, had washed out the final.
Needing to juggle the Heineken Open between outdoor and indoor courts on opposite sides of the harbour bridge was a logistical headache, but it could havebeen worse.
As an outdoor tournament on the ATP Tour, there is no provision for starting singles matches indoors.
But once started, as was the case with a couple of second-round matches last week, they can be completed indoors.
Tournament director Graham Pearce was forced to double up and schedule what would have normally been Thursday and Friday quarter-finals and semifinals to Saturday - the day originally set down for the final.
If the final had been unable to be played at the ASB Tennis Centre yesterday, Gustavo Kuerten and Dominik Hrbaty would have shared the title, but each been paid only the runner's-up purse of US$30,600 ($56,930), which would have saved organisers more than US$20,000.
"But we didn't look at it like that," Pearce said before he raced away to Melbourne for an ATP board meeting last night. "We are an outdoor event. There is no provision to play indoors."
Going away from the outdoor courts presents logistical problems, including the transporting of the ball people, match officials and players and ensuring the courts are of an acceptable standard.
"We also have a huge commitment to the people who support the event by buying tickets and courtside boxes," Pearce said. "We can't just up and leave them stranded."
A corporate box, shaded by an umbrella, cost $5000 for the week; unshaded, $4500.
Given the worst weather in the 15 years she has been selling boxes for Carnegie International, Julie Coney said the week had been a nightmare.
"After the perfect weather for the ASB Classic, we never thought this would happen," Coney said. "Generally, people were understanding."
With the start dates for each tournament back a week next year, Pearce was hopeful the weather would come to the party in ensuring the two-week tennis bonanza remains just that.
