After Irene, US Open to start on Monday

The US Open venue sustained "minimal damage" when Tropical Storm Irene lashed new York, and the US Tennis Association (USTA) said on Sunday the tournament would start Monday with a few schedule changes.

Start of play on the Arthur Ashe Stadium Court, the main court at the Billy Jean King National Tennis Center, will be pushed back from 11am to 1pm (17:00 GMT).

Play will commence on most courts, including the Louis Armstrong Stadium, as scheduled at 11am (15:00 GMT).

The eye of Irene -- downgraded from a hurricane but still blasting up to 65-mile-an-hour (105-kilometre-an-hour) winds and near horizontal rain -- passed over the Big Apple on Sunday morning, causing flooding and power outages.

Localised flooding occurred in the south and east of Manhattan, with more serious incidents in Brooklyn. There was also heavy flooding along the low-lying south shore of Long Island.

Public transportation services were suspended, and it was not clear when train, subway and full bus services would be restored.