´I´ve never played like that before´ – Murray disturbed by deafening downpour

Andy Murray had a new challenge to overcome at the US Open on Thursday, as the world number two was deafened by the noise of heavy rain falling on the roof at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The famous main court at Flushing Meadows has received an expensive makeover for the 2016 edition of the grand slam event, affording protection from the unpredictable elements that have caused a delayed finish to the US Open on several occasions.

The roof was called into action in earnest during Murray’s second-round win over Marcel Granollers, as a heavy downpour forced play to be suspended on the uncovered outside courts.

“I didn’t know what it was at the beginning, neither of us did,” the world number two said of the surprisingly distracting precipitation falling directly above the players’ heads.

“And then when you realise it was the rain, there’s nothing you can do about that.

“It was so loud, I’ve never played like that before. You can’t hear the ball at all. And tennis players do pick up the sound of the ball to read the spins a little bit earlier and the speed of the serve. Makes it tricky. And that’s something you need to adjust to and get used to.”

Murray, who will face Paolo Lorenzi or Gilles Simon in the third round, overcame an awkward opponent in Spaniard Granollers, whose serve-and-volley tactics initially posed the second seed problems.

“I was creating a lot of chances, just made a few errors at the end of that first set,” the Wimbledon champion said following his straight-sets triumph.

“Maybe a bit sloppy with my feet. I think I learned from that, played much better second set. Decided to put a bit more on my second serve as well, got a few more easy second shots.

“Third set was a bit tighter again, he served better and made it tougher for me on the return.”