With Richmond native Wade McGuire leading Jimmy Arias 5-2 in the second set yesterday, a strong wind suddenly swept through the Stadium Court during a changeover. Rain followed, sending players, fans and officials scurrying for cover. Some fans already had left Stadium Court as the weather quickly changed from hot and sunny to dark and cloudy around 6:30 p.m.

Power was lost during the storm and had not been restored by 8:45 p.m., when tournament officials decided to postpone the rest of the night's matches. Fans holding tickets to yesterday's session will be admitted to this morning's.

The storm toppled the umpire's chair on Stadium Court. When the rain stopped, ball boys and tournament officials used towels, squeegees and blowers to clean and dry the courts, but with no lights on the courts, they abandoned their efforts.

Earlier, ninth-seeded Jeff Tarango did not want to be on Stadium Court to play a first-round match, but he put on his white cap and sunglasses anyway and dismantled Belgium's Johan Van Herck, 6-1, 6-2. Tarango, the highest-seeded player to play in the first round, needed just 50 minutes to defeat Van Herck, who seemed affected by the on-court temperature of 112 degrees.

"I would have rather had a bye," Tarango said.

Still, he was able to withstand the weather conditions far better than his opponent.

"It's one of those things where you have to have more determination than the other guy," Tarango said.