US Open 2024: Fire alarm briefly stops fourth-round matches, Hawkeye affected

Fourth-round matches at the US Open 2024 on Tuesday were briefly stopped due to a fire alarm in the building housing the technical booth where they operate Hawkeye – the electronic line calling (ELC) system.

The tournament at Flushing Meadows does not have line judges stationed on court and relies completely on Hawkeye for calls.

Television footage showed officials leaving the video replay room after play was stopped.

“Due to a fire alarm in the broadcast building, which also houses ELC Live operations, the play was halted throughout the grounds of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center as the building was evacuated,” tournament organisers said in a statement.

“Following the determination that this was only an alarm, play was resumed. In total, play was halted for six minutes,” it added.

ALSO READ | US Open 2024: Daniil Medvedev swats aside Nuno Borges to reach quarters

Daniil Medvedev was leading Nuno Borges 6-0, 6-1, 1-2 at Arthur Ashe Stadium when the chair umpire suddenly stopped play and asked both players to approach him so he could explain the situation before they sat down and waited.

Medvedev, the fifth seed, won the match 6-0, 6-1, 6-3.

The women’s match between Caroline Wozniacki and Beatriz Haddad Maia at Louis Armstrong Stadium was also stopped for around six minutes before play resumed.