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Strike delays start of Ericsson Open

By: NAGRAJ GOLLAPUDI - Associated Press Writer | Sunday, February 11, 2007 8:00 PM PST ∞

BANGALORE, India (AP) -- The start of a WTA Tour event was delayed a day because of a planned strike in the area aimed at shutting down public services and private businesses.

The Ericsson International, already hurt by the withdrawal of Serena Williams, will begin Tuesday. Officials are drawing up a new schedule but hope the tournament will end Feb. 18, as originally planned.

Melanie Heuer, a WTA Tour supervisor, said this was the first time a strike had delayed a tour event.

"The schedule is tight," Heuer said. "There will be less flexibility to get through the matches."

The state government of Karnataka ordered a general strike for Monday that would affect Bangalore, the site of the tournament. Karnataka is unhappy with a tribunal's recent decision in a dispute with neighboring Tamil Nadu state over the use of water from the Cauvery river.

Tournament director Sunder Raju said Sunday the decision to delay play was made "in view of the security of players and spectators."

The disruption comes soon after the tournament's star attraction pulled out because of the flu. Williams won the Australian Open last month and is ranked No. 15. Her exit has left two of the world's top 50 players in the field -- No. 38 Mara Santangelo of Italy and No. 49 Sania Mirza of India.

Santangelo is seeded No. 1 and Mirza No. 2. Mirza defeated Santangelo in the quarterfinals of the Pattaya Open in Thailand.