Rain washes out play in Rome
Rain washes out play in Rome 
From correspondents in Rome, Italy
Former Australian Captain May 14, 2008
ONLY four matches were completed before torrential downpours suspended play at the Rome International.
Courts became flooded but light rain never abated and at just after 9pm tournament organisers decided to call off the day’s play and resume at 11am the next day.
Austrian Sybille Bammer was the highest ranked player to finish a game but she was easily dismissed by Victoria Azarenka from Belarus 6-1 6-3.
Home favourite Roberta Vinci gave the sparse crowds something to cheer about as she battled to a 6-4 4-6 6-0 victory over Estonia’s Kaia Kanepi.
Both Williams sisters were due to begin their campaigns in the second round but will now have to wait.
Venus will play Australia’s Samantha Stosur while younger sister Serena will face Ukrainian doubles specialist Alona Bondarenko.
The top two seeds Ana Ivanovic from Serbia and Russia’s Maria Sharapova are also due to play on Thursday (EST).
AAP