New Delhi, Aug 11 - Heavy rain halted play when the first batch of four singles matches were underway in the $10,000 women's International Tennis Federation (ITF) tournament here at the DLTA Complex Tuesday.

The skies opened up when the four matches were into the second set and all hopes of resumption were dashed when another sharp shower lashed the courts after the players waited for two hours. The unfinished matches would be resumed Wednesday and some of the players will have to play their second round too to catch up with the schedule. In all, 12 singles were to be played Tuesday.

At the time of interruption, India' Nupur Kaul was leading 6-3, 4-1 against Russian Alina Tseplukhova, the match between second seed Poojashree Venkatesha and Rishika Sunkara was evenly poised with the former leading in the second set 5-1 after losing the first 6-3.

In the other two matches, German Jasmin Steinherr was leading 6-2, 4-2 against Indian Shivika Burman while Rashmi Teltumbde trailed 2-4 in the second set after winning the first 6-1 against eight seed Dalila Jakupovic.