The new renovations provided massive spectator improvements, there were surprise champions and contenders, weird moments in the quarters and semis, lots of famous faces in the audience, and fashion that was loud and crazy. In other words, it was quintessential US Open.
The new roof works!
The design by architectural firm Rosetti blends in nicely with Arthur Ashe stadium and efficiently closes in 20 minutes. It allowed play to progress on schedule, plus it reduced the famous wind felt in the nose-bleed seats and was pretty fun to watch close. Although there were complaints at first because of the noise heard from the rain pounding against the enclosed roof, it gave the tournament a more intimate feel and how much fun was it to see Rafael Nadal try to hit the top of it after his match with Seppi? $600 million well spent.
With Wimbledon, the Australian Open, and now the US Open, only the French Open is left to battle the elements. Phillip Chartrier was scheduled to have one installed by 2018, but just announced this summer that construction has been delayed until 2020. C’est horrible.
NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 06: Gael Monfils (R) of France celebrates embraces Lucas Pouille of France after defeating him during their Men’s Singles Quarterfinal Match on Day Nine of the 2016 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 6, 2016 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
French men in the US Open
They may not have a retractable roof, but French players Jo-Wilfred Tsonga, Gael Monfils, and the less well known Lucas Puoille made it to the quarterfinals, the best showing of the Gauls in the US tournament in 89 years. Pouille is an up-and-comer in men’s tennis and is one to watch. He famously ousted Nadal in the fourth round in a five-set thriller, the kind of match that the crowd loves to see.
“For me, because I worked very hard, I’m feeling very confident, that’s why I’m here,” Pouille said after the match with the former US champion. Pouille is just 22.
Sep 7, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina waves to the crowd while leaving the court after his match against Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland (not pictured) on day ten of the 2016 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Wawrinka won 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Juan Martin del Potro’s wild card
Del Potro’s amazing comeback continued at the US Open as he made it to the quarterfinals in a match against eventual US open champion Stan Wawrinka in the quarter. One of the few grand slam winners outside the Big Four (or Five, counting Wawrinka himself), del Potro showed what he was made of throughout this season getting to the Olympic finals with Murray and winning the Silver Medal, and then progressing so far in the final grand slam of the year. All his multiple wrist surgeries behind him and with the wild card into the US Open, he thrived at the grand slam where he won before. A fan favorite in Rio and here in Flushing Meadows, his epic season didn’t culminate in a Cinderella final win at the US Open, but no one will ever forget his emotional performance at this slam.
“I can lose the match but I will never forget this. It’s bigger than winning any match,” said del Potro, tearfully, after receiving a standing ovation. “I’m so proud to get that from the crowd because I’ve been doing a big effort to play tennis again. They made me so happy tonight.”
Tennis: US Open: Czech Republic Karolina Pliskova with runner’s up trophy and Germany Angelique Kerber with winner’s trophy during presentation ceremony after Women’s Final at BJK National Tennis Center.
Flushing, NY 9/10/2016
CREDIT: Carlos M. Saavedra (Photo by Carlos M. Saavedra /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images)
(Set Number: SI524 TK12 )
A new crop of ladies emerging
The women’s game has been dominated by Serena Williams for so long, but that’s no longer the case. Serena won her record 22 record grand slam at Wimbledon, equaling Steffi Graf’s amazing all-time tally. However, there are women rising up as the new guard, including the two ladies who made it to the final, Karolina Pliskova and eventual winner, (and Graf’s compatriot), Angelique Kerber. Pliskova, now ranked No. 6, beat both Williams sisters on the way to the final in addition to besting the US Open champion at the Western & Southern final just the month before in Cincinnati, OH.
However, Angelique Kerber’s US Open was her second grand slam win in the same year (the Australian Open was her first). Couple that with her elevation to new world No. 1 in women’s tennis, she’s confirmed her Aussie title at the beginning of the year was no fluke. Like Wawrinka, she may be a late bloomer, but she’s been well worth the wait.
There are three other ladies who have emerged in the last few years, who will be ones to watch in the coming year: Petra Kvitova who owns two Wimbledon titles, and the darling of the French Open, Garbine Muguruza, who beat Serena Williams to clinch the Roland Garros title. Perhaps the biggest wildcard among the new crop is Victoria Azarenka, out for the rest of the season with her pregnancy, but it will be interesting to see what kind of disruption she will provide in 2017. She holds two Australian Open titles herself.
“I like the way the younger generation, like Muguruza and Kerber, are starting to challenge her and are not as intimidated as they have been before,” said legendary tennis player and now commentator Chris Evert to The New Paper in July.
UNITED STATES – SEPTEMBER 09: Steffi Graf (left) and Monica Seles embrace at the U.S. Open. (Photo by Harry Hamburg/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)
Goodbye to Louis Armstrong Stadium
The main tennis stadium for the US Open until 1996, Louis Armstrong will be demolished and a newer, fancier version will debut in 2018, also with a retractable roof. The last match was the men’s doubles quarterfinals where Feliciano Lopez and Marc Lopez beat the legendary Bryan brothers in the second week of this year’s Open.
However, the stadium provided some epic matches that offer ghosts from the past, including the incredible 1995 women’s final where Graf won her historic 18th grand slam trophy against Monica Seles, who was back in her first grand slam after her horrible stabbing two years prior. She bageled Graf in the second set, but Graf battled back in the third, claiming the championship 7-6 (6), 0-6, 6-3.
Another thrilling match was the epic semifinal clash between Ivan Lendl and Aussie Pat Cash, where Lendl survived match point to make it to the finals, defeating Cash 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (4). Amazingly, Lendl played 8 US Open finals in a row, with 3 wins. Still another thriller was the 1980 final between legends John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg, with McEnroe the victor, 7-6 (4), 6-1, 6-7 (5), 5-7, 6-4. In 10 tries at the US Open, Borg never won and was always a bridesmaid there.
Aug 31, 2015; New York, NY, USA; A general view of the roof over Arthur Ashe Stadium as Venus Williams of the United States hits to Monica Puig of Puerto Rico on day one of the 2015 US Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
The new Grandstand
The new grandstand court debuted on August 29 with the match between American Taylor Townsend and two-time US Open finalist Caroline Wozniacki. With 2,000 additional seats and new design that keeps most spectators out of the direct sun (especially appreciated at this tournament, where the hot weather can be brutal), the renovation garnered mostly raves from attendees and players alike.
‘This court is really awesome.’ It’s a beautiful court. It’s going to be one with a lot of special matches on it in the future,” said Wozniacki, after her first match there.
Sept 9, 2016; New York, NY, USA;
Novak Djokovic of Serbia after beating Gael Monfils of France on day twelve of the 2016 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
Unpredictable Moment #1: The weird match with Monfils
Edgy from the start, Djokovic faced a “theatrical” semifinal match with Gael Monfils, who tried an ”unorthodox” “rope-a-dope” method that was at-odds with the consistent excellent play he had exhibited all season, including his surprise Citi Open championship earlier in the summer. At times looking like he was barely in the match, or caring about it, he hung at the baseline, barely playing, and clutching his legs. Djokovic had problems with the umpire and the lights and even tore his shirt in half at one point in frustration. Monfils’ tactics were booed by the audience and called “unprofessional” by the commentators, most especially by John McEnroe. Monfils claimed he needed to try something different to compete with the world no. 1 player.
“It was a great theater experience today,” Djokovic said after his bizarre win. Monfils’ response to his tactics? “It OK, you know,” he said. “It’s not only one way to play tennis … For me, it’s just myself on the court,” he said afterwards. Gael will be Gael, and he will continue to entertain.
NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 07: Andy Murray of Great Britain reacts against Kei Nishikori of Japan during their Men’s Singles Quarterfinal match on Day Ten of the 2016 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 7, 2016 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Unpredictable Moment #2: Gold medalist Murray’s breakdown
Coming to the US Open after his historic second gold medal at the Olympics and a finalist at the Western & Southern Open right afterwards, Andy Murray was on a high and was expected to make it to the final, facing Djokovic. He was up two sets, a break in the third, and looked like he had complete control in the third set against Kei Nishikori in
the quarterfinals. But then he got into an argument with the chair umpire over a stadium sound system noise. He was annoyed the roof was still closed despite the improved weather. He was distracted by a butterfly on court. And so on and on. The distractions multiplied as he let the match go and was surprisingly ousted by the world no. 5.
NEW YORK, NY – AUGUST 29: Alec Baldwin watches the first round Men’s Singles match between Novak Djokovic of Serbia
Celebrities in the audience
Everyone loves the audience cam at Arthur Ashe (perhaps too much, some of you dancing buffoons know what I’m talking about), but perhaps one of the best parts of the tennis championship is seeing which New York City celebrities are in attendance. Jay Z and wife Beyoncé watched their friend Serena Williams, Jonah Hill was in full beard and shades, avid tennis fan Kevin Spacey was there, plenty of Orange is the New Black stars (Uzo Aduba and Danielle Brooks, and Adrienne C. Morre), Alec Baldwin was snapped giving the thumbs-up sign, Anna Wintour looked customarily unimpressed (perhaps sad her friend Roger Federer was out for the season?), Michael Strahan brought his two daughters, Wolverine actor Hugh Jackman took a selfie with Djokovic’s coach and legend Boris
Becker, but perhaps the funniest celebrity sighting was seeing The Wolf of Wall Street star Leonardo di Caprio not only take a selfie with a young fan (who looked about age 12) in the audience, but also check it afterwards to make sure it came out all right. Other celebrities included Heidi Klum, Tony Bennett, Hugh Grant, and Regis Philbin.
Sep 5, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Serena Williams of the United States waves to the crowd after her match against Yarolslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan (not pictured) on day eight of the 2016 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Williams won 6-2, 6-3. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Bright colors in outfits
It seemed like everyone was wearing neon this year at the US Open. Some outfits worked, some didn’t, as in all the shades of bright yellow that had several screaming foul!
Even Andy Murray’s mother, Judy Murray, tweeted about another British player’s ensemble:
Has someone attacked Kyle Edmund with a highlighter pen?#USOpen pic.twitter.com/c652whwrDz
— judy murray (@JudyMurray) August 29, 2016
Many blamed Nike, who put several players in the offensive yellow. Others blamed Andre Agassi, who some said inspired the original “rebel” look among several players.
Serena Williams’ subtle approach seemed to work best, incorporating flashes of neon pink threaded throughout her skirt, complimented with black (for night) and white (for day). She may not have won the championship, but she certainly won in fashion, which makes sense since she has her own clothing line.
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