Long Island Tennis Magazine’s 2016 U.S. Open Preview

The stars of the sport get set to take over the New York area for the final Grand Slam of the year as we take a closer look at the men’s and women’s field vying for glory in Flushing Meadows, August 29-September 11, 2016 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, N.Y.

Men’s Singles Preview
Contenders
With the 2016 U.S. Open and final Grand Slam of the year looming, Novak Djokovic has his sights set on his third Grand Slam title of the year. After an unlikely defeat at Wimbledon, Djokovic has seemed to have found his stride again as he defeated an in-form Kei Nishikori 6-3, 7-5 in the final of the Rogers Cup in Toronto. In his first tournament back, Djokovic captured his fourth Rogers Cup without dropping a set and is looking like he is ready to rebound on the hard courts and play his best tennis. Earlier this year, Djokovic took the first two Grand Slams in Melbourne and Paris before losing to American Sam Querrey in London. He has an ATP Tour best seven titles in 2016, with a 33-1 record on hard courts which is his favorite surface. Djokovic is a two time champion at Flushing Meadows where he has made the semifinals or better the last nine years and counting. He has made the finals five times in that span, winning the title in 2011 and 2015. After a shaky Wimbledon performance and a first-round loss at the Olympic Games, Djokovic should be even more prepared and poised to begin his bid for a 13th Grand Slam title in Flushing Meadows.

Another player familiar with triumph in New York is world number two and recent Wimbledon champion and Olympic Gold Medalist Andy Murray. The U.S. Open is where Murray had his first taste of Grand Slam glory in 2012 as he looks to win the fourth Grand Slam of his career and second of the year. Murray has made the finals of all three Slams this year, losing to Novak Djokovic at both the Aussie Open and French Open. After an early exit by Djokovic in London, Murray capitalized and captured his second Wimbledon championship. Murray only has three titles to his name this year, but boasts a record of 40-6 with a 10-3 record on hard courts because of early exits in Miami and Indian Wells earlier this year. He has 26 career titles on hard courts and has been one of the more dominating players on the surface in recent years. Ivan Lendl has rejoined Murray’s camp after they parted ways in 2014, which has proven to be a key factor in Murray’s Grand Slam results. After joining his team in 2011, Lendl coached Murray to victory at two Grand Slams, as well as the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Prior to this year’s Wimbledon where Lendl rejoined Murray’s squad, he was 0-9 at the Slams in Lendl’s absence. Despite a fourth round loss to South African Kevin Anderson at the 2015 U.S. Open, Murray should be considered a top contender to take home the title in 2016.

At 26-years-old, Kei Nishikori is still looking for his first Grand Slam title after reaching the finals of the U.S. Open in 2014. Nishikori turned pro in 2007, but wasn’t considered a top player or title contender until a few years ago. While currently ranked sixth in the world, he has a dismal 2-8 record against top 10 players this year. He has only one title on the hard courts, capturing the Memphis Open title this past February, but has a record of 23-7 on hard courts this year. At the Rogers Cup in Toronto this July, Nishikori was seeded third in the absence of Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal. He looked well-rested and solid all week long, but lost to top-ranked Novak Djokovic in straight sets in the Toronto finals. Nishikori is now 0-5 against the Serbian this year alone, but his ability to defend make him a dangerous player at Slams.

Sleepers
After entering singles, doubles and mixed-doubles at this year’s Olympic Games in Rio, Rafael Nadal may be a little worn physically entering this year’s U.S. Open. Rafa spent a couple of weeks training in Mallorca at his new academy with recent Wimbledon champion Andy Murray to get ready for the Olympics. At the first Grand Slam of the year, Rafa suffered a tough and grueling five-set loss to fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco before pulling out of the French Open third round and skipping Wimbledon due to a wrist injury. Prior to withdrawing from his third round match at Roland Garros, Rafa won his first two rounds in straight sets, only losing nine games. Rafa has had an interesting year on hard courts. It began in January in Doha where he made it to the finals, but was easily dismissed by Djokovic, 6-2, 6-1. Later in March, he made it to the semifinals of Indian Wells, again losing to Djokovic in straight sets. In the second masters in March at Miami, Rafa retired in his first round match while down 0-3 in the decisive third set. While it seems his body’s health is always questionable, Rafa has come back from a long injury hiatus and won the U.S. Open. Rafa won the title in Flushing Meadows in both 2010 and 2013, and the 30-year-old’s career record in Grand Slams is an astonishing 200-30.

Nick Kyrgios is someone to look out for who is looking for his first huge breakout in winning a Grand Slam. Earlier this year, he lost to Tomas Berdych, Richard Gasquet and Andy Murray in the first three Grand Slams and recently chose to skip the Olympics in Rio in order to fit Atlanta in his schedule. This has proven to have paid off for the young and boisterous Aussie, as he defeated three-time defending champion John Isner 7-6, 7-6 to capture just the second title of his young career. Both of these titles have been in 2016. Kyrgios is streaky, but when his blistering serve and ground strokes are on, he can beat anyone and win any match. It will be interesting to see where he lands in the draw come the end of the month considering his recent success on the hard courts in America.

The year 2016 has been a rather exciting one for Gael Monfils, especially of late. To begin the year, Monfils appeared in his first Australian Open quarterfinal, where he lost to Milos Raonic. Monfils made it to the finals at Rotterdam, beating young guns Borna Coric and Alex Zverev along the way before losing to Martin Klizan in three entertaining sets. At the Monte Carlo Masters, Monfils waltzed his way into yet another final, finding himself paired against eight-time champion and king of clay, Rafael Nadal whom he lost to in straight sets. Monfils’ flashy crowd-pleasing style of play takes a lot of energy, and he looked as if he was drained after this solid start to 2016. In July, Monfils snagged his first ever ATP 500 title on hard courts at the Citi Open in D.C. Directly after this title, Monfils flew to the Rogers Cup in Toronto where he made a run to the semifinals, beating Wimbledon finalist and Canadian Milos Raonic on his home court. Monfils would lose that semifinal matchup to Djokovic. If Gael is in top shape like we’ve seen lately, his court coverage and booming groundstrokes may be a factor this year at Flushing Meadows.

Pretenders
Perhaps one of the most successful and most consistent players on the ATP Tour, 34-year-old Spaniard David Ferrer stands a mere 5’9” on court, but boasts some of the game’s best defensive skills and levels of fitness. Ferrer has been ranked as high as third in the world, but has recently been sinking in the rankings. Since turning pro in 2000, Ferrer has been a force, despite not having any Grand Slam titles on his resume. His slow and steady type of groundstrokes have made for a very consistent and respected career. In just five years on tour, Ferrer rose from outside of the top 500 to 14th in the world at the end of 2005. His career has been so consistent that he has not fallen outside of the top 25 in 11 years. Ferrer has 316 match wins on hard courts in his professional career, but 2016 is the first year we aren’t seeing the Ferrer we have grown so familiar with. He hasn’t played all that well, losing to Illya Marchenko, Jack Sock, Nicolas Almagro, Alex Dolgolopov, Lucas Pouille, Gilles Muller, Andreas Seppi, Nicolas Mahut and the list goes on … very uncharacteristic from Ferrer in 2016. Now ranked 12th in the world, Ferrer has some serious work to do to be considered anything but a pretender this year at Flushing Meadows, despite making it to the semis twice before.

Stan Wawrinka has shown us twice now that if he finds himself in the finals of a Grand Slam, he intends to win it. We have seen him hold the trophy over his head in Melbourne and Paris both in the past three years. While “Stan the Man” has the ferocious backhand and heavy serve to contend at the game’s biggest stages, the 2016 U.S. Open doesn’t look promising for the 31-year-old Swiss ace. After a strong start to 2016, winning Chennai, Dubai and Geneva, Wawrinka made his way to the semifinals of Roland Garros after winning the event in 2015. He would lose to eventual runner-up, Andy Murray. At Wimbledon, he suffered a shocking defeat to Juan Martin del Potro, who hadn’t played a grass tournament in three years. After this loss, his mind seems to be elsewhere, especially in his recent defeat at the hands of Kei Nishikori at the Rogers Cup. Wawrinka was up 4-1 in the first set of the semifinal bout before losing grip of the match and falling 7-6, 6-1. Wawrinka pulled out of the Olympic Games in Rio after this loss just a week after his compatriot Roger Federer announced he was to be absent for the Olympics as well as the rest of 2016. A third Grand Slam title at this year’s U.S. Open doesn’t look too promising for Stan the Man.

Women’s Singles Preview
Contenders
Fresh off a Wimbledon title where she equaled Steffi Graf’s Open Era record of 22-career Grand Slam singles titles, world number one Serena Williams is once again the favorite in Flushing Meadows. Last year at this time, she was no doubt playing with the pressure of catching Graf, while pursuing a Calendar Slam, and it boiled over in a shocking semifinal loss to Roberta Vinci in Flushing Meadows. With that monkey off her back, expect a much freer Serena this year as she looks to win her second consecutive major title. She is prepping for the U.S. Open by competing in the Olympics in Brazil, and will be primed to win her seventh title in Queens.

Madison Keys was also down in Brazil representing the United States at the Olympics, and could be due for a big U.S. Open. The 21-year-old’s game is perfectly suited for the hard courts of Flushing Meadows and she has played some of her best tennis this year. Keys made her first appearance in the top 10, after winning the title at the Aegon Classic, and most recently, made it all the way to the Rogers Cup final before losing to Simona Halep. Her best showing at the U.S. Open in her career was a fourth round appearance last year, and if she can stay healthy for the two weeks in Queens, she may be able to power her way deep into the tournament.

German Angelique Kerber made her breakthrough earlier this year at the Australian Open, but she showed that her performance Down Under wasn’t a fluke by reaching the Wimbledon final, falling just short to Serena in an evenly-played match. Kerber’s success at Grand Slams this year make her a threat at any tournament, and she seems to be coming into her own in 2016. She hasn’t made it out of the fourth round in Queens since reaching the semifinals in 2011, but Kerber’s best tennis is in front of her. Kerber reached the Rogers Cup semifinals, and after playing some pressure-packed matches down in Brazil, should be ready for a deep run.

Pretenders
Venus Williams continues to defy the odds, playing remarkable tennis at the age of 36. She is back up to sixth in the world after reaching the Bank of the West Classic final following a run to the Wimbledon semifinals. However, Venus had the worst Olympic results of her career in Rio, falling in the first round of both her singles and doubles matches. Before her quarterfinal appearance last year, she hadn’t made it out of the third round at the U.S. Open since 2010, and her last title there came all the way back in 2001. There is no doubt that Venus still has plenty left in the tank, but with the amount of tennis she has played recently, she could get tripped up early.

The previously mentioned Roberta Vinci stunned everyone last year when she knocked off Serena Williams in the semifinals last year, but her 2016 season has been inconsistent at best. The Italian did win the St. Petersburg Ladies’ Trophy, but her performance at the Grand Slams has been poor. She lost to Anna-Lenna Friedsam in the third round of the Australian Open, despite winning the first set 6-0, lost in the first round of the French Open and then fell in the third round at Wimbledon. Vinci has lost seven of her last 11 matches overall, and although she may have a little U.S. Open magic left, her inconsistent play will make it tough to go far this year.

Spain’s Garbine Muguruza won her maiden Grand Slam title earlier this summer at the French Open, knocking off Serena Williams in straight sets. But she has struggled since, playing just three matches since that title win, losing two of them, including a straight sets loss to Jana Cepelova in the second round of Wimbledon. The expectations and pressures of being a Grand Slam champion took its toll as she has admitted, and Muguruza will no doubt have a target on her back once again at the U.S. Open. She has never fared well in Flushing Meadows with her best results being second round appearances, and rust and fatigue may play a factor in her chances this season.

Sleepers
Svetlana Kuznetsova has largely flew under the radar since winning the second of her two Grand Slam titles at the 2009 French Open (the first of which came at the U.S. Open in 2004), but the Russian has had an outstanding 2016 season to date. Since a slow start, Kuznetsova has re-discovered her form, returning to the top 10 and notching wins over Caroline Wozniacki, Simona Halep and Serena Williams. Kuznetsova reached the Round of 16 at Wimbledon and has shown she is capable of playing her top tennis in the big moments this year. With her experience at Flushing Meadows, Kuznetsova could fly under the radar right into the U.S. Open’s second week.

Dominika Cibulkova is one of the most fun players to watch on the women’s tour. She plays with a passion and aggressiveness which is unrivaled and can often be heard yelling “Pome!” which means “Let’s go,” which will delight the New York crowd. She has had a resurgent 2016, winning two titles and climbing up to 11th in the world. Cibulkova won what may have been the best match of the year, a Round of 16 win at Wimbledon over Agnieszka Radwanska. Cibulkova’s best performance at the U.S. Open was a quarterfinal showing back in 2008, but with her health and form back, look for the Slovak to be one of the last few ladies standing in Flushing Meadows.

The beginning of 2016 was not the one that Simona Halep would have wanted, but the third-ranked Romanian has been playing top-level tennis in recent months. Halep has won her last 10 matches, resulting in titles in Bucharest and Montreal, following a quarterfinal run at Wimbledon. She is a hard-hitter from the baseline and that makes her effective on the courts of Flushing Meadows, and that was on display as she reached the U.S. Open semifinals last year. Halep chose not to participate in the Olympics due to concerns over the Zika virus, so if she can shake off the rust and remain healthy, look for Halep to once again make a deep run in Flushing Meadows.

Arthur Ashe Stadium's New Retractable Roof
Photo credit: USTA/Jennifer Pottheiser
One of the most exciting attractions of the U.S. Open and the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center this year is the new retractable roof over Arthur Ashe Stadium. The roof officially closed and opened for the first time during a ceremony which featured executives from the USTA and architectural firm ROSETTI, as well as media and several tennis luminaries.

The retractable roof, featuring two panels sitting atop a 6,500-ton steel superstructure, is covered with a PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) fabric that is stretched over the framing system, which allows the sun to reflect off of the panels, making the stadium more energy efficient.

"There are more than four dozen sensors and computers tracking the precise movement of the roof so that to keep it in perfect alignment all along the tracks on each side as it rolls down the tracks at approximately 25-feet per minute,” said ROSSETTI President Matt Rossetti. “That allows us to open and close the roof at a moment’s notice and in under six minutes.”

The completion of Arthur Ashe Stadium’s retractable roof is only one component in the major transformation of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. This year, fans also will experience a brand new Grandstand Stadium and an expanded and enhanced southern campus. The new Grandstand will feature 8,125 seats–an addition of more than 2,000 seats over the capacity of the old Grandstand–while still giving spectators one of the most intimate viewing experiences in professional tennis. In addition, the southern campus has been completely overhauled to ease congestion, provide expanded fan amenities, and enhance visitors’ overall U.S. Open experience.

The roof was closed and opened during a recent ceremony by tennis legend Billie Jean King and Jeanne Ashe, wife of the late tennis champion Arthur Ashe for whom the stadium is named, both joining USTA Chairman of the Board and President Katrina Adams; USTA Executive Director Gordon Smith; USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center COO Danny Zausner; and. ROSSETTI President Matt Rossetti.

“The USTA has always strived to move forward as an organization, to innovate and think boldly, and the transformation of the USTA Billie Jean King Tennis Center falls directly in line with that goal,” said Adams.

“U.S. Open fans, viewers and players deserve the ultimate tennis experience, and the transformation of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center provides exactly that,” said Smith. “The U.S. Open takes place in New York City, a town synonymous with excitement, and the inclusion of the retractable roof over Arthur Ashe Stadium now truly makes the U.S. Open the ultimate center stage for the sport of tennis.”

U.S. Open Total Compensation Surpasses $46 Million
The prize money for the 2016 U.S. Open will increase by $4 million, bringing the total purse for the tournament to a record $46.3 million, a 10 percent increase over the 2015 U.S. Open prize money totals. In all, the U.S. Open will provide the richest purse in tennis history at this year’s event.

Both the men’s and women’s singles champions will earn $3.5 million, the largest payout in U.S. Open history. The average increase per round for the singles competition is 10 percent above the 2015 US Open. Both the men’s and women’s doubles champion teams will earn $625,000, the highest in U.S. Open history, and overall doubles prize money has been increased by 10.5 percent. The U.S. Open Qualifying Tournament will offer more than $1.9 million in prize money, a 10 percent increase over 2015.

Round-by-round individual prize money for the U.S. Open is as follows:

“We are proud that this year’s U.S. Open will offer the richest purse in tennis history,” said USTA Chairman of the Board and President Katrina Adams. “We continue to invest in all aspects of this world-class event to provide the best services and experiences for the players, our fans, and all of the U.S. Open partners.”

2016 U.S. Open Restaurant Guide
Aces and Champions Bar & Grill
Both are located on the Club level in Arthur Ashe Stadium between Gates 3 and 4 and are available to Courtside Box seat holders and Luxury Suite guests. You can access both restaurants by using the elevators on the east side of Arthur Ashe Stadium adjacent to the U.S. Open Club. Loge and Promenade Subscription Series ticket holders may purchase passes for the duration of the tournament by calling the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Ticket Office at (718) 760-6363

Enjoy local and seasoned seafood creations by Innovator Restaurant Associates and creator of Ed’s Chowder House, Ed Brown, with sushi prepared by Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto. You can also enjoy Aces’ flavorful and sumptuous cuisine in your suite with an Aces Suite Package. Join us for lunch, dinner or after the matches.

Champions Bar & Grill is a modern take on the traditional clubhouse atmosphere, with classic leather and wood accents in a contemporary setting. The Grill features premium steaks, hearty salads and fresh seafood prepared by Celebrity Chef David Burke. Bring your friends for lunch, dinner or after the matches, and you won’t miss a moment of the action with live matches on Champions’ many TVs.

The U.S. Open Club
The U.S. Open Club is located on the ground floor of Arthur Ashe Stadium. The Club is available to all Subscription Series ticket holders for the duration of the tournament for a nominal entrance fee and is included for Silver Loge Box seat holders. With its striking contemporary décor, the U.S. Open Club is famous for its Chef’s Table and seasonal selections of eclectic American cuisine. Restaurant passes are required. To purchase passes, call Client Services at (718) 760-6363. Please note that food and beverage are not included with the purchase of restaurant passes. Cost to book will vary depending on your plan.

Patio Café & Bar
Soak up the beautiful surroundings of the U.S. Open grounds at our expanded charming outdoor café located outside the U.S. Open Club. Enjoy fresh selections of seasonal sandwiches and salads paired with summer specialty cocktails. The Patio Café is available for all ticket holders. You can dine here for lunch, dinner or after the matches.

Toro Restaurant & Bar
Experience Toro’s luscious flavors with Spanish style and cool, refreshing cocktails. Seating is either indoors or outside, enhanced by multiple TVs showing the live matches. Toro is located on the ground floor of Arthur Ashe Stadium near the Patio Café and is available to all ticket holders.

Heineken Red Star Café
The Heineken Red Star Café is located next to the South Plaza Fountains. Situated on the top level of the two-story building, it provides guests a spacious, ideal setting to unwind and keep track of the matches while enjoying the café’s laid-back atmosphere and enhanced menus.

Oyster Bar
Oyster Bar is located on the Club level in Arthur Ashe Stadium and offers fresh oysters, lobster rolls and crab cakes in a unique setting.

Oyster Bar 7
The new Oyster Bar 7 is located adjacent to Grandstand and offers fresh oysters, lobster rolls and crab cakes in a unique setting.

South Plaza
Visit the refreshing food destinations by the fountains, including Wine Bar Food and Pat LaFrieda Meat Co.
►Wine Bar Food: Sample Mediterranean flavors with wines to match.

►Pat LaFrieda Meat Co.: New York’s “King of Meat” Pat Lafrieda serves his signature Filet Mignon Steak Sandwich and other favorites.

Grey Goose Bar
With two locations in the Food Village and Grandstand Food Village, the Grey Goose Bar features the Honey Deuce, the U.S. Open signature cocktail, along with Grey Goose specialty cocktails and a full service bar.

Jacob's Creek Wine Bar
New for 2016, the Jacob’s Creek Bar, located in the Food Village, will highlight a variety of Jacob’s Creek wines as well as full-service bar offerings.

Lavazza Café
Lavazza brings the flavor of authentic Italian coffee to the U.S. Open. Located in the Food Village, the Lavazza Café serves hot and iced coffee, single or double espresso, café latte and more.

Food Village
Enjoy regional cuisine and specialty items at the U.S. Open Food Village, including:

►Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Shop
►Curry Kitchen
►Farm 2 Fork
►Franks & Fries
►Hill Country BBQ
►Korilla BBQ
►Seafood
►Neopolitan Express
►​Prime Burger
►​Village Market
►​Mexican
►​Glatt Kosher
►​Grey Goose Bar
►​Jacob's Creek Wine Bar
►​Lavazza Café

Court 12
►​Morris Grilled Cheese
►Carnegie Deli
►Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Shop

Grandstand Food Village
►Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Shop
►Neopolitan Express
►Prime Burger

Five Reasons to Love the U.S. Open

5. Night tennis
Night tennis at the U.S. Open is where fans will create memories for years to come. Late-night tennis has been a tradition at the Open since 1975, when New Zealand’s Onny Parun defeated American great Stan Smith at the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, N.Y.

Last year, two top 10 players did battle under the lights, as Kei Nishikori won a four-hour, 19-minute match over Milos Raonic that ended at 2:26 a.m., tying the record for latest finish at the U.S. Open.

And who can forget Andre Agassi, at the age of 35, coming back from two sets down to defeat James Blake in five sets in 2005? After the match, Agassi said, “At 1:15 a.m. for 20,000 people to still be here … I wasn't the winner, tennis was. I don't know if I've ever felt this good here before."

The magical run by Jimmy Connors at 39-years-old in 1991 included a five-set win over Patrick McEnroe that ended at 1:35 a.m.

You never know what to expect at the Open, but it is often worth staying up late to find out.

4. Celebrities
Celebrities, like the rest of us, love tennis. Spotting athletes, actors and musicians in attendance throughout the tournament becomes easy. The U.S. Open has attracted the likes of former U.S. President Bill Clinton, Ricky Martin, Rainn Wilson, Kevin Spacey, Eva Longoria, Michael Jordan, Beyonce, Jay-Z, Ben Stiller, Bradley Cooper (pictured above), Sean Connery (pictured above), and many more to Flushing Meadows. When you are on grounds this year keep your eyes open for your favorite celebrities!

3. Practice court viewing area
A two-story practice gallery debuted at the 2014 U.S. Open. This allowed fans a better view of their favorite stars as they warmed up for matches on the practice courts. What made this area even better is that you could view Courts 4, 5 and 6 from the same spot by simply turning around. The practice courts are always packed with fans looking to catch a glimpse of players or get autographs, but this new viewing area allowed people to be a bit more spread out.

2. Entertainment
From live music to interactive games and kids tennis sessions, there’s something for everyone at the 2016 U.S. Open. It starts with Arthur Ashe Kids Day on Saturday, Aug. 27, which features games and activities all over the grounds of the National Tennis Center, as well as a stadium show in the afternoon featuring top stars from the worlds of tennis and music.

The American Express Fan Experience offers great family fun for all ages throughout the tournament. Kids can take part in youth tennis sessions, while adults can have their swing analyzed by a teaching pro. Fans can also sit in on interviews with top players on the Fan Court or get an autograph from their favorite stars at the WTA booth.

The U.S. Open includes plenty of live music, with performers ranging from solo singers to jazz bands, which can be heard throughout the tournament at the South Plaza and President’s Gate.

1. The stars
Well this one is simple … the best players in the world are in our backyard, here in New York for three weeks (including qualifiers and practice days). Whether you are a fan, casual player or a serious tennis player, you will not want to miss out on your chance to get up close with the best players when they come to town for the biggest and best tennis tournament in the world!

Kids comment on the U.S. Open experience
Every summer, Long Island Tennis Magazine visits dozens of local tennis camps. This summer during our travels, we asked kids the following question: "If you had a chance to play in the U.S. Open, how would you feel and who would they want to play against?" Here are some of the answers from our local tennis players:

►Logan Bardunias (Sportime Kings Park): “I would like to play Novak Djokovic in the U.S. Open, even though he’d beat me badly. I’d probably laugh at how badly he was beating me, but it would be really cool to play with him.”

►Evan Friedman-Ogino (Early Hit at Glen Head): “I would want to play Kei Nishikori because I am Japanese and so is he, and he also played in the U.S. Open finals.”

►Diya Guglani (Hofstra Summer Camp): "I would love to play Caroline Wozniacki. I've seen her play before so it would be cool to play against her."

►Kareena Lamato (Sportime Roslyn): “If I could play in the U.S. Open, I would be happy, but also really nervous.”

►Deven Madan (Port Washington Tennis Academy): “I would feel very accomplished to be able to play at the U.S. Open, and would want to play Roger Federer.”

►Julie Mohringer (Carefree Racquet Club): "If I could play one player, it would Serena Williams. It would be amazing to play her because she is the best player in the world."

►Dillon O’Malley (Sportime Quogue): “I’d probably feel sad because I’d probably embarrass myself, so I would want to play my counselor, John Tocco.”

►Bita Shokrian (Shelter Rock): “I would probably freak out if I was playing in the U.S. Open. But then I would practice a lot.”

2016 U.S. Open Schedule