Stars Collide at the Open
The sport’s top stars are set to make New York their home away from home from Aug. 29-Sept. 13, and this article will serve as your guide in and around the grounds of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center as the Open takes place. From trendy places to eat, to where to go to possibly meet and greet the stars of today and the stars of tomorrow, this article looks to provide you with those little extra tidbits of information on this year’s U.S. Open.
See the stars of tomorrow today
2011 Arthur Ashe Kids Day
U.S. Open Champions Rafael Nadal and Kim Clijsters, world number one ranked Novak Djokovic, former U.S. Open Champion Andy Roddick and the 2010 U.S. Open Wheelchair Champion David Wagner will team up with actor Bradley Cooper, New York Knicks All-Star Carmelo Anthony, and pop star Cody Simpson at the 16th Annual Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day presented by Hess Saturday, August 27 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y., from 9:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Hosted by TV personalities La La Anthony and Quddus, the show will feature more musical guests and tennis stars set to be announced in coming weeks. The popular full-day tennis and music festival for children and adults alike includes interactive games, musical entertainment and tennis activities. It will also feature performances from up-and-coming stars including Girls Nite Out, Action Item, Jacob Latimore and Nickelodeon’s The Fresh Beat Band. Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day Presented by Hess will kick off the 2011 U.S. Open, which runs from Aug. 29-Sept. 11.
From
General admission promenade tickets cost $10 and loge tickets are $20. Arthur Ashe Kids Day will be broadcast nationally by CBS on Sunday, Aug. 28, from noon-1:30 p.m. (ET). Kids 12-and-under with stadium show tickets will receive a free Arthur Ashe Kids Day hat from the USTA and Hess on a first-come, first-served basis.
Open practice day
On Sun, Aug. 28, take advantage of this rare opportunity to see the stars of the sport of tennis take to the practice courts for their final tune-up prior to the 2011 U.S. Open. Get a rare glimpse into the habits and drills the stars use in their warm-up routine, and who knows, maybe you could pick up some pointers from the pros in the process.
Where the stars sign
The 2011 U.S. Open Wheelchair Competition, now in its sixth year, will be held Sept. 8-11, at the USTA
This is the first time that the world’s top seven ranked men’s and women’s wheelchair players (according to the July 18 ITF Rankings) will all enter the tournament. The top three ranked quad players also will all compete (world number three Johan Andersson recently retired). Additionally, one wild card was selected on both the men’s, women’s, and quad sides. The total purse for the event will be $120,000, a $20,000 increase in prize money over last year.
The
The 2011 U.S. Open purse has increased by more than $1 million to reach a record $23.7 million. In addition to the base purse of $23.7 million, the top three men’s and top three women’s finishers in the Olympus U.S. Open Series may earn up to an additional $2.6 million in bonus prize money at the U.S. Open, providing a potential total payout of $26.3 million. Both the men’s and women’s U.S. Open singles champions will earn a record $1.8 million with the ability to earn an additional $1 million in bonus prize money (for a total $2.8 million potential payout) based on their performances in the Olympus U.S. Open Series.
The Olympus U.S. Open Series Bonus Challenge rewards the top three men’s and top three women’s finishers each year with bonus prize money at the U.S. Open and has resulted in the largest paychecks in tennis history for men (2007–Roger Federer, $2.4 million) and women (2005–Kim Clijsters, $2.2 million).
Places to eat at the Open
Aces
Vaulted ceilings, vibrant colors and a casual but elegant wine and sushi bar combine with superlative seafood offerings, making Aces the ultimate dining experience. You can also enjoy Aces’ flavorful and sumptuous cuisine in your suite with the Aces Platinum Package Series. For lunch, dinner or after the matches.
Champions Bar & Grill
A contemporary setting with classic leather and wood accents, Champions Bar & Grill is a modern take on the traditional clubhouse atmosphere. The Grill offers premium steaks, fresh seafood, salads and a wide variety of wines. This year, delicious new items highlight the menu, featuring the finest cuts of meat and more. Bring your friends and come for lunch, dinner or after the matches … you won’t miss a minute of the action, with live matches and other sporting events on Champions’ many TVs.
U.S.
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. The U.S. Open Club is famous for the Chef’s Table and seasonal selections of eclectic American cuisine.
Mojito Restaurant & Bar
Patio Café & Bar
Soak up the beautiful surroundings of the U.S. Open grounds at this expanded charming outdoor café and bar located outside the U.S. Open Club. Enjoy fresh selections of seasonal sandwiches and salads, paired with summer specialty cocktails. The Patio Café & Bar is available for all ticket holders.
Heineken Red Star Café
Located in the South Plaza near Court 7, the Heineken Red Star Café has a sports bar atmosphere complete with TVs covering the action on all of the featured courts, light snacks, specialty beers featuring Heineken and Heineken Light, frozen cocktails and a full bar … all set outdoors in the middle of the action. The Heineken Red Star Café is available to all ticket holders throughout the day and evening.
Rejuvenate by the Fountains!
Baseline Cocktails
Wine Bar Food
SmashZone
Located in the
International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum Gallery
Family Day
The U.S. Open is holding its third annual Family Day on Tuesday, Aug. 30. Parents accompanied by children 14-and-under can sit together in reserved seating in Louis Armstrong Stadium. An exclusive family breakfast, located in the Corporate Hospitality Pavilion in the
The world’s top tennis players and chefs will serve-up a kickoff to the U.S. Open on Thursday, Aug. 25 from
The State of
Another year brings another U.S. Open, and the question on the mind of many Americans is who can step up for the host country this year and make an exciting run to the title?
Going into this year’s U.S. Open, there are no Americans who would be considered favorites to win the title, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have contenders with a shot. So, which American has the best chance to win our nation’s Grand Slam?
Let’s first begin with tier one or the “top” Americans to look out for:
Mardy Fish
Ever since losing a significant amount of weight thanks to a healthy diet, Mardy Fish has seemed to resurrect his career. Fish has recently overtaken the number one American ranking from his buddy Andy Roddick, who had been carrying the
Andy Roddick
For Andy Roddick, it must feel like a century ago since he won the 2003 U.S. Open. Since then, Roddick failed to live up to expectations, losing in each of the four Slam finals he’s reached since 2003. Andy was shocked in the second round by Feliciano Lopez at this year’s
In tier number two, I think there’s only one American who fits that category. That American would be John Isner.
John Isner
The 6”9 John who is coming off his second career ATP title in
Tier number three is a group of Americans who have slipped in the rankings, perhaps ones you’ve forgotten about. Without a fantastic draw, these Americans will have a tough road to glory:
We haven’t seen Sam Querrey since the AEGON Championships, a tune up tournament for
James Blake
Yes folks, James Blake is still playing tennis, and no … he is not retired. James has simply fallen in the rankings hence why you barely see him at the major tournaments. Currently ranked 91st in the world, Blake has struggled with his game in recent years, but is looking to make one more major run like he did when he reached the quarterfinals of the Open in 2005 and 2006. As much as I like Blake, I don’t see positive results for the "J-Block" at this year’s Open.
Lastly, who will be the American long shots to possibly make a name for themselves. At this year’s U.S. Open:
Ryan Harrison
Rookie American Ryan Harrison does have game and will look to put his game on display should he make the main draw of the U.S. Open, which he should. In 2010, he made the second round after upsetting former top five player Ivan Ljubicic in the first round.
Donald Young
Year after year, we wait for Donald Young to do something big. This year, Young upended Andy Murray for the biggest win of his life at Indian Wells. However, what we would like to see is Donald show us some game in the Grand Slams. Unfortunately, we haven’t seen that at all from the young American in his already seven-year career. Based on past experiences, don’t expect anything beyond the second round at best for Young.
Alex Bogomolov Jr.
Most fans aren’t too familiar with Alex Bogomolov Jr. as he’s never done well in the rankings. His career-high ranking in singles is where he currently strands in the rankings, 63rd in the world. However, Bogomolov Jr. has just come off his best Grand Slam performances at this year’s
Contenders and Pretenders for the 2011
Going into the U.S. Open, there will be players looking to continue to dominate, looking to repeat, and looking to break out. More than likely, a top 20 player will win the title as that’s the trend that has existed over the last 10 years. This year’s U.S. Open will be no different in my eyes. Let’s break down this year’s players to watch into three categories.
The no-brainers
Rafael Nadal is the defending champion at Flushing Meadows, and you can bet that he’ll be looking for revenge against Wimbledon champ Novak Djokovic whom he lost to in four sets in the
Novak Djokovic, who is the new number one in the rankings, the hottest player on tour, and easily having the best year in his career, is an obvious pick for the later rounds of the Open. Already winning two of the three Grand Slams this year, Djokovic will be looking to capitalize at this year’s U.S. Open where he’s made the finals twice in his career, losing to Federer and Nadal. The number one-ranked Serbian should be seeded first at this year’s Open, therefore he should find himself in at least the semifinals this year again.
Roger Federer is suffering the biggest Grand Slam drought of his career, failing to win a major since the 2010 Australian Open. Since then, he’s reached only one Slam final, this year’s French Open where he lost to Nadal yet again. For Federer, it looks like the door may be starting to close with the emergence of Djokovic. However, I do not rule the Swiss maestro out, as he has always faired well at the U.S. Open. Each time he has lost on the hard courts of Flushing Meadows, he had his chances to win, but was simply outplayed in the end. Look for the five-time champion to make it to at least the semifinals.
Andy Murray, believe it or not, has made the semifinals or farther each Grand Slam in 2011.
The contenders
Andy Roddick, the 2003 U.S. Open champion has always mentioned how much he enjoys playing on the hard courts of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Though his recent results in Grand Slams have been considered embarrassing for Roddick, I believe he is ready to redeem himself at this year’s Open. Roddick has won this Slam in the past, and has been to the finals in 2006, he knows what it takes. Though he’s slipped a bit in the rankings, the shot at redemption is what I’m banking on that will take Roddick into week number two.
Juan Martin del Potro, for those of you who don’t remember, won the U.S. Open in 2009 when he stunned Roger Federer in five sets. Since then, del Potro has struggled with injuries that have sidelined him for nearly a year. After looking to be fully recovered, del Potro is a big threat with his heavy strokes and massive presence. Look for the Argentinean to make it into the second week as well, possibly clashing with a big name like a Nadal or Federer in the quarters.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has been flying under the radar this year, but at this year’s
Tomas Berdych is a player who can catch fire with every aspect of his game at any moment. Take, for example, last year’s
The pretenders
Robin Soderling, similar to Tomas Berdych, is another big hitter that, if he catches fire, watch out. His example of that type of hitting was evident at the 2009 French Open where he ran defending champion Rafael Nadal ragged. Soderling and Berdych could go either way, but in this case, I feel Sodeling is a pretender because he lacks the all-around game that Berdych has. If this were the French Open, then I would reverse the positions as I believe Soderling moves better on clay, but the U.S. Open is played on a hard court. The tall Swede will struggle.
David Ferrer will always be one to give you everything he has in the tank when playing a match. Unfortunately for Ferrer, he lacks the knockout punch in his arsenal to do any damage. The only thing he can do which can and has worked in the past, is run his opponents off the court. However, when Ferrer makes it into the later rounds of a Grand Slam, he is usually met by someone who possesses that killer shot, or the knockout blow. That’s why I don’t see the Spanish warrior making it past the quarterfinals of the Open.
Gael Monfils may be the most entertaining out of all the players listed thus far, no-brainers and contenders included. The young Frenchman is quite the show on-court, with his cat-like speed and heavy strokes. To go along with those weapons, he loves getting the crowd involved after the big points to help fuel his fire. The problem that Monfils runs into is that he lacks the ability to sustain his high-quality level of play for a best of five set match with the top players of the world; therefore, he is no threat to win a Grand Slam at this time.
Mardy Fish is now the top-ranked American in the world, surpassing Andy Roddick who was the top-ranked American for a number of years. Fish has been playing the best tennis of his life as of late. Reaching the quarterfinals of
The Women’s Side: American Hopefuls for the 2011
American youngster Christina McHale is moving up the rankings and making steady progress in her young professional career. She comes into the 2011 U.S. Open with a WTA ranking of 65, and hopes to make it further than her
Currently ranked number 88 on the WTA Tour, Vania King is another American hopeful at this year’s U.S. Open. King has had most of her career successes in the doubles field, where she is currently ranked number seven. Her best result in the U.S. Open singles draw is a third round appearance in 2009. Will King pleasantly surprise the American public in this year’s tournament?
Coco Vandeweghe stormed into the U.S. Open limelight in 2008, where she won the girl’s singles title, and is currently ranked 99th on the WTA Tour. In her two showings at the Open, she did not manage to pass the first round. However, the
American sweetheart Melanie Oudin had a terrific run at the U.S. Open in 2009 when she reached the quarterfinals. However, Oudin has not had a successful season thus far and has not managed to pass the first round at any of the previous Grand Slams. Will the 2011 U.S. Open serve to reignite her young career?
Top Picks for the 2011 U.S. Open Women’s Title
The tennis world’s “sunshine girl,” Kim Clijsters, comes into the 2011 U.S. Open as the defending champion. The Belgian is currently in second place in the WTA rankings and has won the U.S. Open championship three times before. Clijsters was forced to withdraw from this year’s
American hopes for the 2011 U.S. Open crown will rest on the shoulders of Serena Williams, who is making a comeback to the tennis world after a difficult year of injuries, including a pulmonary embolism. Williams is a three-time U.S. Open champion, with her last victory on home soil coming in 2008. Due to her difficult season, Williams did not compete in last year’s tournament. A powerful serve and fiery groundstrokes, coupled with a home court advantage, makes Serena a notable favorite to hoist the tournament trophy.
The “old” Maria Sharapova is back and looks more determined than ever to make her presence felt once again on the WTA Tour. After suffering from shoulder injuries for the past two seasons, Sharapova made a startling comeback at this year’s
Czech young gun Petra Kvitova took the world by storm when she recently defeated a string of top-ranked players to take the
Rounding out the favorites for the 2011 U.S. Open is Venus Williams who has won the tournament twice before. Like her sister Serena, Venus has not played much this season due to injuries. However, the American’s powerful serve and aggressive groundstrokes are perfectly suited for the hard courts, making her an undeniable threat and possible victor of the tournament.
The current world number one, Caroline Wozniacki has yet to win a Grand Slam title. However, her performance at the USTA
After reaching last year’s final on the U.S. Open courts, Vera Zvonareva will look to repeat her successes at this year’s Open, and hopefully, one-up her 2010 performance. The number three-ranked Russian is one of the feistiest players on the WTA Tour and could pose a threat to the usual favorites in the women’s draw.
Na Li’s performance has been at its peak during the clay court seasons of the past two years. The Chinese woman had her career highlight when she won this year’s French Open. At the U.S. Open, Li’s best run came in 2009 when she reached the quarterfinals. The current world number six has the game to takedown anyone on the tour, making her a strong contender at this year’s Open.
Germany
The pretenders
It’s hard to believe that
Aussie doubles specialist Samantha Stosur has made tremendous progress in her singles career over the past few years. Last year can be considered the peak year of her career where she reached a career-high ranking of number six and was a finalist at the French Open. Stosur’s successes have mainly come on the slower clay, and her 2011 season has not been as promising thus far. Chances are that the Aussie will not fair well at this year’s Open.
Not so long ago, the tennis world marveled at the steady progress that
Despite being ranked in the top 20,
â–ºThe U.S. Open originated in 1881 in
â–ºA USTA competition ball must bounce 53 inches when dropped from 100 inches in order to be used in the tournament.
â–º70,000 balls get used during the course of a U.S. Open tournament
â–º$22,668,000 in total prize monies were awarded during the 2010 U.S. Open. Approximately $100,000 in total prize money was awarded in 1968
â–ºIn 1977, transsexual Renee Richards , who first played in the U.S. Open as Richard Raskin in 1960, was allowed to compete. "She" reaches the semifinals of women’s doubles.
â–ºLast year’s clip of a fight in the stands in the upper deck of Arthur Ashe Stadium Court at the U.S. Open drew 1,320,719 views on You Tube.
â–º1927 was the first tournament to use seedings.
â–º1950 was the first Grand Slam to allow a black woman to play (Althea Gibson).
â–ºThe fastest serve in U.S. Open history was 147mph by American Taylor Dent.
â–ºWhen Andy Roddick and Ernest Gullbis played in 2008, their night match ended at
â–ºThe U.S. Open is played on hard court known as "Deco Turf."
â–ºThe U.S. Open began using instant replay in 2006.
â–ºU.S. Open Champions with most career titles: Connors (109), Lendl (94), McEnroe (77), Sampras (64), Agassi (60), Federer (45 and counting) and Ashe (33).
â–ºThe latest a men’s match at U.S. Open finished: Mats Wilander defeated Mikael Pernfors, 7-6(3), 3-6, 1-6, 7-6(6), 6-4 at
â–ºThe latest women’s match at U.S. Open finished: Sam Stosur defeated Elena Dementieva, 6-3, 2-6, 7-6(2) at
â–ºThe youngest man to win at the U.S. Open was Pete Sampras at 19-years-old in 1990.
â–ºThe youngest woman to win the U.S. Open was Tracey Austin at 16-years-old in 1979.
â–ºIn the longest U.S. Open match ever, Stefan Edberg defeated Michael Chang, 6-7(3), 7-5, 7-6(3), 5-7, 6-4. Total match time was five hrs. and 24 min.
â–º Most aces in a U.S. Open match: Richard Krajicek (49).
â–º Most consecutive wins at the U.S. Open: Roger Federer (40).
What if the kids had a shot at the Open?
With the U.S. Open on the horizon, we recently asked some local junior players the following question: What would it feel like if you got to play in the U.S. Open on
â–º“It would be a dream come true for me because its one thing I’ve always dreamed of. My tennis idols, like Serena Williams, has played there, so it would really be a dream come true.”—Andrea Hernandez, 10
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â–º“Pretty amazing … hard work pays off!”—Michelle Lehat, 14
â–º“I can show the world just how big my forehand is!”—Patrick Maloney
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â–º"Exhilarating … a good experience to play against professionals, nervous because a lot of people are watching, I would probably freak out, good thing it’s not going to happen to me for a few more years."—Madison Battaglia, 13
â–º"Great because everyone would be watching me play tennis, I would like to be number one in the world."—Ronnie Hohmann, 9
â–º"I’d feel proud because I worked so hard to get there."—Vanessa Scott
â–º"Amazing, I’d feel famous."—Peter Bukary, 9
â–º"I would feel awesome, in power."—Jason Yu, 10
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â–º"An overwhelming moment … awesome! I’d feel unbelievable."—Jonathan Ochoa, 16
â–º"I would feel amazing, accomplished and proud."—Sophie Barnard, 16
â–º"Very proud, psyched to play with true pros."—Vanessa Pavia, 16
â–º"I would be excited because the U.S. Open is one of the biggest tournaments in the world."—Samantha Civil, 8
â–º"I would be very proud that I would have made it that far to be able to play in the U.S. Open."—Julia Misciagna, 10
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â–º"I would be happy, and maybe I could play with my dad on the court and get signatures from the other pros."—Joshua Baron, 6
â–º"It would be a great experience to be seen by other people and to show my talent."—Andre Gillespie, 10
â–º"Amazing if I could get that far."—Louie Kotler, 10
â–º"Awesome just being there … cool seeing all the people."—Jordyn Berry, 13
â–º"I’d feel more excited, I wouldn’t care how I did because I’d just be so happy to be there."—Claire Handa, 12
