US Open at Flushing Meadow

[qtlaw24]

As a tennis fan, I've always enjoyed watching how the players have either embraced (McEnroe/Connors) or disdained (Borg) the Flushing Meadow experience. From a fan's viewpoint, one of the greatest spectacles are the night matches (esp. for a West Coaster); Nastase/Connors; Connors/Krickstein; McEnroe/Lendl (I recall saying who is that guy with the one-hander?); Blake/Fed?

Amazing that with as great as the mens draw looks, Djoker/Fed/Murray, its Serena that's the talk of the tourney.

 

[Gator]

As it should be. Look, maybe the women's field isn't what it once was, but at her age, to be dominating a sport the way she has is simply amazing. I was never a Serena fan before this year (I actually thought she was obnoxious), but she's handled this with grace and poise. I'm fully rooting for her in these next two weeks.

Another guy we should all be rooting for is Mardy Fish. I've had a few opportunities to interview him, and he seems to be a down-to-earth guy (although he got a little testy when I asked him what's happening to American men's tennis). He was in the top 10 before suffering through anxiety issues. He's been out of the game for two years, but won his first-round match today. He'll retire at the end of the tournament. For me, anyway, it has a Jimmy Connors-type feel. I just hope he can win at least a few more, maybe reach the third round, or the round of 16.

 

[BTExpress]

Serena's opponent tonight: 0 winners, 14 unforced errors, 6 double faults. Won five points in 8 games.

 

[Webster]

When I was in high school in the mid-80s, you could get tickets to a first week day session for $5 with a high school ID. It was amazing to just watch the players on the outer courts up close.

 

[The Big Ragu]

Our yearly tradition -- labor day weekend day sessions. Sadly, tickets aren't $5, but they are still a great deal (even if they get you on the price of each water). We show up before 11, snag a good spot in the grandstand and see a top player early. Then we freelance it, depending on what is going on in Armstrong or on the outer courts. Typically, as the night session is getting close, a lot of people have cleared out and we end up making our way into Armstrong to sit up close, and see something like the Williams sisters playing doubles or a top match that got pushed back because of a long match earlier in the day. You can end up sitting court side with your little grounds pass. We usually don't get out until late and we're waxed from the day. But it's one of my favorite things -- we look forward to this every year. We've done tickets to Ashe -- later in the tournament, for example -- and it gives you the marquis match, but unless you are sitting all the way downstairs, it is very impersonal. Even decent seats are impersonal compared to how close you can get on the grandstand or the outer courts. If you go early in the tournament, you see great players up close. It's amazing how damned good they are. It gives you an appreciation for how skilled they are.

 

[Dyno]

I've gone over Labor Day weekend just about every year for the last 25 years, but I'm missing this year's Open because I have a family event to go to. I'm not a Serena fan - at all - but if she wins, it will be amazing and I'll be sorry I didn't get to see her this time around. Our seats in Ashe have gotten crazy expensive. I miss the days of cheap seats in Armstrong, and bringing in our own food, including bottles of booze.

 

[Small Town Guy]

Our yearly tradition -- labor day weekend day sessions. Sadly, tickets aren't $5, but they are still a great deal (even if they get you on the price of each water). We show up before 11, snag a good spot in the grandstand and see a top player early. Then we freelance it, depending on what is going on in Armstrong or on the outer courts. Typically, as the night session is getting close, a lot of people have cleared out and we end up making our way into Armstrong to sit up close, and see something like the Williams sisters playing doubles or a top match that got pushed back because of a long match earlier in the day. You can end up sitting court side with your little grounds pass. We usually don't get out until late and we're waxed from the day. But it's one of my favorite things -- we look forward to this every year. We've done tickets to Ashe -- later in the tournament, for example -- and it gives you the marquis match, but unless you are sitting all the way downstairs, it is very impersonal. Even decent seats are impersonal compared to how close you can get on the grandstand or the outer courts. If you go early in the tournament, you see great players up close. It's amazing how damned good they are. It gives you an appreciation for how skilled they are.

Ragu, agree with every word here. For awhile I'd always go the first Tuesday and pretty much just hit the outer courts or Armstrong, but last few times it's been on the weekend. Going this Saturday and going to pretty much do everything you say here. Two years ago I did go to my first night session. It was fun -- Novak wiped a guy in three sets -- and glad I was able to experience night tennis at the Open, but I'd much rather be there for like 8 hours wandering around.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

The night session is like sitting in the Monster Seats at Fenway. Every fan should do it once, and once is enough.

 

[Lugnuts]

My day there last year was one of my favorite days ever as a human.

I got a grounds pass and met some friends. We made our way around the outer courts and found good spots to see great action.

Then one of my buddies said he knew an usher at Armstrong. And I was like, "Yeah? So?"

Well the usher let us into the corporate box area and let us "float" around the unused seats. So I saw the entire Murray match, followed by Isner-Kohlschrieber mostly from various seats in the front row. It was fun. It felt illegal.

 

[The Big Ragu]

My day there last year was one of my favorite days ever as a human.

I got a grounds pass and met some friends. We made our way around the outer courts and found good spots to see great action.

Then one of my buddies said he knew an usher at Armstrong. And I was like, "Yeah? So?"

Well the usher let us into the corporate box area and let us "float" around the unused seats. So I saw the entire Murray match, followed by Isner-Kohlschrieber mostly from various seats in the front row. It was fun. It felt illegal.

I was there that day, Lugs. Saw both of those matches. Kolschrieber knocks Isner out of the tournament EVERY year.

We also so Tsonga win, and the Bryan Brothers win in doubles that day.

 

[BTExpress]

I've been going to the Miami tournament for the past 20 years and rarely venture into the stadium (even though seats aren't bad there, either). But nothing beats front row on an outer court for watching these amazing players.

Djokovic vs. a qualifier isn't thrilling. But final round of qualifying to see who gets to face Djokovic is intense, pressure-packed tennis. Worth about $40,000 just to make the main draw at the U.S. Open.

 

[Gator]

This is a terrific read from Mardy Fish on dealing with his anxiety.

The Weight | By Mardy Fish

 

[Lugnuts]

Great piece. Very brave of him.

I would've liked it if he'd delved more into how to treat anxiety (beyond medication, which he mentioned.)

The gold standard is cognitive behavioral therapy. It's the only thing proven to work. And often the meds help CBT to be initiated ... Then the meds are weaned off while the therapy continues.

One of the tenets of CBT is gradual exposure. So if his therapist had been in the car on the way to the Federer match, the therapist might have suggested simply attempting to arrive at Flushing Meadow. If that worked, perhaps simply stepping on the court-- with the assurance that he could step off at any time. Then perhaps make it through the warmup, etc etc. Any small step would be framed as a major victory, as opposed to just staying in the car.

Simply saying he didn't have to play the match-- doesn't meet the anxiety head-on. Of course that's easier said than done when you're in full-on panic attack.

But he had the luxury of not having to play that match. Most of us don't have the option not to do our jobs. And for people with anxiety, they have to learn techniques to deal with it. What he practiced in that particular case was avoidance, which only makes the anxiety worse.

That being said, damn. Good luck to him, and I'm so glad he's talking about this.

 

[BDC99]

This is a terrific read from Mardy Fish on dealing with his anxiety.

The Weight | By Mardy Fish

Wow. That really was phenomenal.

 

[old_tony]

Serena just lost her first set to fellow American Bethanie Mattek-Sands.

 

[MagoIL]

 

[da man]

What in the world does she have on her head?

 

[BDC99]

What in the world does she have on her head?

I think you're looking at this all wrong.

 

[old_tony]

Serena held a 15-40 lead that would have gotten her back on serve at 4-5 and lost the next four points, including a volley smash at the net that she hit long. Then she led 15-40 again with a chance to go up a break at 2-0 in the second set and lost the next four points. She's now again ahead 15-40 and mi****s a second serve long and then hits another into the net. Deuce.

 

[da man]

I think you're looking at this all wrong.

Yeah, well, that, too.