‘Ya’ll need to quiet down — you don’t want to see me get angry’
ATTENTION EVERYONE, PLEASE SHUT UP — Do you think you could do a chair umpire’s job, quieting tens of thousands of rowdy New Yorkers (and US Open visitors) on center court in Flushing Meadows? Heineken decided to give people a try by setting up a US Open umpire’s chair in busy Union Square, asking passersby to try and quiet the crowd — with the individual putting up the best effort receiving tickets to the US Open. Those up for the challenge took a little abuse and dished out a little abuse in an effort to ‘Quiet, please!’ the crowd. The winner? Her tactic might surprise you. As one commenter on the article opined, “Treating other people like dirt is every New Yorker’s God-given right.” Quiet, please.
Michael Jordan speaking to ESPN commentator Mary Joe Fernandez
BE LIKE MIKE — Who can attract a player’s box of admirers such as NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan and Vogue magazine Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour? That smooth king of swing Roger Federer of course. During week one of the US Open the Swiss debuted a cross-promotional tennis version of the Air Jordan 3, complete with the “RF” logo. The crowd erupted when Jordan was shown on the Arthur Ashe stadium screens, and Federer’s opponent Marinko “Mad Dog” Matosevic also paid homage to Jordan, during the match pointing toward the former hoops star and screaming, “I want to be like Mike!” Federer earlier has tweeted a photo of himself and Jordan, and later said, “It’s just amazing having Michael here. Growing up he was my big sporting idol. Having him here is unbelievably special and the collaboration is unique. I love it.”
New practice court seating at the US Open
PRACTICE? WE’RE TALKIN’ ABOUT PRACTICE? — Practice is important at the US Open, to players and fans. Where fans used to press against the fences 10 deep trying to get a glimpse of players on the practice courts over the years at Flushing Meadows, in 2014 fans are benefiting from the beginning of $500 million worth of renovations over the next four years. This year at the Open debuted the new practice courts gallery, an elevated section seating more than 1,300 fans, with an additional tunnel underneath offering court-level views. A large scoreboard also shows which players are practicing on which courts. “We want to be the best tennis tournament in the world and we want to have the best tennis venue in the world,” USTA Executive Director Gordon Smith told the AP about the changes. “We saw what was going on at Wimbledon and Australia, and we needed to react to that in a positive way.”
7 Americans Remaining at the US Open
John Isner will meet Philipp Kohlscreiber for the third year in a row in the same round at the US Open? What are the odds?
Here are the American men and women remaining, and their next opponents, entering the first weekend at Flushing Meadows:
Venus Williams (photo: Art Seitz)
Women
3rd rd. — (1) Serena Williams vs. Varvara Lepchecnko
3rd rd. — (19) Venus Williams vs. (13) Sara Errani (ITA)
3rd rd. — (WC) Nicole Gibbs vs. (11) Flavia Pennetta (ITA)
Men
3rd rd. — (13) John Isner vs. (22) Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER)
3rd. rd. — Sam Querrey vs. (1) Novak Djokovic (SRB)
2nd rd. — (WC) Tim Smyczek vs. (17) Roberto Bautusta Agut (ESP)
They Said It
Danielle Collins (right) after winning the NCAA singles championship earlier this year
“The way my year is going, I’m worrying about every single match.”
— Serena Williams, who has not won a Grand Slam event in 2014, entering the US Open
“It was my childhood dream to play in a Grand Slam and to play in the US Open. I got that off the bucket list.”
— Florida’s Danielle Collins, who lost to world No. 2 Simona Halep in three sets this week at the US Open
“It would be nice if America actually had a famous tennis player. Any of my friends who aren’t huge tennis fans have barely heard of Andy Roddick. They’re like, ‘Wasn’t he a male model?'”
— 18-year-old American tennis prospect and 2014 Wimbledon boys’ champion Noah Rubin speaking to the New York Times
Tennis on TV This Weekend
Friday
11am-7pm — US Open (live), Tennis Channel
1-6pm — US Open (live), ESPN
6-11pm — US Open (live), ESPN2
Saturday
11am-6pm — US Open (live), CBS
11am-noon — US Open (live) CBS Sports Network
3:30-6pm — US Open (live) CBS Sports Network
7-11pm — US Open (live), Tennis Channel
Sunday
11am-6pm — US Open (live) CBS, CBS Sports Network
7-11pm — US Open (live), Tennis Channel
