America's Biggest and Best
 
September 3, 2008 -- Attendance records broken. More travel by mass transit. Change... Big change. Nothing small at the U. S. Open.
 
Arthur Ashe Stadium attests to big, seating over 22,000. It's the largest tennis venue in the world. Fans vocalize their likes and dislikes. They roar when the tennis rocks. They moan when it's flat. Or, they leave. That's easier sometimes. They take themselves to another court, watch a favorite player practice, catch an up-and-coming junior player, or sit in on a set of doubles or even past champions. For some, they play a style of tennis from an era some can relate to easier. Tennis with finesse. These elder statesmen of the game won't strike a winner using an inside out swinging volley.
 
As play narrows and winners rise to the occasion, people line up for the show courts. (The Grandstand Court saw no action today.) Serena and Venus have met sixteen times. They are tied 8-8. To watch the sisters play for the seventeenth time on Arthur Ashe Stadium sends chills down the spine of even jaded ticket holders, who must temper their usual comment, "I've seen them play before," or miss a match that possibly everyone will talk about tomorrow. That makes a difference for these predominantly New York fans because they are extremely well versed about the game, its players, and the stats that follow them around. They mean to impress.
 
Juan Martin Del Potro was the hottest man in tennis until he stretched himself against Andy Murray in a four set match that lasted well over four hours: 76 76 46 75. The match started late and ended late. Evening session ticket holders stood by the thousands in the South Plaza, heads tilted up toward the jumbo-tron screen, waiting for Murray to close it out... yes, please make Murray the winner otherwise they will have to play another set and we'll never get in. We'll be too happy from the Heineken and rum fantasy drinks and Grey Goose vodka... break now Andy!
 
He must have heard them or perhaps Del Potro simple ran out of steam. The trainer came out at least three times for a knee problem with Del Potro. It was wrapped and could have contributed to his demise. Either way this lanky Argentine deserves kudos for a superb season with as many tournament wins as he entered, except, of course, this one. He will be back.
 
The media and marketing arms of sponsors sell big names at the U. S. Open: Nadal, Federer, Djokovic... Andy Roddick... America's hope on America's biggest stage. Andy's chances in the semifinals against the supposedly ailing Serbian Novak Djokovic shot way up yesterday. Nole struggled through a five-set thriller over Tommy Robredo, who hinted in his post-match interview that Djokovic's hip, stomach and fatigue were inauthentic. History sides with the Spaniard, too. Novak has retired several times. This spring at the Monte Carlo Tennis Masters Series clay court tournament Novak retired against Federer in the semifinals. We later were told that Nole had a soar throat. How this young man thinks he'll be the number one player is anyone's guess.
 
On Court 13 this morning Ryan Harrison, the #9 seed in Junior Boys, played a big match against Hiroyasu Ehara, a qualifier from Japan. Ryan shut out his opponent in the first set 61, but toward the end of the second called the trainer obviously bothered by the heat. He lost the second set 36. In the third he gathered himself, came to the net, shortened points, and hit perfectly sublime down-the-line winners. Ryan was down 0/40 in the last game of the match, but erased Ehara's hopes. The kid from New Braunfels Texas, home of the John Newcombe Tennis Ranch, saved all three break points and sealed the match 61 36 62. The stands on Court 13 were full. They rose in applause for Ryan Harrison, a promising example of American tennis.
 

Ryan Harrison (shown here earlier in the year at the US Clay Court Championships).

 
9/2: [8] Andy Roddick (USA) d [11] Fernando Gonzalez (CHI) [yellow shirt] 75 62 62
 

 
 
9/2: [3] Novak Djokovic (SRB) [green shorts] d [15] Tommy Robredo (ESP) 46 62 63 57 63
 

 

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