When they first announced that, if possible, they were still planning on holding this year's US Open, I was skeptical. Then, as more and more top players expressed their own concerns and indicated they might skip the event if it was held, I was almost certain that the US Open would be cancelled for the first time in its history. So, even though it probably shouldn't have, it caught me by surprise that Gov. Cuomo and the USTA signed off on holding a fan-less US Open on the original dates.
I've gotta admit, I'm still a little skeptical. I give the USTA a world of credit for doing everything they could to still hold the US Open and do so as safely as possible. And the precautions they're taking are certainly going above and beyond, for which they should be applauded. I'm just not sure how it's gonna work, though.
As someone who's attended the US Open numerous times, I can tell you from personal experience that there's nothing like it. Especially in the early rounds when you can wander the grounds of the Tennis Center and see great matches between obscure players on the outer courts or sitting at the practice courts for hours as all the top players have their practice sessions. You don't even need to actually watch a match to have a great time thanks to all of the other fan-centric things they have all over the place.
Then there's walking into Arthur Ashe Stadium and just feeling the electricity. Especially when there's an upset brewing and the whole crowd suddenly becomes fans of the other guy, not the top player he's about to beat. And there's nothing like a US Open night session! As it pushes 12:30-1:00 in the morning and the only people left in the stands are the die-hards, you can tell there's something special about it. The players feed off it as much as the fans do.
How ridiculously expensive everything is aside, the US Open is all about the fans. Which makes sense when you consider that it's the only Grand Slam played on public courts. A ball goes into the stands? You can keep it! In fact, we'll have the winning player sign some and hit them up there after the match.
That, I think, is going to be the biggest thing that will make this year's US Open seem so weird. It's the highest-attended annual sporting event in the country every year. People show up by the thousands every day for the entire two weeks. And the players feel the enthusiasm of that New York crowd.
So, yes, this year will be different. I get why they're not allowing fans. It was really the only reasonable option they had if they wanted to hold the tournament. But it won't feel the same. You can't feed off the crowd's energy when there's no crowd to watch you. And not to mention how empty it'll feel in the cavernous Arthur Ashe Stadium, the largest tennis venue in the world.
Of course, one of the reasons the US Open will be going ahead as planned is because ESPN wanted it to. And they'll do the best they can to make it a worthwhile TV event. Frankly, there isn't much difference between watching tennis live and watching it on TV, so from a viewing standpoint, we'll hardly be able to tell. But the roar of the crowd after a long, exciting rally isn't something that can be faked. And it'll definitely be missed.
The atmosphere isn't the only thing that'll be different. No juniors. No wheelchair. No mixed doubles. Smaller doubles fields consisting only of players not in singles. Electronic line calling instead of human line judges on the outer courts (which could be a sign of things to come). And who knows how many people in the players' limited entourages will actually be allowed to attend their matches?
Not every player is enamored with some of the safety precautions that have been put in place. They're used to having their entire team with them. They're used to being able to come and go as they please. They're used to actually having the ability to enjoy New York and everything it has to offer. This year, they'll have none of that. What they will have, though, is frequent COVID testing and a sterile environment (in more ways than one).
Some players are still understandably hesitant about traveling to New York, which was once the hotbed for the virus. Novak Djokovic made his opposition known, and Nick Kyrgios called the decision to play "selfish." Roger Federer definitely won't be playing. He had knee surgery in February, his recovery is going slowly, and he thinks it's better to wait until 2021 before he returns.
Serena Williams, on the other hand, isn't just willing to play. She's excited. She's not the only one, either. What I think is interesting, though, is that the Americans are excited and the European-based players are hesitant. It's not entirely surprising if you think about it. Nobody knows if players will be required to quarantine after landing in New York (which is how the virus got to the U.S. in the first place). American players don't have that worry.
What I'm curious about, though, is how the ATP and WTA will handle the players who don't want to play, for whatever reason. The Grand Slams are required tournaments for everybody who qualifies based on their ranking unless they're injured. So, that would mean Djokovic, Nadal, Kyrgios, etc., have to show up whether they like it or not. But will they be penalized if they don't? And with the French Open starting two weeks later, will they be required to either play both or miss both?
Although, I'd bet some players, especially male players, see this as a golden opportunity. A Grand Slam potentially without Djokovic, Nadal AND Federer? Here's my chance! It'll never be a better situation for me to win one. Yes, the circumstances will be vastly different. But a Grand Slam title's a Grand Slam title. It doesn't matter how or when you win it.
Perhaps most importantly, though, tennis players need tennis tournaments in order to make money. If there are no tournaments, they don't make any. And since there haven't been any tournaments since mid-March, they've gone a while without income. The Federers and Djokovics and Serenas of the world still make plenty from their endorsements and other ventures. But the lower-ranked players need to play, so they're chomping at the bit.
It'll be vastly different than ever before. It probably won't even resemble the US Open we've become so used to. But, the US Open will be held as scheduled. The summer will end with Grand Slam tennis being played in New York. Just like normal. We're still a long way away from "normal." But it's a start. And, more importantly, we've got something to look forward to. So, for that reason, I am excited that there will be a 2020 US Open. Keeping the streak in tact. Now 140 straight years and counting.
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