US Open Trip (Part 2): Light vs Heat.

Incandescent talent v/s the oppressive heat-and-humidity.

27th August, 2018.

It’s the last Monday of August & the 1st day of the 50th year of the US Open. We walk in through the gates, sharp at 11 AM, with the rest of the eager, excited crowd, into the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, Queens, New York City.

It’s a bustling, carnival atmosphere, and the imposing Arthur Ashe Stadium looms ahead. 

We make our way to the Grandstand for the first 1st round match – a Ladies Singles between Elina Svitolina (Ukraine) & Sachia Vickery (USA). The Grandstand is an 8000-seater, wide, open-design stadium, and it was awash in sunshine. Nice tradition they have, to get kids to play on the court before the start of the match. And for us, just being there was a defining moment!

 

Our all day pass allowed us to go around multiple courts (there are 22 outdoor courts consisting of the four “show courts” – Arthur Ashe Stadium, Louis Armstrong Stadium, the Grandstand, and Court 17, 13 field courts, and 5 practice courts). Great talent on display – Isner, Khachanov, Raonic. Our first sighting of 20-year old Taylor Fritz (USA) really impressed us – not just his skills & stamina, but also his never say die spirit (we saw him claw back from a 2 set deficit, to defeat M. Zverev). If this kid becomes a star, which we think he could, remember you heard it first here!

But by the afternoon, the 32 C, and 80% humidity were starting to take their toll. Apart from men changing multiple shirts on court, you could see ball boys suffering heat strokes, doctors on court.

Just sitting in the stands was draining for us as spectators (that too from tropical India) and these players were battling it out for 3 hours or more on the court! No watching on TV & reading the weather conditions brings this to you so directly. Then you realize, what super-humans these people have to be, to even survive these 2 weeks.

That evening, we took in our first match inside the Arthur Ashe Stadium. The 23,000 seater stadium is a cavernous bowl; you feel quite insignificant in its enveloping cocoon. The giant board showed some other not-so-insignificant people who were also in the stadium with us – Mike Tyson, Hugh Jackman 🙂

Then our first ‘legend sighting’ arrived to thunderous applause – Serena Williams! In her all-black outfit, she looked so comfortable with the love & adulation from all around. She looked a tad slower (after her recent childbirth), but boy, her explosive power was completely intact – as her unfortunate opponent, M. Linette (Poland), found out.

28th August, 2018.

The 2nd day, we headed straight to the Practice courts, coz the schedule had an all-legend line-up!

Starting with Mr. Raphael Nadal. After his ‘career rebirth’ this year, and he looked every inch the force he is. Right below where we were seated, it was an up close view. But with the whole crowd jostling for pics, it was a challenge to even get a few good shots 🙂

The rippling muscles, the trademark sleeveless tee, the booming shots, the frowning prowl – such a pleasure to see the Popeye of tennis back in full throttle!

Next was, the universally hated, the snooty Andy Murray – looked in fine fettle, though.

Followed by the gentle giant, who’s yet to get his due, Del Potro.

By the late afternoon, it had reached 36 C, and 90% humidity. Nearly inhuman conditions to even be out in the sun, leave alone playing a Grand Slam.

And that oppressive atmosphere got further electrified, as God walked in for his practice session. The crowd went ballistic, and even the other players in the adjoining courts seemed to stop play in respect!

Mr. Roger Federer, in the flesh.

We sat back & drank in the sights we had all been waiting for – the graceful high-toss serves, the fluid, economic movements, the slapping forehand shots, and that signature one-handed, whiplash backhands – such poetry in that power!

It was amazing to see how clinically his practice session had been programmed. The practice partner had come in 30 mins earlier, and was fully warmed-up & ready before Federer even walked in. And then, the routine went like clockwork – serves, then returns, then forehand shots, backhand shots, volleys, lobs, over & out.

Such precision in each routine, that later, as I was seeing my clicks from my regular point-and-shoot, they seemed as if I had used the ‘burst frames’ feature!

They looked so copybook, they could feature in ‘Stan Smith’s Tennis CIasses’.

Ok, I also felt like a photographer for Sportstar 🙂

Remembered the flip-book ThumsUp used to give in the 80s (the frame by frame pics of Kapil Dev’s run up & bowling action).

As Osho remarked, ‘Jeevan saarthak ho gaya!’ (Life found meaning!) 😀

So exhausted we were by then, that we all went & collapsed on the lawns outside!

After some rest & rehydration, it was time for our last appointment, at the Arthur Ashe, again – Mr. Federer’s 1st round match!

Getting to watch him twice on the same day, felt like a lottery win!

Pity, the show didn’t last long, coz he demolished Yoshihito Nishioka (Japan) in straight sets. And signed off with the customary ball hits into the stands.

Sure, the Djoker eluded us (maybe that’ll get us to make another trip, to another Slam); but satiated, we returned.

Coz we’d paid our respects at the feet of God.