Tennis fans return to Queens for US Open
Tennis fans, who were required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination, stand in a long line to enter the grounds of the USTA Billie King
National Tennis Center on the first day of the 2021 U.S. Open on Aug. 30. Photo by Andrew Kelly/Reuters
Congressman
Gregory W. Meeks
5th Congressional District of New York
@GregMeeksNYC @GregMeeksNYC @GregMeeksNYC
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.COM | SEPT. 3 - SEPT. 9, 2021 5
BY JOE PANTORNO AND
REUTERS
The U.S. Open welcomed
fans back for the first time
since 2019 as Day One of the
crown jewel of American tennis
started in warm and sunny
weather at the Billie Jean National
Tennis Center in Flushing
Meadows Corona Park on
Monday, Aug. 30.
Japan’s Naomi Osaka began
her title defense to kick
off the primetime session on
Arthur Ashe Stadium, while
Russian Daniil Medvedev,
the runner-up in 2019, faced
France’s Richard Gasquet.
In early action, former
champion Sloane Stephens
took down fellow American
Madison Keys in straight sets,
6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (9-7) to start the
tournament off on a dramatic
note — especially for stateside
supporters. The meeting between
the two Americans was
a rematch of the 2017 U.S. Open
final, which Stephens won.
It was a return to normalcy,
as she embraced seeing
friends and family back in the
stands in Queens.
“It’s been a really difficult
18 months for us,” she noted
after the match. “Everyone’s
going through something and
it’s a struggle. I think my tennis
is my outlet. It’s where I
can go and I can compete and I
can just be myself and be free.”
Britain’s three-time
Grand Slam winner Andy
Murray — who tumbled
down to No. 118 in the world
rankings and gained entry
into the qualifying field of
the U.S. Open via an invite
— was greeted harshly into
the main draw by world No. 3
Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece,
who is bidding for his maiden
major title.
The year’s final Grand
Slam has been stripped of
some of the sport’s marquee
names, with Roger Federer,
Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams
injured, but still promises
to be a major draw after
playing to empty stands a year
ago, as Novak Djokovic bids
to complete the calendar-year
slam.
The Serb needs a New York
triumph to become the third
man, and first since Rod Laver
in 1969, to accomplish the feat.
Fans were required to
bring proof of their COVID-19
vaccination in order to enter
the facility, after a change in
policy was announced on Friday,
Aug. 27.
– Paid for and authorized by Friends for Gregory Meeks –
/QNS.COM
