The US Open, with its raucous crowds, celebrity spectators, and constant buzz, stands apart in the Grand Slam calendar, a tournament where the louder the atmosphere, the better for some of its stars. For players like Frances Tiafoe, Madison Keys, and Ben Shelton, the unique energy of Flushing Meadows is a welcome challenge.
"I operate well in chaos," remarked Tiafoe, a two-time semi-finalist at the New York major. This sentiment is echoed by Shelton, who reached his first major semi-final at the 2023 US Open, stating, "I guess I find peace in the chaos, because I feel more uncomfortable at the quiet tournaments."
However, this boisterous environment can occasionally spill over. A recent match saw a five-minute delay as spectators booed and shouted, incited by 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev. He was angered by chair umpire Greg Allensworth’s ruling after a photographer interrupted play by entering the court. "They didn’t want to stop," Medvedev said of the fans. "So, whatever."
Not every player can easily dismiss the disorder at a Grand Slam renowned for its overly-fed spectators, overhead aeroplanes, the Manhattan-Queens commute, and the pervasive odours ranging from cannabis to grilled food. "It’s something you really can’t train the brain to kind of deal with," explained 1991-92 champion Monica Seles. "You just adjust to it."
Similarly, players such as 2024 champion Aryna Sabalenka, 2014 champion Marin Cilic, and Petra Kvitova, who initially found the anarchy "really confusing," have grown to accept it. Yet, for others, their opinion has shifted in the opposite direction, from embracing the chaos to despising it.
Adrian Mannarino, 37, a Frenchman who began his 15th US Open by upsetting 29th-seeded Tallon Griekspoor, reflected on his changing perspective: "In my 20s, I loved coming here. There was so much to do. But the older I get, the less I enjoy being here. It’s a little bit chaotic. There's always a lot of noise. A lot of smells everywhere. I've visited most of the places in New York; I don’t need to go to Central Park for the 1,003rd time." He added, "It used to be fun, but sometimes I'm like, ‘Gosh, I wish I could concentrate a little bit more.’"
The hushed reverence that envelops Wimbledon’s Centre Court or the French Open’s Court Philippe-Chatrier – which hold nearly 10,000 fewer spectators than the 23,859-seat Arthur Ashe Stadium – is a rarity in New York. "Wimbledon, for example — it’s proper, it’s elegant, it’s elevated. People are definitely more quiet and respectful, I guess you could say," noted American Emma Navarro, a semi-finalist at Flushing Meadows last year. "US Open, it feels a bit more casual. Casually rowdy, I guess I would call it."
For retired Polish player Agnieszka Radwanska, the 2012 Wimbledon runner-up, success at the US Open, where she never progressed past the fourth round, proved elusive. "Everything takes so much energy from you and just sucks it up. Everything is loud. All the smells around, like the hamburgers. Everything is really noisy. The traffic," Radwanska lamented. "I respect the players that don’t see the difference and don’t feel that and can play like nothing is happening."
Beyond the court, some find New York itself problematic. Elisabetta Cocciaretto, the Italian player who stunned 2024 US Open finalist Jessica Pegula at Wimbledon last month, only found ease when she moved from an official tournament hotel to a less conventional location. "I like to separate myself a bit," Cocciaretto explained. "Because otherwise, you’re amid the madness. And if there’s too much of that, your head explodes."
Casper Ruud, the 2022 US Open runner-up, felt "overwhelmed" during his first visit as a junior. While he has grown to appreciate New York, particularly its restaurants, one aspect continues to bother him: "I’m not a big fan of the smell of cannabis when you walk around. ... Every corner of every street, you smell it."
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Howard Fendrich has been the AP’s tennis writer since 2002. Find his stories here: https://apnews.com/author/howard-fendrich. More AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
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