This past month, the US Open, one of the five major global tournaments in tennis, took place in Flushing, New York. Let’s look at what some of our teachers thought about the competition!
How was your experience attending the US open?
Mr. O’Connell:
It’s a great experience because it’s a bunch of tennis fans. New York tennis is unlike any other type of tennis because they are the most rowdy. You get that good combo of the people that actually know what they are talking about and then the people who are in awe of all these great athletes. A lot of people don’t watch tennis live, so going to physically see the US Open is a totally different experience.
Who was your favorite player at the US Open 2024 and why?
Sra. Lopez-Holder:
Well my favorite is Sabalenka, so I’m always rooting for her, and on the male side is Alcaraz. I’m always excited to see how they do in any Grand Slam.
- What are your thoughts on Sabalenka winning the US Open for the first time?
- I was super excited because I think she is a hard worker and someone who has a good attitude on the court as well as off the court. She seems to be fun and someone that I would want to hang out with.
- You mentioned your favorite male tennis player was Alcaraz. How did you feel when he lost in the second round to B. van de Zandschulp?
- Definitely upsetting. However, if we look back at the Cincinnati Open, we can see that he did not perform well and actually broke a racket, the first racket he broke in his career! This is obvious that something is going on with him, whether it is mentally or physically.
- After Alcaraz lost, did someone else take his spot as your favorite male tennis player?
- I would’ve liked Tiafoe to make it further, but Carlos is still my favorite.
Mr. O’Connell:
My favorite player is De Minaur, who is an Australian player. I did not get to watch him live, but was able to watch him on my computer.
Mr. Thompson:
I honestly don’t have any favorite players anymore. My favorite years of tennis were in the 80’s with John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, and players like that.
Who did you want to see in the finals this year at the US Open 2024?
Mr. O’Connell:
I wanted to see an American, which we did. I was still rooting for De Minaur on the other side of the bracket.
What players do you hope to see in the US Open next year?
Mr. Savidge:
It would be great to see another American make it far into the tournament next year like Paul, Shelton, Tiafoe, and Fritz. I also just want to see an American win because it has been so long.
What did you think of the finals this year?
Mr. O’Connell:
I like Sinner and I think Fritz could have put up a little more fight against him. There is definitely some fear factor that adds to Fritz’s loss but I think it was most because this was his first final at the US Open and a lot of the Americans wanted him to win. Fritz received a lot of pressure because it has been 21 years since an American had won an US Open title. Still, this was a great exposure for American tennis and I think there are good things moving forwards based on America’s performance at this year’s US Open.
Mr. Savidge:
I actually did not watch the finals. I did look at the numbers after the match and the numbers don’t lie. Three sets and done, so maybe not super-exciting.
Mr. Thompson:
Well, I was excited to see Americans make it that far. Unfortunately, both the men and women’s results were decisive defeats. America has been trying to get Americans into the finals for a long time. We finally did, but there was not a lot of drama.
Who do you think was the ‘black horse’ of the tournament?
Sra. Lopez-Holder:
I think that Tiafoe, who is obviously a good player, made it far and he was playing out of his shoes.
Mr. O’Connell:
I think Draper came out of nowhere in the tournament. He has been sort of a rising star for Great Britain. This is needed because Murray just retired. I am really excited to see what he is going to do in the future.
Mr. Savidge:
I think Draper making it to the semi finals was a big thing. He was also only the 25th seed.
Mr. Thompson:
I was surprised with Tiafoe. I always liked him as a player and I think he did very well. I was surprised he got to the semi-finals and thought he might actually break through.
There were a lot of Americans who made it far into the US Open 2024. Is this a sign of tennis improving and advancing over time in America or not?
Sra. Lopez-Holder:
Absolutely. I always think that at the US Opens, we see more Americans make it further compared to other grand slams because of home advantage.
Mr. Savidge:
This is great and a big step forward for the US Tennis Association. I think the US Open 2024 had the most Americans participating in the semi finals and the finals this year.
Mr. Thompson:
You build off the success from young American tennis players. I do have my doubts because the finals wasn’t really much of a match. Still, American tennis players definitely can use this as a springboard for future major tennis tournaments.
How do you think the US Open could have done better this year in hosting the tournament?
Mr. Savidge:
I went during Fan Week. That was kind of nice because you can just relax and watch different tennis players play. On the other hand, I think tickets are getting absurdly expensive even to go to first round matches.
What were your reactions to Sabalenka winning the final?
Mr. Thompson:
Sabalenka dominated Pegula and performed very well in the finals. I like players who are emotional, maybe because there are players like that in Delbarton. Sabalenka had so much control over the ball and her strokes were also incredibly powerful.
What do you think about Sinner entering the tournament with his steroid controversy?
Mr. Savidge:
I think it’s interesting. I don’t know everything that is going on in this situation because it is hard to tell. People really just report on one side or the other. It seemed like Sinner did not know what he was putting into his body and it wasn’t really his fault. On the other hand, the tennis federation should be consistent with their punishments for drug use because they have punished people in the past.
Mr. Thompson:
I don’t think Sinner should have been allowed to play. I just watched a documentary on Mark McGwire breaking the home run record and then taking steroids and admitting it later in his career. I don’t like championships or records that are won when someone is using performance enhancing drugs. This should definitely have been dealt with seriously.
An interesting fact:
Jessica Bouzas Maneiro (60th seed at the US Open 2024) played with Sra. Lopez-Holder’s younger sister, Jacqueline Lopez, in Spain.
