Full-throated shouts and hearty applause returned to the U.S. Open tennis tournament Monday, bursts of sound that offered some form of reaction to …
Full-throated shouts and hearty applause returned to the U.S. Open tennis tournament Monday, bursts of sound that offered some form of reaction to nearly each and every action. Also back: lengthy lines to get through the gates and to buy something to eat or drink. A year after spectators were banned entirely from Flushing Meadows because of the coronavirus pandemic, lending a dystopian feel to a normally lively event,100% capacity is once again being permitted — proof of vaccination needed; no masks required — at this and other sports events. College football resumed Saturday, with tends of thousands on-hand for such as matchups as Illinois vs. Nebraska or Hawaii vs. UCLA. The NFL is letting its teams sell every ticket for the regular season; its first Sunday is Sept.12. Makes it tough to tell there’s been a recent surge in COVID-19 cases thanks to the highly contagious delta variant. Ready or not, our fun and games are moving forward, with full stadiums and, in some cases, few protocols. « Playing without fans here last year was brutal, » 2017 U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens told the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium after beating Madison Keys in three sets in a rematch of their all-American final four years ago. As for Monday’s varying degrees of noise, including what she termed « calling out at random times »? « We missed all of that, » Stephens said. Yes, we all did. Having an audience there makes it all mean more — to those competing and to those watching, who are more than just part of the scenery. They’re a character in the show. « After all, that’s what we’re here for. We try to put on the best performance possible for them, » said Lloyd Harris, a South African scheduled to play Tuesday. « For me, the more people I play in front of, the bigger the audience, the better tennis I play.
