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I Hate the U.S. Open: an Embarssment to Grand Slam Tennis

21K views 359 replies 131 participants last post by  Capriati Rules 
#1 ·
After attending the U.S. Open for the eighth year in a row this week...I have come to the conclusion. I will never attend again. First, my streak of me watching a Rafa match and him losing is over. But here are the reasons why I will never attend again:

1. The U.S. Open has transformed into the modern NBA. Loud, obnoxious music played during timeouts...having to watch aristocratic, drunk people in the stands make fools of themselves...AND,ironically generally only when an American player does something of significance (after a break, etc.)

2. The restrooms are disgustingly dirty...the filthiest of any sporting event in the States

3. The knowledge of attendees is the lowest in all of tennis...the vast majority of fans don't know anything about the players...or even how to keep score.

4. There is nothing fan friendly for KIDS. They've taken out the games (like the speed gun, return of serve system, etc.)...and have built some USTA monstrosity in the former location of the Kids Center.

5. There is nothing set up to handle the heat for the common fans...and yet, if you're high roller with, say, American Express, you get a fan...and even, under certain circumstances, a monitor to watch the other matches.

6. The outer courts utilize benches you'd find at your local high school.

7. The weather has been wonderful...but why no roof? Wimbledon can do it, but the USTA can't?

8. There is no challenge system on the Grandstand. Why?

9. The practice courts that most of the top players use is "protected" by shrubbery so no fans can see a thing.

10. The food is awful...overpriced, and barely "local movie theater" quality.

11. The number of 50-year old women trying to hold onto the last vestiges of their youth by dressing like their teenage daughters is pathetic. Their leathery, tan skin looks reptilian and frightening.

12. The lower level seating, especially the corporate boxes, is mostly empty during the day.

13. The J-Block, need I say more?

14. Didn't you get the memo? The script says requires that Andy Roddick make it to the second week regardless of what happens.

15. The USTA does NOTHING to bring in minorities to the event. And yet, the main stadium is named after Arthur Ashe. The only area whiter in the States is Fargo, ND in the winter.

16. You'd find better landscaping in the inner cities of Camden, NJ.

17. The most beautiful architectural work is actually from the 1964 World's Fair.

18. By the way, did you know that Davis Cup is on display there? No...neither did I until I had gone home.

:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:
 
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#2 ·
You couldn't find just 2 more reasons? :mad:
 
#6 ·
Feel free to contribute.
 
#14 ·
Are you sure you live in the United States? This is what makes the US Open so special. You have the Aussie Open down under, which is sort of the chill hard court slam. You've got the French Open which is clay so that alone speaks for itself. Then off to Wimbledon grass where it is much more formal and linked to tradition. Wrap it all up with the US Open, a slam that is sort of like a party. Do you watch sports in America? This is what it is like.

Each slam has its own character I don't see why you are hating so much. I just don't understand your complaints. Get some cheese with that whine. While your at it get a passport and move to another country.

Honestly if I was there I'd enjoy a few ice cold beers with my friends and would get into the matches. Be loud, have fun, and enjoy the experience. Thats what it is AN EXPERIENCE!
 
#15 ·
You do have some points I agree with. The only other time I've been to the US Open was 13 years ago, before Ashe was finished and everything was changed around. I liked it better then. After my first day, I was very ready to say I'm not coming back for another 13 years, since I get a better experience in Cincy and even Washington (shocking). I am now considering just going for qualies and maybe a few days of the first week of US Open next year to see how different it is then compared to Labor Day weekend (and yes, I was there Labor Day weekend 13 years ago).

I absolutely HATE the maze of bushes around the outer courts! You cannot see through them unless there is a dead spot and you crouch down to see through it. All the big names play on the very last practice court all the way on the end, so you either see a tiny spot from the one open end with the tall fence or you have to stand with the mob on the bleachers of the one nearby court to see.

It's too damn crowded! I guess that's a good thing for the tournament, means that they are selling all their tickets, but for the fan, you are constantly in some sort of long line to get into the place, to get your bag checked, to get water, to go to the bathroom, to get into a court, to get food, to get anything. All sorts of slow people and people just randomly standing right in the middle of a walkway chatting. People who have no idea who any players are or anything about scoring. Idiot parents who don't bring a pen for their kids who want autographs, then ask to borrow yours (what do I say, hell no?) and ruin MY chances of autographs on something I wanted while their kids get one on a crappy piece of notepad? These kids don't even know who the hell these players are! Stay at home, morons.

The bleachers are horribly uncomfortable, no seat backs. I have a bad back, so sitting there for hours about killed me. Too many stairs to climb; I have a heart condition and there were times I used that excuse to get into restricted elevators to keep from climbing 5+ flights of stairs in Armstrong and Ashe.

The bathrooms aren't the worst I've seen, but there were a bunch of them that were broken and going out of service and closed off.

The food at all tennis events I've been to has been pretty bad and expensive, no difference here.

I knew the Davis Cup was there and found it, also found the US Open trophies on display. The statues from the World's Fair are very nice, but you have to trek through the park to get to them. However, the lines to get in on that side are very short, I used that entrance twice out of 4 days.

The one thing I did like was the little TVs you get if you have an AmEx card. That wound up being the very first thing I went to get every day I was there. The batteries died after about 6 hours, which is not good if you have a great front row seat at Grandstand or another great seat at Armstrong and have no one to save your seat to go get another battery. Maybe they need another kiosk closer to those courts so I didn't have to trek across past the food court to get the new battery. However, that little TV was the best thing about the entire tournament. I want one of my own if it worked anywhere, giving me live coverage of 5 or 6 courts and live scores. The only thing it needed was a completed match score section. The little radios were ok, too, best for when the TV battery died.

There needs to be more shade! That probably goes for every tournament.

I managed to snag terrific box seats for 2 sessions on Ashe from Ticketmaster, so yes, the average fan CAN get a great seat if you have the money ($600 for day session, $300-$400 for night, damn expensive, I can go to the entire Washington tourney in the box seats for one day session ticket). Grounds passes are awesome if you are willing to see someone who isn't American or Federer or Nadal or Djokovic.
 
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#18 ·
Why doesn't this McDonalds carry lobster and fettuccine alfredo, and why are so many people eating here?????

I'm enraged and am going to write long lists on the internet and inadvertently embarrass myself due to my own stupidity and pomposity.
 
#19 ·
1. Partly agree, but I also find the lively atmosphere exciting at times.

2. The restrooms are terrible, only Rome has worse restrooms.

3. You might be right but I don't care.

4. There is very little for kids at FO and Wimbledon too.

5. I agree. However, the heat at the US Open is rarely unbearable, unlike AO, Washington or Miami.

6. You haven't been to many tournaments, have you?

7. The US Open does not need a roof. Waste of money.

8. Same as other GS.

9. I understand your pov but as a player I would like to practice undisturbed, especially if my name is Serena or Fedex or Rafa.

10. The US Open food is better than the food at other GS.

11. Hehe, I don't think that problem applies particularly to the US Open?

12. That is not a US Open specific problem.

13. I hear you.

14. Gilles Muller didn't read that memo a few years back.

15-18. No comment.
 
#21 ·
Tip on the bathrooms for you...

If you're around the outside courts, go to the ones kind of behind the food court, by court 13, 14 etc. There are bathrooms back there that seemingly NO ONE knows about. They are bigger than the other ones, no line, and since no one uses them, much much cleaner ;)

Although I do agree about the seating on the outside courts. Seating at Wimbledon is much nicer with the actual seats, even on the little courts, rather than the uncomfortable bleachers.

And you didn't know the Davis Cup was there? :scratch: Are you the kind of person who mostly sits on Ashe? Because I am more of an outside court person, I didn't go into Ashe at all this year even though I had tickets for it... and I could not miss the Davis Cup :lol:

I also agree on #11. One of my pet peeves of attending tennis events are the people who dress as if they are about to play tennis. I don't understand it. Why do you go to the USO in your little tennis skort and athletic tank. Or your short little tennis dress. Serena Williams is not going to ask you to hit with her. Anyway, I think these people are the worst culprits. Because they're around 60, leathery skin from playing every day at their country club or what have you, and walking around in their little tennis outfit. Please just wear shorts/pants and a normal top like a normal spectator. *end rant*
 
#22 ·
I forgot about no challenges on Grandstand. I was told (not sure if this is accurate) that it will have challenges next year. Would be a good thing because I was sitting on the front row on the baseline 2 days there and saw many bad calls made.
 
#24 ·
Can't say I agree with many of the points. I find it fun and the crowd on Armstrong has been knowledgable and cool evey time I've been there. Ashe is pretty bizarre at night and the view from the upper level blows so I avoid it.

I do agree that in some ways the production of the event is a bit loud and obnoxious, however if it were really toned down and "classy" then it might make it appeal even more to the "aristocratic" as you put it.
 
#25 ·
I usually go every year as well but the last couple of years ... I don't know??

Last year the reserved seating in Amstrong really pissed me off. You have to pay $40 more to sit in the blazing sun?

Then this year it seems they sold off a big bulk of thier tickets to electronic outlets. In prior years I could come to the stadium a few hours early and get tickets for the same day.

I went out on Friday night after work and not only were all the tickets sold out for that night's session, the Monday day session was sold out as well but you could go to TicketNow and get the same tickets for some ridiculously inflated price.

Anyways I shouldn't complain too much as I eventually got into the staduim for free on Friday night - to see Safin lose like a punk!
 
#27 ·
I had an awesome time, I went for 12 days in a row this year (including qualleez, kids day, open practice, plus 6 days of tourney). I had no problem with the toilets or the benches or the shrubbery or whatever the hell. The Davis Cup was impossible to miss unless you were cloistered in Ashe the whole time and didn't walk around the grounds. The worst part about it is just the crowds but that's why I don't bother after the first week. I love matches on the outer courts cuz I like having my face about a yard from the baseline and I can't afford good seats in Ashe. Twice when I was there (del Potro-Canyas and Safin-Robredo) they let the peasants sit in the boxes in Armstrong (practically on court) cuz nobody was there.

Qualleez was free and it was almost as good if not better than the 6 days of the actual tournament. :haha:

In those 12 days I didn't spend one dime on food or beverage on campus. The night of Roddick-Gulbis I almost caved but they were out of soft pretzels.

I love that the other people don't know anything about tennis cuz (a) it makes me sound like a genius and (b) it provides additional free entertainment (Patty Schnyder is American, men play to 6 games in a set but women only play to 5, Rafael Nadal is from Argentina, Lucho won the gold medal at the olympics...)
 
#33 ·
Apparently Sergiy Stakhovsky is American too according to what I overhear :D

Also Cibulkova and Safarova are Russians :D

Oh, and me and Adam and our friend have started cheering the chair umpires when announced, since they get no love. And we were at one of the matches on Armstrong yesterday, I forget which one of the WTA ones it was when this happened... but hahaha we cheering for Mariana Alves :tape: :tape: just to be a tad obnoxious, and people turned around and said, "OH! YOU GUYS MUST BE PORTUGUESE!" :haha:

Anyway, I love laughing at what I overhear, so that doesn't bug me one bit ;)

Love quallies though :hearts: I went a total of only 4 days this year (Quallies Thursday, Monday-Wednesday, Second Monday) but I had a good time :)
 
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