Daily News 19

Tag: Arthur Ashe Stadium

  • US Open Schedule Disputes and Money: What’s Behind Tennis’ Late-Night Problem?

    US Open Schedule Disputes and Money: What’s Behind Tennis’ Late-Night Problem?

    The appeal of late scheduling may be clear to those managing the financial spreadsheets, but the impact on everyone else is harder to ignore.

    US Open organisers have not yet commented following the Williams-Kenin match. However, they have previously argued that late-night scheduling benefits fans.

    “Without question late-night matches were heavily discussed and reviewed after the 2022 US Open,” tournament director Stacey Allaster said in 2023, after opting to maintain the late schedule.

    “We looked at starting the evening session earlier, instead of 7pm start at 6pm, but it’s not really a possibility because it’s hard for New Yorkers to get here even at 7pm.”

    “We talked about [changing to] one match at night, but we felt that’s not fair to our fans. One of the realities we have in tennis is that we are not defined by a start and an end time. We can have a short match or we can have a five-hour match.”

    Why late US Open matches create scheduling problems

    That uncertainty is where the problems arise. Organisers may not expect every match to run long, but they know extended matches are always possible.

    A five-set men’s match can easily last more than four or even five hours, while a women’s match that goes the distance can comfortably exceed three hours. When those matches are played back-to-back on Arthur Ashe Stadium with only a short break between them, the second player may not finish until around 3am.

    Williams and Kenin began their match so late because Novak Djokovic’s defeat by Mariano Navone went to five sets and lasted more than four hours.

    By the time Williams and Kenin finished, the crowd inside the 23,933-capacity stadium had become sparse.

  • Djokovic Devastated and in Tears After Painful First-Round US Open Loss to Navone: “I suffered”

    Djokovic Devastated and in Tears After Painful First-Round US Open Loss to Navone: “I suffered”

    Argentina’s Mariano Navone produced a major upset at the US Open, defeating Novak Djokovic in the first round after the Serbian struggled with vomiting, cramps, pain and exhaustion during a five-set battle at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

    The world No. 49 overcame the No. 5 seed 7-6(5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 in a match lasting 4 hours and 36 minutes. Djokovic made 70 unforced errors and appeared close to tears at several stages as he battled physical problems.

    I’m really trying to come to terms with what’s happening and see how far I can go like this

    Novak Djokovic

    I suffered throughout the whole match from the fourth game on. Again, I don’t want to take anything away from his victory. Congratulations to him. He’s a good guy, a fighter. But I didn’t enjoy it

    Novak Djokovic

    Djokovic, 39, is a four-time US Open champion and 24-time Grand Slam winner. He was competing at the tournament for the 20th time and had won all 37 of his previous matches in the opening two rounds in New York.

    The Serbian had not lost in the first round of a Grand Slam tournament since the 2006 Australian Open, a run spanning more than 20 years.

    I’ve been very proud of all the achievements of the past, but the present is the present. I’ve just come off the court and I’m still trying to manage my body

    Novak Djokovic

    Navone said the build-up to the match had been difficult because he was facing Djokovic, whom he described as the greatest of all time and a familiar presence on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

    “The lead-up was tough because I was going to play against the GOAT, against this rival, he has always been on this court (the New York center court). It’s a dream. Now I have to recover, I have to go to sleep and get ready,” Navone said after the match.

    Djokovic struggled with vomiting and pain

    Djokovic started strongly, opening a 3-0 lead and later going 4-1 ahead in the first set. However, his performance deteriorated as the match progressed.

    He vomited several times, received treatment from the physiotherapist after requesting a medical timeout at the end of the fourth set, and struggled to hold back tears after Navone moved 4-1 ahead in the deciding set.

    Djokovic was also seen taking pills in an effort to recover, but his bid to win a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title will have to wait.

    The match ended when Djokovic hit a weak return, allowing Navone to respond with a shot that the exhausted Serbian could not stop.

    Djokovic had previously experienced vomiting during his second-round defeat by Thiago Agustín Tirante in Cincinnati.

    ‘Djokovic: “It’s something I’ve been dealing with this year: vomiting, nausea, a serious problem in that regard”‘

    Novak Djokovic admitted after the defeat that he had been dealing with vomiting and nausea in “practically in every match” he had played this year. He described the issue as “a serious problem” and said it had left him uncertain about how far he could continue.

    “I think it was obvious that on the court I had a horrible feeling. It is something that, unfortunately, I have been carrying practically in every match this year: vomiting, nausea, a serious problem in that regard. Afterwards, my whole body basically starts to break down with cramps and pain. In the end, my back and shoulder could not take any more, and I couldn’t close it out,” Djokovic said at the post-match press conference in statements reported by the EFE agency.

    “I had a break lead in the fourth set, but I suffered throughout the match from the fourth game on. Again, I don’t want to take anything away from his victory. Congratulations to him. He’s a good guy, a fighter. But I didn’t enjoy it,” he added.

    Djokovic had never lost in the first round of his previous 19 US Open appearances.

    “Yes, it’s a good record, another one. But, yes, the truth is I’m not thinking too much about it. Of course, I’ve been very proud of all the achievements of the past, but the present is the present. I just came off the court and I’m still trying to manage my body”.

    “Right now I’m not going that deep. I’m just really trying to cope with what’s happening and see how far I can go like this,” he added.

  • US Open 2026: Novak Djokovic Breaks Down in Tears During Loss to Mariano Navone in New York

    US Open 2026: Novak Djokovic Breaks Down in Tears During Loss to Mariano Navone in New York

    Novak Djokovic made a promising start against Mariano Navone, breaking the Argentine’s serve at the first opportunity. However, his 4-1 lead quickly disappeared as he began to struggle in the humid conditions at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

    A lengthy rally appeared to drain Djokovic’s energy, leaving him unable to recover between points. His serve and groundstrokes lost speed, and after the ninth game he called for the doctor and requested tablets to ease the problem.

    Djokovic struggles in humid conditions

    Djokovic continued to look distressed as the opening set reached a tie-break. He wearily bowed his head and bent over between points while Navone stayed focused and struck first after one hour and 13 minutes.

    An eerie hush fell over Arthur Ashe Stadium as the crowd grew increasingly concerned for the four-time champion. Djokovic’s physical problems persisted, but he improved enough—apparently aided by the cooler conditions under the roof—to level the match.

    His more animated start to the third set suggested that Djokovic was beginning to feel more like himself. He also took advantage of a poor service game from Navone to break for 5-4 and move ahead.

    Those are the positions from which Djokovic would normally go on to win, even when struggling physically. His inability to close out the match against Navone, who had never progressed beyond the second round in New York, offered another indication of the 38-year-old’s declining powers.

    What had been a closely contested match quickly slipped away from Djokovic, becoming a difficult watch for the thousands of spectators still inside Ashe as midnight approached local time.

    The atmosphere became subdued once again as it became clear that Djokovic would not be able to escape trouble on this occasion.

    Source: www.bbc.co.uk

  • Coco Gauff Supports Mother for Rejecting US Open Ticket Requests

    Coco Gauff Supports Mother for Rejecting US Open Ticket Requests

    Coco Gauff backs her mother’s message about US Open ticket requests

    Coco Gauff said she supports her mother’s decision to address excessive US Open ticket requests from family members and friends, even though the tennis star was surprised to see the message on social media.

    A day after Candi Gauff posted a “blunt but necessary statement” on Instagram saying her daughter’s tickets for the Grand Slam tournament were already allocated, Coco defended the post.

    “Honestly, it was needed, and it was directed towards a few family and friends,” Gauff said Friday. “People come out of the woodwork. You haven’t spoken to someone for years. They don’t say, ‘Congrats’ or, ‘Happy birthday’ or nothing. Then they’re like, ‘Oh, I’m in New York, can I have eight tickets to your match in your box, please?”

    Gauff had recently won the Cincinnati Open and initially believed her mother’s post, which included a photo of her holding the trophy, was a celebratory message about the victory. Instead, Candi Gauff used the post to set boundaries over US Open ticket requests.

    “Unfortunately, I will not be able to hook you up with a ticket,” she wrote. “Please make arrangements to purchase a ticket. Side note, never ask for more than 2 tickets. Coco is grown now and she has her own friends that she is honoring [with] tickets for the match. Thank you for your continued support.”

    Why Coco Gauff’s US Open matches are in high demand

    Coco Gauff won the US Open in 2023, is ranked fourth in the world and is seeded fourth in this year’s women’s singles draw. As the most prominent American player at the tournament, she is a regular presence at Arthur Ashe Stadium, where her matches quickly become some of the most sought-after tickets.

    Gauff’s parents and other members of her team handle most of the ticket messages, helping shield her from another unwanted distraction.

    “We try our best to accommodate everyone, but some of the requests, you would be surprised at how absurd they are,” Gauff said. “I feel like my mom hit a tipping point because it’s been going on since 15, and they really are my safeguards and I am lucky they try to make sure no one is hitting up my phone, so I don’t really get many requests.”

    Rather than continue dealing with requests from distant relatives or friends from elementary school, Gauff said her mother made the public statement to explain why she would no longer respond.

    Gauff said her mom “wanted to post that because she is going to stop responding. At least they know why.”