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U.S. Open Prepared For Various Weather Conditions With New Arthur Ashe Stadium Roof

The U.S. Open begins today at Arthur Ashe Stadium, and officials said that there is little difference in the conditions when the stadium's new $150M roof is "open or closed, but the proof will come once matches are first held," according to Rachel Cohen of the AP. The roof features an "air management system and sliding shutters that seal the stadium, designed to try to minimize the humidity." On occasions when inclement weather is possible, the shutters around the stadium's upper bowl "will start to close and the air management system will be activated to be ready in case the roof needs to be shut." U.S. Open Tournament Dir David Brewer said that it takes "about seven minutes for the roof to close, and if the court is dry ... the overall delay won't be much longer than that" (AP, 8/29). SI.com's Stanley Kay wrote one "bold prediction" for the tournament is that with the roof complete, it "won’t rain at all during tournament play" (SI.com, 8/25).

ONE LAST TIME: On Long Island, Jeff Williams notes the USTA will use the Grandstand Stadium for the tournament after "originally intending it to be just for practice before it is torn down after the tournament ends." The USTA "totally rebuilt" the field courts for the Open this year, and the "playing surface of Court 10 did not meet competitive standards, so the old Grandstand comes in as a welcome substitute and gets to shine one last time" (NEWSDAY, 8/29). 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT
: The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Sophia Hollander noted there is a "significant food expansion" at the center this year. A food village "has sprouted near the new Grandstand Stadium, while six concessions are joining the main food village." The tournament’s South Plaza has been expanded to "include a new location for Pat LaFrieda Meat Co. and a permanent home for Wine Bar Food by chef Tony Mantuano." Meanwhile, Court 12 "will get the tournament’s first all-vegetarian stand, SoomSoom" (WSJ.com, 8/28). 

MISSING IN ACTION: Roger Federer will not compete due to an injury, and SI.com's Kay as part of a roundtable wrote considering his "huge popularity at the U.S. Open," it will be "curious what his absence is going to feel like." The tournament field "has no shortage of home favorites, particularly with Serena Williams," so "don’t expect the atmosphere to be any less festive." But it is "undeniable that Federer leaves a huge void." SI.com's Jamie Lisanti wrote the absence of Federer and Maria Sharapova "will surely be felt," and "add Victoria Azarenka to that list, and throw Tomas Berdych in there too." These are "big names in the game who are second-week staples and crowd-favorites at the majors" (SI.com, 8/25). 

SIGN OF THINGS TO COME? In DC, Douglas Robson noted tennis' "latest group of teens to make noise -- Taylor Fritz, Jared Donaldson, Frances Tiafoe, Stefan Kozlov, Tommy Paul and Reilly Opelka -- are far from household names." But if "sheer numbers are any signpost, fortunes are looking up for U.S. men’s tennis with the year’s final major." USTA GM of Player Development Martin Blackman said, "I’m really optimistic about this group and their potential." Robson noted no American man "has captured a Grand Slam title since Andy Roddick" at the '03 U.S. Open, the country’s "longest major singles drought in history" (WASHINGTON POST, 8/28). Meanwhile, in N.Y., Phil Mushnick wondered if the "once strong state of American tennis" would be "somewhat restored if so many U.S. colleges ceased recruiting" from around the globe. Mushnick: "Or are colleges’ win-at-all-costs mentalities too far gone?" It is "not as if NCAA tennis is a revenue-producer, or networks pay big dough for tournament rights, so why not spend less money by recruiting, with scholarships, American kids?" (N,Y. POST, 8/28). 

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