The '97 U.S. Open was "all about history. About making
it, breaking it, bucking it, faking it," according to Robin
Finn of the N.Y. TIMES. While it "does not have the
authenticity of Wimbledon, the cachet of the French Open, or
the weather-beating retractable stadium roof of the
Australian Open," the U.S. Open, which attracted record
attendance, "is finally able to console itself with the
notion that biggest means best" (N.Y. TIMES, 9/9).
INFATUATION WITH VENUS: In N.Y., Wayne Coffey: "The
U.S. Open has closed its two-week shop for 1997, leaving
behind a gleaming new stadium ... and a new beaded wonder in
Venus Williams, whose breathtaking trek to the finals made
her the tournament's foremost darling" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS,
9/9). USA TODAY's Mike Lopresti: "The Venus Williams Story
has many chapters to go. Will race be included? Certainly.
It must. It is part of her journey. ... What I saw Sunday
on [TV] from New York was the usual audience of upscale,
mostly white tennis patrons. They were roaring for Richard
Williams' daughter" (USA TODAY, 9/9). In L.A., Julie Cart:
"A terrible injustice was done to Venus Williams here ...
Not by other players on the tour. By Richard Williams, who
took his young daughter's greatest day -- her day -- and
insinuated himself into the center of it, made a mess of it,
and left it for her to deal with" (L.A. TIMES, 9/9). An
L.A. TIMES editorial on Williams is entitled "Former Compton
Resident Does Herself Proud, On And Off The Court" (L.A.
TIMES, 9/9). Corel WTA Tour CEO Anne Person Worcester
downplayed the racism remarks: "Race has just never, ever
been an issue and it certainly isn't one now. This is
everything to do with a rookie coming on the tour who is
quite confident before she had the results. Now ... she's
had those results" (Jennifer Frey, WASHINGTON POST, 9/9).
