This year’s US Open is literally a little bit blinding. Serena Williams plays her night matches in a black dress with fuschia pleats and her day matches in a white dress with fuschia pleats and sleeves. Many of the players are sporting Nike’s new optic yellow ensembles, which exactly match the color of the tennis balls in play. In some of the earlier rounds, players resembled each other closely in their matching yellow outfits. Others have sported neon orange and pink, sometimes together on the same shirt or pair of shoes.
Lucas Pouille of France upset Rafa Nadal in the third round in a yellow and orange combination shirt. Sometimes the fluorescent colors are set against a black background for drama. And at other times, the entire outfit is one shocking hue. Stan Wawrinka, for instance, is dressed in hot pink from head to toe. The players’ shoes often have one neon color on the top surface and another one on the sole. Even the ball kids are wearing these. You may want to check out their soles!
Nike says its fluorescent color scheme is intended to reflect the "the bright lights of New York City". Sure enough, there is something quite unique about the atmosphere at the final Grand Slam of the year. After the pristine white apparel and quiet elegance of Wimbledon, the North American summer has always been brash and loud. Perhaps no one epitomised this as much as Andre Agassi, who in his younger days was one of the first players to sport neon patterns on his shirts. Still, even his clothes look staid compared to the blinding array of outfits on display this year.
Not just the fashion
But fashion is not the only thing that’s creating a buzz at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, which has been newly revamped. Leading the changes of course is the $150 million retractable roof. Not surprisingly, it’s the biggest retractable roof over a tennis court in the world with an opening the size of an American football field. After years of rain delays wreaking havoc with the schedule, often pushing the men’s final to Monday night, finally, the USTA got its roof. And for the first time, everyone on Arthur Ashe stadium has been praying for rain. When the roof made its debut during Nadal’s second-round night match, it felt like an historic moment, with everyone taking pictures and cheering as if it were a competitor on court.
Apart from the roof, there are other additions and upgrades, such a brand new new Grandstand stadium, which includes eating terraces and an avenue running past the outer courts all the way to Court 17. The new Grandstand stadium boasts a capacity of 8,125, which is 2,125 seats more than its predecessor. Several other courts have been moved to widen walkways. Elevated walkways have been added to connect different courts as well. The changes reduce congestion and allow fans to watch several matches simultaneously from the walkways. The façade is now a stylish grey, an update from the old brick color. Even the menu has been updated, including a new food court outside the Grandstand.
The revamped facilities might partly explain the surge in attendance figures. This year’s event scored record attendance on three consecutive days last week. The total attendance for Sunday was a new record figure of 65,797.
But numbers only tell part of the story. The mood at the national tennis center could not be more different than at the All England Club. The smell of hot dogs and French fries, the casually dressed crowds strolling along from court to court, the music blaring out during changeovers, and the Technicolor outfits worn by players all contribute to the carnival atmosphere of the Open. Then there are the celebrities. Hollywood stars, NBA players, musicians and football players alike are spotted in the stands with regularity, and further add a touch of glamour to the event.
Nowhere is the mood more palpable than in the night matches, which sometimes go on past midnight. When night falls on Ashe, with the lights coming on and players emerging from the tunnel in their dazzling colors, it’s a bit like watching a tennis match in Times Square. The atmosphere has always been electric during the night sessions, but this year, with a flash of hot pink here and a burst of neon yellow there, it is more so. Those with sensitive eyes might be wise to wear sunglasses at night.
Sometimes players have confessed to feeling a little intimidated when playing in New York. It can be hard to focus with all the distractions, and certainly feel overwhelming. But, for the most part players find it exciting and inspiring. The US Open is the biggest party in the world of tennis. And it comes towards the end of the season. There is perhaps no better way to wrap up the year’s slams than by lighting up the courts with both your tennis and your apparel.
Oindrila Mukherjee tweets here.
