It isn’t just the players at Flushing Meadows who have their own personalities. So do the courts.
At more than 30 years old, the National Tennis Center is still in its youth. It isn’t suffused with the tradition and history that cover every inch of the All England Club and Roland Garros. But year by year, match by match, each of its courts has begun to develop a character of its own. Here’s a look at five of the most unique, and what you might expect to find when you wander into them.
ARTHUR ASHE STADIUM From the day it opened 13 years ago, it was clear that Ashe, the world’s largest tennis arena, was a behemoth with a shiny corporate skin. For the most part, company boxes are close to the action and individual ticket-holders are far away. Fans have noticed: On many afternoons, while the outer courts are bustling, Ashe is a quiet, windy wasteland where the loudest noises may be the clinking of plates and silverware in the luxury suites.
The time to experience Ashe is at night. That’s when stars like Roger Federer, Venus Williams, Andy Roddick and Maria Sharapova appear on court, and stars like Donald Trump, Janet Jackson and Natalie Portman appear in the stands. There’s a glittery, “this is the place to be” feel to an evening session here. Ashe has none of the tradition of Wimbledon’s Centre Court or the grandeur of Court Philippe Chatrier at Roland Garros, but on the right evening, its vastness works in its favor and makes it the sport’s most glamorous venue.
LOUIS ARMSTRONG STADIUM When Ashe went up in 1997, the old center court, Armstrong, came down. Not all the way—its top section was removed the following year to create a more intimate second stadium viewing experience. Maybe because of that fact, there’s still a raw, unfinished quality to the current version. The seats go up and end, without much of an architectural flourish. On the plus side, this gives Armstrong an open quality. Natural light floods the court, which makes it a good place to see a match at sunset, when a pollution-fuelled orange spreads across the horizon. In the evening, some of the Open’s old raucousness survives here. This was the stomping ground of Jimbo and Johnny Mac, after all; their ghosts swagger through the joint. Best of all, you don’t need to have an inside connection to get a taste of that vintage atmosphere.
GRANDSTAND At both Wimbledon and the French Open, the most intimate and exciting venues for watching tennis are the third-largest: the Bullring at Roland Garros and the now-retired Court 2, the Graveyard of Champions, at Wimbledon. The same is true at the Open, where the third show court, the Grandstand, offers the finest mix of quality tennis and comfortably close quarters. If you want to spend the day in one place, this is your best choice. During the first week, head straight for the seats along the sideline behind the umpire’s chair—the ones with backs on them that are covered from the sun—and watch a parade of big-name players bash balls under your nose. What will strike you most forcibly is the sound they make when they hit the ball. The Grandstand, small but not as open as Armstrong, has the best acoustics in tennis.
COURT 4 Now we’re on the grounds, away from the cameras, the Federers, and the Trumps. Here the rank-and-file do battle as spectators stroll past, eating, drinking, and chattering. Early in the event, Court 4 begins its day at a leisurely 4 P.M. and often gives fans a look at a U.S. up-and-comer. A bank of seats that offers a view not just of the match, but of the surrounding area, from the players sweating and grunting on the practice courts on the left to fans lounging near the Red Star Café on the right. Even as you focus on the tennis below, you get a peripheral sense of the city-like sprawl of fans that stretches into every corner of Flushing Meadows.
COURTS 6 AND 7 If Court 4 offers an urban viewpoint, the wide walkway between 6 and 7, which sit in the shadows of Ashe Stadium, is one of the Open’s pedestrian hubs. Here you can stand and watch one court while keeping your ear open for what’s happening on the other. There are no bleachers to block your view of either court, so if something interesting is happening on one, you have to take only a few steps to find out what it is. You’re surrounded by tennis here; its players, fans, sights, and sounds are everywhere you turn. It doesn’t get any more open, or Open, than this.
Originally published in the September 2008 issue of TENNIS.