NEW YORK—Two days, everybody plays: That’s the recipe for the first round at Wimbledon and the Australian Open, and it’s one that the U.S. Open, after nearly four decades, finally followed on Monday and Tuesday. For years, the Open has spread the opening round over three days and six separate sessions. The idea was to keep as many big names in the tournament until CBS took over the TV coverage on Labor Day weekend. But what was good for the folks at home wasn’t always so good for the fans on the grounds. The entertainment could get pretty thin, and hard to find, by Wednesday afternoon.
But CBS departed this year, and so did the three-day first round. It was easy to see the difference, and the improvement, on Monday and Tuesday here. Everywhere you looked, it seemed, there was a player you recognized. And everywhere you looked, there was also a fan. The Open reported record opening-day attendance on Monday, while ESPN, its new TV partner, reported record ratings.
Of course, you still have to be careful what you wish for. Now that ESPN is in charge, they’ve decided to try out their own innovation for the folks at home. On Monday, Pam Shriver recorded the first-ever mid-match interview, with Coco Vandeweghe. We’ll see if it catches on, or becomes as dreaded as the chats the top players must endure before they walk on court.
But that’s a topic for another day. For this one, here’s a quick look around the still-crowded, and very hot, grounds as the first-round came to a close. Tuesday was survival-of-the-fittest tennis at Flushing Meadows.