NEW YORK—The toughest seat on Day 1 of the 2017 US Open wasn’t for Maria Sharapova’s night match against No. 2 seed Simona Halep in Arthur Ashe Stadium. It wasn’t for Denis Shapovalov’s US Open debut against Daniil Medvedev on Court 7, though there wasn’t empty space to be found within Court 7’s towering rafters.
The toughest seat of the opening day wasn’t for a match at all. Such is the case when any fan in the grounds can stand just a few feet away from Roger Federer.
As part of the multi-year renovations to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, an adjoined, above-ground viewing gallery was constructed to overlook Courts 4, 5 and 6 in the southeast quadrant of the grounds. From this vantage point, grounds-pass holders can watch the action from behind the baselines of this trio of side courts. And there’s a bonus perk: if fans turn around, they can watch practices take place on courts P1-P5.
Normally, this isn’t a big deal. Seats for practice sessions are typically plentiful, a refuge amongst the bustle in Flushing Meadows. But normal has never applied to the 19-time Grand Slam champion, particularly in this renaissance season, and especially in New York City, the Swiss superstar’s home away from home.