On Monday 31 August, the 140th edition of the US Open kicked off at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City. Normally the fourth and final of the big Grand Slam tennis tournaments, this year the US Open takes second place, after Wimbledon was cancelled and the French Open was rescheduled to late September.
As a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, the organisers announced in June that the event would go ahead without spectators. However, in an effort to make the best of a bad situation, “Fan Cam” has launched to allow fans to support their favourite players. By downloading the app, you can record video from your phone, which may be displayed on the giant video wall during the games.
On a number of occasions, players headed over to the screens to celebrate success with fans. In an interview following his Round 2 victory over Kyle Edmund, world number one Novak Djokovic expressed “We miss the fans. We see them. Thank you guys for being there, following us, supporting us. At least we can see your faces, obviously we miss them here, we miss the noise and the energy.”
On the women’s side, there were celebrations as Serena Williams broke the US Open tournament record and notched up her 102nd match win, surpassing previous record holder Chris Evert. However, the real prize would be if Williams can win the tournament, which would take her to 24 major singles titles - in joint-first place with Margaret Court.
If you’re looking to make the most of the virtual experience, you can also bring the US Open restaurant food right into your home – how does Lobster Tacos, Skirt Steak Pinwheels, and Macaroni Pie sound? The US Open chefs are sharing the dishes they were planning to bring to the 2020 event, so you can cook them in your kitchen. For recipes and other virtual fan suggestions, check out the US Open At-Home Essentials guide.
Despite the challenges of this year, the organisers have already started plans to bring fans back to the 2021 US Open, taking place between 30 August – 7 September 2021. Ticketing information will be announced in the near future.
