The 2022 US Open
Flushing Meadows, Queens in New York had come alive when the 2022 US Open officially began last Tuesday with 6 days of Fan Week up to Sunday, August 28, where the grounds are open and free to the public. A digital access pass however is needed to gain entry to the Arthur Ashe Stadium, featured practices and the Legends Match. Likewise, fans can also watch the qualifying matches that features 256 men and women competing for a spot at the Main Draw, which ends today.
We had the chance three years ago to feel Fan Week and it was a festive experience. We strolled the grounds, checked the sponsor booths and endured the expensive refreshments and souvenirs, caught a few qualifying matches and saw Kei Nishikori, Petra Kvitova and Victoria Azarenka practice on separate courts.
This year’s Fan Week will have the Holiday Inn Resorts and Hotels giving free meal vouchers to kids 12 years and below. Likewise, Heineken brings to the grounds a 5 to 7pm happy hour. How happy those hours will be depend on how much per glass they will be selling their brew.
One time world number 3 Dominic Thiem gained a wildcard entry at this year’s fourth Grand Slam. He had gone thru several knee and wrist injuries after winning the 2020 US Open title and it had kept him out of the tour for more than a year. The 28-year old Austrian is currently ranked #288 in singles.
Former women’s Grand Slam singles champions Venus Williams and Sofia Kenin, and 2020 doubles champion Coco Vandegwhe, who had gone thru injuries, also gained wildcard entries into the women’s main draw. The 2000 and 2001 US Open women’s singles champion Williams, now 42, is on her 23rd US Open main draw appearance.
The 23-year old Kenin, 2020 Australian Open women’s singles champion, is returning to form after recovering from an ankle injury. Vandegwhe, 30, had an assortment of injuries and health issues for four years and is making a comeback. The 6-foot-1 2018 US Open doubles champion is a niece of NBA great Kiki Vandegwhe.
2021 men’s singles champion Daniil Medvedev, for the first time in his career is a top seed in a GS tournament and will be defending his US Open title. Novak Djokovic, last year’s losing finalist to Medvedev, is hoping that the US will change their policy on unvaxed person and be eligible for a visa that will allow him to play at Flushing Meadows.
As of Monday, Novak is on the draw as the 5th seed. If he’ll miss this GS tournament, Casper Ruud moves up behind Stefanos Tsitsipas, Carlos Alcaraz, Rafael Nadal and Medvedev.
Using her protected ranking to be at Flushing, 6-time US Open women’s champion Serena Williams is reportedly making this her last Slam. She had said that she will be “evolving” beyond tennis after the tournament. Serena, now 40, had only played one singles match for the past 16 months.
Britain’s top female player Emma Raducanu will be defending her US Open women’s singles title. She’s seeded 11th in this tournament. Iga Swiatek is the women’s top seed.
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