So What’s the Word on That Roof?
By Jane Voigt In the world of Grand Slams roofs are a big deal. And after the U. S. T. A., the producers of The U.S. Open, denied its ability to build one for well over a decade over the world’s largest stage for our game — Arthur Ashe Stadium — one was unveiled this…
Venus Redux
By Jane Voigt Venus Williams had never lost a first-round match at The U. S. Open in 17 starts. Her opponent, Kateryna Kozlova, had never won a main draw match at any Grand Slam. Expectations? You bet. Venus would be off court in about an hour. Nope. The match went three sets, taking the two-time…
America’s Grand Slam … Day One
By Jane Voigt The U. S. Open, the last slam of the season, is a celebration of all things tennis and American. So … let’s take a peak at a few of the home-teams’ performances from day one. Men Nothing was more exciting than two Americans battling on the new larger-capacity, hexadecagon — 16 sided — Grandstand Court.…
Two Must-see Matches Monday at U. S. Open
By Jane Voigt It’ll be a wonder if even the best of the best get past the first round of this U. S. Open. The quality of players is higher than ever and they’re all prepped to begin their fierce offensives at the final Grand Slam of the year. Here are the two must-see matches…
Top Seven Takeaways from the 2015 U. S. Open
The 2015 edition of The U. S. Open was chock-full of news. Here are the top-six takeaways, according to Down The Tee. 1. Serena Williams Fell Short of a Grand SlamWhether the pressure got to the 21-time major champion, her game fell apart at the moment she needed it most, or the heavens didn’t align, Serena didn’t…
Finals Words On Men’s U. S. Open Final
The newly crowned men’s singles champion of the 2015 U.S. Open, Novak Djokovic, will end the year ranked No. 1 for the fourth time. The points he has earned are far and away more than any other number-one player has accumulated since the ATP began its tracking in 1973. “It’s a fantastic feeling to…
Flavia Pennetta Wins First Grand Slam, Then Announces Her Retirement
This was not the U. S. Open women’s singles final most expected. No big names. No top-ten seeds. No one named Serena Williams. Yet it was big on heart and drama. The heart was most visibly recognized when finalists Flavia Pennetta and Roberta Vinci hugged at the net seconds after the last ball was hit…
The Aftermath
It’s over. Serena Williams beat big sister Venus in their quarterfinal last night in a packed Arthur Ashe Stadium, 6-2, 1-6, 6-3. The sisters walloped the ball like no two other women can in tennis. The match was an honor to witness, although the sympathetic Venus, at 35, was left to feel the full force…
Slowing Down the US Open Train
All of this is happening way too fast. Serena Williams is three wins away from a Grand Slam, but first she has to beat her beloved older sister, Venus, in the quarterfinals. Never mind that Venus is diverting attention away from the story of the Open — Serena. The elder sister is now on course…
First Day Chaos … Kei Nishikori Leads Exit
Wasn’t this U. S. Open supposed to be special, considering the monumental goal in front of Serena Williams? Guess everyone didn’t get the memo. If you want to blame someone, might as well point your finger at the 2006 U.S. Open Champion Maria Sharapova. Yesterday she withdrew, citing a leg injury sustained in practice weeks…