Scene and heard in New York, on the eve of the US Open

Author: Brad Kallet

5m read 29 Aug 2026 2h ago

Photo by Robert Prange/Getty Images

NEW YORK -- Saturday was the final day of US Open Fan Week, with zero matches on the schedule, and yet the 7 Train headed to Queens was packed at 10:15 a.m., nearly every rider decked out in US Open gear.

"I wish I had been around when Serena Williams first played," a teenager told her friends as the train departed 42nd Street in Manhattan.

It was delightfully breezy in the mid-morning, a perfect day, and it felt more like fall than the very end of summer as lines got longer and longer at the entrance to the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

At 11 a.m., the lower bowl of Arthur Ashe Stadium filled up as Iga Swiatek had a practice session with Iva Jovic. It was odd to see the stadium, normally so loud and electric and thunderous, so serene in this setting, as Swiatek and Jovic took serves before playing some points. The fans calmly took in the action, taking photos and videos and drinking Honey Deuces, but got louder after Swiatek hit a gorgeous running winner at the service line.

A father gave pointers to his son as he watched the two Top 15 players hit, and fans relished the rare opportunity to see these two stars up close and personal.

One of those fans, 19-year-old Isabelle from Harlem, was on the US Open grounds for the first time.

"It's a really great community event," she said as Jovic ripped a forehand down the line. "I like the way New York City tries to pour back into the community here. There's a lot of free things, there's a lot of great things to do, and you're always going to get the option to watch great tennis."

After the practice, Swiatek gave her thoughts on the unusual nature of practicing in front of thousands of fans.

"It would be great to maybe have a little bit more calmer environment, if
you know what I mean," she said. "Just sometimes, so it's easier to communicate with the coach. But I know the fans are excited, and it also gives you a lot of energy. Also, it's good practice for us in terms of the focus, and really staying present in the game.

"So I think it's good, but sometimes a little bit more tiring."

It was a bit more subdued and low key over on the Grandstand. As the breeze disappeared and the humidity began to take over, two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka had a practice session with Yulia Putintseva. In the more intimate setting, fans had an ever greater opportunity to watch the World No. 1 up close.

There was an audible "Ohhhhh" after Sabalenka hit a drop-shot winner, and she took ample time after the session to sign balls for the gaggle of fans waiting for her.

A busy morning for Chwalinska

French Open finalist Maja Chwalinska, into the main draw of the US Open for the first time, was pretty tired when she sat down with me on Saturday morning. And for good reason: She had gotten into New York just a few hours earlier, after taking an early flight from Monterrey, Mexico, where she played this week.

But despite the quick turnaround, and the disappointing start to the Hard-Court Swing following her tremendous run in Paris, she was in good spirits ahead of her second major as a seeded player.

"It's great, you know?" she said. "I'm playing the tournaments that I've always dreamed about playing, so that's great. I was joking around today that, you know, it’s my best result already in New York, so no pressure at all from this point on."

Iga takes to the stage

Swiatek has been enjoying her time in New York. After tennis, the top priority is Broadway.

"My goal always is to go to Broadway," she said, "and I already had a chance to see two Broadway shows this year."

Pretty impressive, considering she's only been here a few days. Those two shows, by the way, were Titanique and Buena Vista Social Club.

Also on the agenda: great food -- "In New York it's easy to get that," she said -- and walking around Central Park, a common leisure activity for players.

Osaka's main job

Naomi Osaka caught the reporters' attention when she entered the press room wearing an Allen Iverson shirt and a throwback 1997 US Open cap. The cap she bought on eBay, she explained, and the shirt was an ode to a person she believes is a trailblazer.

She also explained her decision to skip Cincinnati earlier this month. Home with her daughter, she said, was where she needed to be after back-to-back WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz stops in Washington, D.C. and Toronto.

"I think people forget my main job is to be a mom," the two-time US Open champion said. "This is kind of like my side hustle, a little bit. I just happen to be really good at it. My daughter, she needed me to be at home. That's just what I felt was the priority."

A consumer's paradise on the busy grounds

The grounds, predictably, were packed beyond belief, with no shortage of activities and destinations to complement the tennis.

Face painting for kids, a Lavazza lounge, a Lululemon store, a photo booth, the Chase market, Marvel comic book giveaways, sunscreen samples, posing with an exact replica of the US Open trophy crafted by Tiffany ... the experiences and activations are endless.

Pegula, Kostyuk, Venus get hits in

Jessica Pegula and Marta Kostyuk had a star-studded practice session in Arthur Ashe Stadium between 2-3 p.m., with a good mixture of Pegula supporters and Kostyuk fans holding Ukrainian flags. At one point, Madison Keys came through the media center tunnel to watch a bit of their session. A security guard approached Keys asking to see her credential ... and then realized it was Madison Keys. The former Australian Open champion seemed to find it amusing.

About an hour and a half later, Venus Williams took to the court for her practice session and got a huge hand. Unlike some of the earlier sessions, it sounded as loud as a match would.

Injury updates ahead of Day 1

Elena Rybakina, who injured her ankle in Cincinnati: "I started to practice, so I feel well. We're still making some adjustments. But overall, I'm happy how we dealt with the problem. We worked hard and likely it's all good right now. It's just matter of a couple more practices, and then going [to] the match."

Jessica Pegula, who took an off-court medical timeout in Cincinnati: "The next day I had off. That was really helpful for me. So when I went to play against Iga, nothing was ailing me at all, and it's been good ever since. That's
why I still played the mixed. Everything felt fine. Been practicing all week. All good."

Maja Chwalinska, who hurt her ankle at Wimbledon: "The ankle is doing OK. It's been a process, for sure, with some ups and downs. But overall I feel pretty confident about this, so it's good."