Just back from a long day at the US Tennis Centre in Flushing where they were having the first day of qualifying matches for the US Open which starts next Monday. The qualifying tournament runs for four days and those who reach the final round get berths in the main draw. Unlike the main tournament, for which tickets are quite pricey, the qualifying tournament is free.
The players in the qualifying tournament are usually those ranked just outside of the top hundred; there are some very talented players including a few well-known names who have fallen down the rankings due to injury or a run of bad luck.
Last year I discovered two very interesting players at the qualies: the Chinese girl Tian Tian Sun and the German man with the exotic name of Bjorn Phau. As they have both done very well in the past year, they are ranked high enough to get into the US Open main draw this year without having to qualify. I'll look forward to their matches next week.
Today I saw one player who really impressed me, the Columbian Alejandro Falla. He played strong and smart and won his match handily. Hopefully he can get thru to the final round and get a spot in the Open. There were several players I thought "should" have won but didn't: I was especially taken with the gritty playing of Diego Junquiera who took his first set but then was overwhelmed by the much taller and stronger Dominick Meffert.
The worst thing about tennis - for me - is feeling sorry for the losers.
I can't get over how many people come to the US Open and then seem totally disinterested in the matches. They are glued to their cell phones; they'll sit next to me chatting blissfully about anything but the game they are watching. And I cannot understand why people bring very tiny children to the Open (or to the opera or ballet, for that matter). It is too long and hot a day for youngsters to spend any time there; they don't know what is going on and they don't care.
But overall, the pleasant aspects of the day far outweigh the annoyances. It's nice to see New York's various communities coming out to support their players: lots of Japanese folks for the hard-working Japanese girls; Chinese fans cheering Mr. Lu and Ms. Li; the Jewish contingent for Mssers. Okun and Levy, and many Spanish and Russian aficianados for the numerous players who speak those beautiful languages. It's kind of a microcosm of the City.
And speaking of the City, it seldom looks better than from a twilight #7 train heading back in after the long day. The sky amazingly changed colour several times, from orange to yellow to pale purple and then to sweet baby blue which slowly darkened. The Chrysler Building, still NYC's most gorgeous sight imo, was looking its best. You feel you're living in a Woody Allen movie.
{The photos show Tian Tian Sun and Alejandro Falla.}
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