At the US Open, tennis players are grumbling about the boisterous fans.
“It’s just, like, noisy,” remarked Nick Kyrgios. I cannot hear my team at all.
Matteo Berrettini of Italy claimed that spectators moved too much during games.
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The US Open is notorious for its rowdy environment, which some tennis players enjoy while others dislike.
Coco Gauff described the noise at Arthur Ashe Stadium during her fourth-round victory on Sunday as “surreal.” However, many of her contemporaries, including Matteo Berrettini and Nick Kyrgios, disagree.
Kyrgios alleged that a spectator was smoking marijuana in the stands after he defeated his opponent in the second round of their match last month.
“Point in, point out, I can hardly hear, and half the time I can’t even hear my own squad due to the constant noise.”
Danka Kovini of Montenegro, who was eliminated by Serena Williams in the first round, has also complained about the noise.
“It was extremely loud,” Kovini stated following the loss. Everyone told me that this is possibly the noisiest tennis court, and at times it was quite loud.
For some players, the primary difficulty during matches has been the loudness, while for others it has been the crowd’s movement about the stadium.
Matteo Berrettini is one of several who have complained about the US Open’s loud fans.
Getty/Mike Stobe
Matteo Berrettini, the 13th seed in the men’s tournament, stated last week after defeating Andy Murray of Great Britain in the third round, “We play for four hours, and half of that time is spent waiting for people to sit down.”
“It was a diversion,” he continued. “You’re ready to serve, but you must wait an additional 20 to 25 seconds because customers are seated.
“I understand because it’s a very large stadium and it’s not easy. Obviously, these individuals purchased tickets. They desire to take their seats. But I believe we should begin playing immediately. So much time will be lost if we wait for everyone every time.”
“I simply feed off” the cacophony, says Gauff.
Coco Gauff at the French Open in 2022.
Photo by: AP/Christopher Ena
Gauff defeated Zhang Shuai 7-5, 7-5 in the round of 16 on Sunday to advance to the quarterfinals, where she will meet Caroline Garcia of France on Tuesday.
The 18-year-old American compared the atmosphere at Arthur Ashe Stadium to that of an NBA game following her triumph over Zhang.
On the 6-5 changeover, spectators yelled, “Let’s go, Coco”; she was unable to suppress a smile.
“I was thinking, ‘I’ve got to stay in the zone.’ On the inside, I was attempting not to smile.”
“This is a unique aspect of tennis,” she added. “When you go to a football or NBA game, the crowd chants the team’s name. This is fantastic as a player.”
“The fact that the entire crowd is shouting your name is something I will not take for granted.”
When asked if she found the noisy audience bothersome, she responded no, but added that she understands why others could feel that way.
“I believe it depends on the player, but for me, it helps me more because I feed off of it,” she said. I mean, some players enjoy a more laid-back, easygoing atmosphere.”
“If anyone has watched me play, they know that I enjoy getting hyped up. The New York crowd appears to enjoy it as well.”