Tennis!!!

Unfortunately, due to last week's work responsibilities in Chicago, I missed my annual tradition of attending the US Open qualifying tournament.  Both my mom and I were very disappointed.  But at least I could keep another tradition going - a group of pals and I get tickets to the second night of the official tournament and have a great time!  We've been doing it for quite a few years now and it's always fun fun fun.

I belong to the USTA, mainly to get Tennis magazine and to have access to US Open presale tickets.  When the presale opens, I jump online to get two-for-one seats in Arthur Ashe stadium for me and four or five of my besties.  Even the years we got rained out were well worth the trip out to Flushing.  We laugh, eat fried food, drink beer, gobble ice cream, and just generally raise the roof.  In a polite way, of course.  :)

 This year's matches featured two players who aren't quite my favorites - Novak Djokovic and Viktoria Azarenka (not against each other, naturally).  While we were enjoying our dinner, I predicted to my pals that we would be home by around 11pm, figuring the matches would be routs and we'd be in and out of the stadium pretty quickly.  I was rather close in my prediction - the only reason I got home a half hour later than I predicted was because there was a delay in the trains at Roosevelt Avenue. 

Anyway, relating the evening from the start:  I took the LIRR out of Penn Station to Flushing.  I find it much nicer to take the LIRR from Manhattan instead of the 7 train - I get to sit and the ride is only about sixteen minutes.  That means I don't have to leave work quite as early to get there.  I sat next to a snorer though, so that was a little annoying and giggle-inducing at the same time.  I envy people who can fall asleep in the few minutes between their sitting down on the train and when the train pulls out of the station.  I wish I could fall asleep that quickly!  I got to Flushing Meadow early, so I found a spot in the shade and waited for my pals.  There may have been tweeting (@magicalmisstari - I can't believe I succumbed to Twitter).  We always meet at the same spot - near the Mercedes car display.  There are cars for some pals to dream about and there are photos of Roger Federer for others of us to dream about.  Something for everyone.

 

I had warned my pals that there are metal detectors at the entrance this year for the first time - I had read reports that people were standing in line for over an hour on Monday to get into the grounds, but we only stood in line for a few minutes.  I guess they worked the kinks out faster than anyone imagined, which was lovely.  We went right to the food court and tried to find an unoccupied table for four.  There didn't seem to be one, but one of my charming gal pals found a table for six that only had a couple of gents at it.  She asked and they kindly let us share their table.  After finding a seat, then we set about deciding which of the tasty, yet oh-so-bad-for-you food treats we would try.  I picked the new Low Country BBQ booth.  I got the pit-smoked turkey sandwich, with barbecue sauce on the side, along with some fries.  Pricey, but tasty.  And I'm ever so glad the USTA traded their Pepsi contract for Coke products!  Coke is the real thing!  Oh, and a heart-shaped pickle makes everything better.  Ha ha.

 

The weather was so nice and our conversation was so lively, we rather forgot to head to our seats in the stadium for the Djokovic match.  By the time we got there, the first set was almost over.  And my prediction was pretty accurate - Djokovic didn't really have to do anything special to dominate poor Berankis (though I do like the photo I got of Berankis, which is at left).  The match barely lasted ninety minutes and only featured one shirt change.  Nothing scintillating going on here.  Though, I will admit that I was happy to see Djokovic hit the post-match tennis balls up into our area of the stands (which were much closer than we usually are, but still pretty far away).  He is pretty much my least favorite male tennis player at the moment, so I felt pretty magnanimous giving him even a little credit.  ;)

 

The little lady who came out and sang "America the Beautiful" was adorable and sang nicely, though I do miss the 'regular' singing of the song and wish the American Idol-ization of every single song would STOP.  But maybe that's just me.  The second match was Viktoria Azarenka vs Dinah Pfizenmaier from Germany.  I'm not a huge fan of Azarenka and the screaming she does when she hits the ball (I was going to try to attach a video, but it wasn't working) and I admit that I have never heard of Dinah.  Dinah was maddeningly inconsistent - she would hit two fantastic serves, then hit two double faults.  She had many game points and break points, but couldn't execute on any of them.  After many promising and interesting rallies, Azarenka won 6-0, 6-0.  I don't think I've ever seen a double bagel live before.  I'll have to think on that.  The picture above right is of Azarenka.

 

So, although the tennis wasn't thrilling, the food was delicious, the weather was gorgeous and the company even MORE gorgeous.  Coterie Tennis Night was another success.  I'm headed back to the Open on Sunday, hopefully I'll see different players and more competitive matches.  And, next year, I'm going to my tennis week NO MATTER WHAT!!!!!!!!