Nonetheless, that doesn’t imply followers can lose their shit of their seats fully—you comply with a Visitor Code of Conduct whenever you purchase a ticket. Mainly, it’s essential “be respectful of others” and “not have interaction in thoughtless or inappropriate habits” that’s “together with, however not restricted to, utilizing foul, abusive, offensive, threatening, or inappropriate language or gestures, preventing, throwing objects, and some other habits that creates a disruptive ambiance or detrimental expertise for gamers, officers, and different friends.” In fact, whether or not or not that warrants a “SHHH!” from the officers will actually rely on how disruptive the offense is.
10. Can coaches discuss, or sign to, gamers within the stands?
Up till not too long ago, coaches couldn’t talk with gamers within the 4 main Grand Slam tourneys. (These are the key professional tennis competitions, held yearly in Australia, France, Britain, and the US, respectively.) That led to plenty of controversy in high-profile matches, together with with Serena Williams again on the 2018 Open. In her remaining loss to Naomi Osaka, the match umpire noticed Williams’s coach gesturing to her from the stands, which led to Williams receiving a code violation. In a while within the match, she smashed her racket and argued with the umpire. The mix of violations brought about Williams to obtain some extent penalty. The violations didn’t trigger her to lose the sport, per se, but it surely sparked convo concerning the previous no-coaching rule in tennis.
Beginning in 2022, the Affiliation of Tennis Professionals introduced it will begin to enable some “off-court teaching” at choose tournaments that 12 months, together with the US Open. Whereas the coach can’t come all the way down to the courtroom and stroll a participant via a fancy technique, they *can* throw out a couple of phrases or brief phrases (however not have full convos) from designated seats. They’re additionally capable of dole out nonverbal directions, like hand indicators, per the 2024 Official Grand Slam Rule E-book.
Anadolu/Getty Pictures
11. Why are there penalties for smashing a racket?
Mainly, all gamers at Grand Slam tournaments are topic to fines upwards of $100,000 for any particular person violation of “unsportsmanlike conduct,” per the rule e book. There’s nothing within the textual content that spells out racket-smashing particularly—simply “circumstances which might be flagrant and notably injurious to the success of a event, or are singularly egregious”—so it’s type of as much as officers on the match to find out how offensive a habits really is.
12. What is the cope with racket stringing?
Gamers at this 12 months’s event are allowed 5 free racket stringings per spherical. That’s a giant deal—how tightly, and with how a lot stress, it’s strung could make a significant distinction within the pace and elegance of play. Per the US Open, the much less stress on the strings, the extra energy the racket can put forth. The extra stress on them, nonetheless, the extra management and precision a participant has.
13. What’s a Honey Deuce?
Similar to the Kentucky Derby has the Mint Julep, the US Open has its personal signature cocktail: the Honey Deuce. Right here’s the backstory: Whereas at a farmer’s market, Nick Mautone, a restaurateur and mixologist, seen that honeydew melon balls bore a putting resemblance to tennis balls. So in an try to create a particular drink for the 2006 event, Mautone garnished a vodka-lemonade-raspberry liquor cocktail with the melon balls. The remainder is historical past!
