US Open: The inexplicable fascination with Court 5
The game schedules in the early phase of a Grand Slam tournament are tricky. At the US Open 2022, a small stadium gets a surprising amount of prominence.
by Jens Huiber
last edit:
Aug 31, 2022, 01:45 pm
Stan Wawrinka, there is no mistaking it, is not far from legend status. The Swiss has won three majors in his brilliant career, one of them at the US Open. It was 2016 - and Stan rocked the Arthur Ashe Stadium, most recently in the final against Novak Djokovic. Things haven't been going so well for Wawrinka lately due to a number of ailments - his game is of course still nice to look at.
The regular fan who bought tickets for the first day of the big bash at the Billie Jean National Tennis Center on Monday must have thought the same thing. Wawrinka against Corentin Moutet - that promises at least an entertaining match and deserves a court that also offers enough space for spectators. It has become Court 5. With the 4 and 6 it forms a team of three, which comes across as very ordinary compared to the show courts. And accordingly it was fully booked up to the last place.
an accident? Are you kidding me? Are you serious when you say that!
Muguruza, Hurkacz, Rublev on the small court
Because the schedule for Tuesday brought the following line-up to court 5: First of all, Garbine Muguruza, two-time Grand Slam winner. Followed by Andrey Rublev, number nine of the US Open 2022. And then Hubert Hurkacz, a Montreal finalist and a serious contender for a deep run at the last major of the year.
Those who secured their place in the small stands early on were clearly on the winning side. But the question is, of course, whether it would not have been better to accommodate the actors mentioned elsewhere. It doesn't have to be Ashe or Armstrong Stadium. But the 17, on which Dominic Thiem lost his match against Pablo Carreno Busta on Monday, can shine with a strong atmosphere.
But good: Especially at the beginning of the two Grand Slam weeks, the selection of top players is still large (at least it was before Stefanos Tsitsipas, Taylor Fritz and Simona Halep left). And with two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, Grigor Dimitrov and local hero Frances Tiafoe, Court 17 got a bit of glamour, too.
Here is the individual tableau for women
Here is the individual tableau for men
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