Gaël Monfils played his first US Open 2021 match on Day 2 at Court 17. The fun loving player is being loved back from all of us.
Archive for August, 2021
The flag vendor
So, the US Open tennis 2021 is underway and vendors come in doves as well, selling from bottled water ($3 for a spring or $5 for two) to flags. I’m bit of surprised to see the Japanese and Korean flags but not Chinese. The sweet lady said, she’ll get me one 🙂 all in good spirit. Thank you.
An update: the sweet lady did get Chinese flags when I returned on Thursday. The Program stand is still doing a brisk business: Program + daily for $20, $5 for a daily alone and $20 for a poster). Thought the program and daily could be replaced by smartphone, unless you would like it as a souvenir.
The bottled water, sells by the street vendors this summer:
- $1 on Brooklyn Bridge
- $2 at Yankee
- $3 for a bottle or $5 for two at US Open
- $5 at AMC Fresh Meadows 7 plus sales tax
Ashlyn Krueger, 2004
US Open 2021, Day 2. Court 11, willowy Ashlyn Krueger (2004-; prize win $8,713) is playing Anna Karolína Schmiedlová from Slovakia. Two AKs, -:). Krueger lost 7-5, 63-77ith , 6-3. I saw her teaming up with Robin Montgomery (2004-; prize money $8,493), in an American women’s doubles match on Court 4 two days later, winning the first round of women’s over A. Muhammad and Jessica Pegula. 6-2 and 7-6. The pair lost their second round to Leylah Fernandez and Erin Routliffe 2-6 and 2-6.
Krueger lost her girls singles in the second round (1st round she got a bye), losing to P. Marcinko in three. The pair, Krueger and Montgomery got a bye in the first round and won their second round, defeating J. Garcia and M. Mutavdzic 6-4, 6-1.
Her singles match on Day 2
Ashlyn Krueger and Robin Montgomery on Court 6, Day 4, the first round of women’s doubles.
US Open, 2021
A great photo of Serena who’s absent at the Open; seen on FB
US Open began yesterday, August 30, ending next Sunday, Sept 12. The prize is $57.5 million and the two singles winners take home $2,500,000 each, little less than 2020, $3 mil.
I got my day session (#3) ticket to Ashe at the window (ticket/box office), $44 (TicketMaster adds $5 per ticket service fee and $2.95 order processing fee) today. It’s cheaper than the ground pass which is at $65. To buy a day in advance or before the start of the match, $25 would do. Some ticket prices in 2013.
Gates opening time varies. On the first day, a huge crowd was gathered to get in and someone tweeted that a woman fainting, but I never encountered any lines on my days there. Actually, on my evening session, I got in way before 6pm. The parking isn’t as clear as Citifield’s.
The most talked about topic this year is bathroom breaks: Stefanos Tsitsipas (1998-) taking multiple 8 minutes bathroom break during his first round match, defeating Andy Murray (espn, WaPo, People, SportingNews …).
The perks: Amex, Chase and Benz all have their hangouts. Amex has Centurion Suite and the Lounge (photos above, is smaller than previous years), with a few booths to dispense their radios. Chase has one at the main building where we check in to play tennis. It required a sign up and reserve but my two reservations never materialized: Day 4 was on a waitlist and Day 9 never came. Benz had display room only inside. The outside of the gate one is gone.
Although I never encounter any lines to get in but I though USTA should or could offer wrist band for covid-19 vaccine proof, to reduce the among of work they’ve to do each time we go because many of us are multiple day attendees.
Day 2: I parked at Skyview (got hair cut too) and walked the Roosevelt Avenue pathway 5.2 miles for the day. The commuter lot is closed for the first four days. It reopens to commuters this Friday, at the usual rate $5.
Watched Barty at Ashe, Gaël Monfils at Court 17, and a young American, 17 years old Ashlyn Krueger (2004-), who lost to Anna Karolína Schmiedlová in three sets. Her prize winning is only $8,713.
Day 2, Tue 8.31 @ Ashe, $44 (Sec 317, row R), first round
- Barty
- Ashlyn Krueger
- Gaël Monfils
Day 4 Thur, Sept 2, 2nd round; $32.95; LIRR
- Jenson Brooksby defeat Taylor Fritz @ Grandstand
- Sock def Bublik @ Court 5
- Ashlyn Krueger/Montgomery def Pegula/Muhammad @ Court 4
- Coco Gauff/McNally def Carla Suárez Navarro/Errani @ #17
- Karolína Plíšková def Amanda Anisimova @ Ashe
Day 9, Tue Sept 7 @ Armstrong $135;
- Giuliana Olmos/M. Arévalo def E. Perez/M. Demoliner
- Stosur/Zhang def Dolehide/Sanders
- Pegula/Krajicek def Guarachi/Skupski
- Johnson/Querrey def Tecau/Krawletz
Day 11, Thur Sept 9 @ Armstrong, $0
- Johnson/Querrey lost to #4 R. Ram/J. Salisbury
- #8 J Peers n F Polasek lost to #7 Jamie Murray/B Soares
- #1 Shingo Kunieda
def Casey Ratzlaff 
6:1, 6:0 - Tom Egberink lost to Gordon Reid
The bathrooms are always well stocked, and what you can and can’t bring in with you.
The Ashleigh Barty Vera Zvonareva match was pretty boring, until Barty failed for serve out at 5:3. The second set went to tie break. After the match I spotted Vera Zvonareva got on the stationary bike. Looking over, is the New York Hall of Science, with the rocket park.
The K9s German shepherds, aren’t they handsome?! And the Mets dog too
The fashion is as usual, great to watch too. But I always miss the best dressers.
… and the uniform: on the first day, Sloane Stephens def Madison Keys – they wore the same outfits. Theirs, clearly set the tone for this Open.
more …
- the flag lady and the vendors
- Maria Sakkari the guangong 关公
… and the final,
Emma Raducanu and Daniil Medvedev won the Final.
Med wrote: “Imagine being 18, playing in your 4th pro event, winning only a 25k before and now being @usopen champ! Incredible. @EmmaRaducanu”
Yes, her run is incredible. Hope she can keep up the pace.
22+ min for 1,000 yard
Under 23 minutes for a 1,000 yards is probably my best timing for now. And the one I would like to maintain.
I signed up at Michael Tully pool when the Whitney Pond closed last Friday, August 20 because the kids/lifeguards are returning to school.
The area to the left, used to be a diving pool. The water slide was added around 2008 renovation, which jacked up water temperature. The re-structure was more for the politicians gaining vote than practical, imho: bugs are seen everywhere; water temperature are pre-set, unchangeable, they’re either too hot or too cold. Unbelievable! What happened to the adjustable shower faucets?
People taking their swimming pretty serious: the bags lining up in the morning, to beat the opening which is at 9am.
On Monday, as I was doing my laps in free style, an old Asian man cut right in front of me to get out. I thought that’s pretty rude. He has all the time to leave while I was away but he chose not to. I had stopped abrupt to avoid collusion. He said, “I’m sorry” a couple of times.
Shouldn’t the lifeguard blow his whistle to warn the swimmers? The gym is still there, so is the sauna and steam room.
On Wednesday another Asian man got into the pool without letting me know, as again, I was doing free laps. After seeing him, I stopped, to say, I take one side and he should take the other side. When I was done, I told him, next time, please make sure I know you’re coming in, to avoid any collusion.
“No English.”
I called the lifeguard and the manager came to explain … got his granddaughter to translate… He felt the lane was only one swimmer but that was NOT the issue. Gosh, people have their own thought and don’t listen or refuse to listen. How can we communicate and solve problem?
Today a guy got in and said, “my board was there …” when it was NOT: when I got in, the pool was empty. He was nowhere to be seen. How could his board was there?
… and the bugs in the shower stalls …
An irresponsbile manager
I swim at the Whitney Pond park swimming pool and find the manager is incompetent and irresponsible.
First, it’s the opening date, the daily hours and how I finally got my seasonal pass.
Late opening: they’re often late to open. I sometimes walk in with the lifeguards. Some times they ran pass me… I and one other female swimmer always beating their doors and often times, the lifeguards have not arrived yet. So the pool isn’t open by 9am.
The manager didn’t see it’s her duty to make sure the life guards arrive on time so they can open on time. Instead, she lectured me, “It’s the regulation that pool can’t not open without the lifeguards.” Several times, even the life guards would run over to her to say, “We’re ready. She can swim now.”
I totally understand there are rules govern the pool and without lifeguards, we shouldn’t swim. BUT the point here is NOT about regulation, IT IS about her inability to manage.
Can you be responsible, JUST once?
I feel the sensible thing to do and say is, make sure the guards arrive on time and say to us, “I’m sorry.”
Of course, she’s always right, never wrong nor responsible. IF she’s a such rule stickler, such as mask, then why can’t she open her pool on time?!?
This is a neighborhood pool, a little common sense and courtesy won’t hurt, will it? We’re neighbors, not your enemy.
Oh … there are more … the short two months, the toilets in women’s locker room overflowing twice, at least – I don’t go every day. A boy looks to be 5 or 6 yeas with two adult female in women’s locker room who keeps looking at me. That, made me very uncomfortable. When I complained, they just laughed.
1km in 24 min
Uhooo I did 40 laps/1000 yards in about 24 minutes (July 27 was 27 min): this is an improvement, but again, I have more of my limbs back.
The bathroom, however, is terrible. I was the first one using it – notice the dry floor. But the two drainages are dirty and two toilets are out of order.
My swimming gears: TYR bathing suit/cap, Friendly Swede goggles
My new goggles, $22 for two, designed by the Swedes but made in China. Each goggle has a hard shell plastic box and two extra bridges. They’re pretty good – I’m still using it in 2024
Since Katie Ledecky signed up with TYR (The name TYR is a reference to the Norse god Týr), I’ve been using its gear – swimming suit since. And it’s pretty good too.
The following three TYR bathing suits, from L: 2021, 2023, 2024. I purchased them all on Amazon, and realized that each bathing suit’s seller is different, so is the product. The Blue/yellow lasted more than two years; the green about 6 months – how terrible!! I’ll wait and see the solid blue which I purchased on 2024.2.20.
Korda Inc
Petr Korda (1968-) and his cubs [呲牙] The skinny guy from the 1980s or 1990s, managed to produce three robust kids ☀️ must be the Florida sun 🌞: Jessica (1993-), Nelly (1998-) and Sebastian (2000-).
捷克皮包骨在佛罗里达生了3个健壮的娃 [调皮][OK]
Petr Korda was the first wave of tennis players from the Eastern Block during the weaning years of USSR. He’s from Czechoslovakia, which split in 1993, into Czech and Slovak.
I watched him up close one year at the Hampton Open (?) out of Long Island. He wasn’t the one we went to see but the featured player, either Jimmy Connors or Michael Chang pulled out of tourney. So the skinny kid stepped in.
Festivities at Whitney Pond
There is a huge crowds at the park when I got there at close to 6pm. Cars are parked outside, which is never seen before. The head count today, till me, is 177! That’s a record. Probably due to the fest. The algae at the pond is filled to the brim.
