U.S. Open Kicks Off With Naomi Osaka’s Fresh Start
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – AUGUST 30: Naomi Osaka of Japan celebrates against Marie Bouzkova (not pictured) of the Czech Republic during their Women’s Singles first round match on Day One of the 2021 US Open at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 30, 2021 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens … Continued
Sarah Stier / Getty Images
The U.S. Open is underway with plenty of fans and without a few key players.
Lines were massive for ticket holders, who were required to provide proof they had been vaccinated against COVID-19 before entering the Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, N.Y. Fans were barred from the tournament last year because of the pandemic.
But former champions Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams are not playing this year because of injuries. (Sporting News has a list of the top absences.)
One celebrity who is back and in the spotlight: Naomi Osaka. She was off to a good start yesterday following a public pledge to “try to celebrate myself and my accomplishments more, I think we all should.”
Former U.S. Open champion Andy Murray was off to a rockier start, losing to No. 3 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas and blasting Tsitsipas’ extended bathroom breaks during the match.
“It’s just disappointing because I feel it influenced the outcome of the match,” Murray said. “I think he’s great for the game. But I have zero time for that stuff at all, and I lost respect for him.”
This story originally published in the Morning Edition live blog.
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