NEW YORK — It was another scorching hot day at the US Open on Tuesday, but despite the conditions and the sweat (lots and LOTS of sweat), fans were treated to another entertaining day, on and off the courts.
Caroline Wozniacki is one of the best athletes on tour, and known for her great fitness and unrelenting work ethic, so you might be a little surprised for what she credited as the inspiration for her first-round, straight-sets win over former US Open champion Sam Stosur in the intense heat.
That would be margaritas. On the beach, specifically.
“I had the ice towels and used the shade a little bit,” she told ESPN’s Brad Gilbert after the match when asked how she pulled out the win in the extreme heat. “It helped. But, to be honest with you, I imagine I’m on the beach with a margarita in hand. Life is good.”
She went on to talk about her fiancé (retired NBA forward) David Lee and his decision to wear a black shirt, and not wear a hat or sunglasses, while in the stands. One would assume, based on this level of public embarrassment, he will not be making the same decision again.
“And he’s wearing black. I guess it’s cold for him up there. I think he should buy a hat for sure.” One @CaroWozniacki with @bgtennisnation on @Dlee042 shirt style today #usopen pic.twitter.com/m9Cvuzot8t
— Andrew Jerell Jones (@sluggahjells) August 28, 2018
Sure, Serena Williams winning 23 Grand Slam titles is cool, and Roger Federer with 20 is great, but Peter Polansky might have pulled off one of the best feats in tennis history.
I know, I know, who? But just stay with me for a moment here.
The 30-year old Canadian, who is currently ranked No. 119 in the world, became the first man in the Open era to appear in all four of the year’s Grand Slam tournaments as a lucky loser. Yes, that’s right. Polansky lost in qualifying at all of the majors in 2018 but managed to sneak into the main draw after someone withdrew.
He lost to Alexander Zverev on Tuesday in three sets, but he still had the most perfect reaction to his “Lucky Loser Slam” on Twitter.
LL-SLAM COMPLETE ✌🏻PEACE OUT pic.twitter.com/dcbRSclLDv
— Peter Polansky (@PPolansky) August 24, 2018
In case you’re wondering, his luck hasn’t exactly translated in the main draw at any of the Grand Slams, as he fell to 0-4 in Queens this year, but he still might want to consider buying a lottery ticket before 2018 is up.
Despite the oppressive conditions, Naomi Osaka made quick work of Laura Siegemund on the Grandstand, advancing to the second round behind a 6-3, 6-2 victory.
Moving on…@Naomi_Osaka_ defeats Siegemund 6-3, 6-2 on Grandstand to book her place in the second round!#USOpen pic.twitter.com/ubP9oub8qd
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 28, 2018
However, while the match itself wasn’t the most memorable, the 20-year old managed to keep the media talking with another of her hilarious news conferences.
Just moments after taking the hot seat, Osaka’s phone rang. She didn’t answer, and later said it was from an unknown number. However, she did, perhaps inadvertently, help rule out some possibilities of who it might have been on the other end of the phone.
“No, I don’t have friends,” she said when asked if she still was in touch with anyone from her early days living in New York. “I moved in fourth grade. There was one girl who I remember, she was my best friend. We exchanged email addresses but never actually sent each other an email.”
If this sounds as if it might be you, and Osaka was your best friend in elementary school, please send her an email at your earliest convenience. I’m sure she hasn’t changed it since then or anything.
Taylor Fritz won his opening-round match Monday in spectacular fashion, with an epic five-set win over Mischa Zverev that lasted nearly four hours. After the victory, he appeared at his news conference rocking a personalized U.S. men’s national soccer team jersey — and the gesture did not go unnoticed.
On Tuesday, the team congratulated him on Twitter, and even posted a classic throwback of Fritz at a game in 2015.
A 𝙍𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 star for #USTennis 🇺🇸
Shout out @Taylor_Fritz97 on his epic five-set comeback at the #USOpen. pic.twitter.com/S6ZmNdPRih
— U.S. Soccer MNT (@ussoccer_mnt) August 28, 2018
From a 2015 match vs. Panama. Love when things come full circle.
Good luck tomorrow, @Taylor_Fritz97! pic.twitter.com/p3y2TxDOMB
— U.S. Soccer MNT (@ussoccer_mnt) August 28, 2018
Fritz next faces Australian Jason Kubler in the second round Wednesday. They have never played each other, but the U.S. men’s team beat Australia in its last meeting in 2010, so that has to count for something, right? (Probably not, but you never know.)
The tennis players are obviously the stars of the US Open, but there are some people behind the scenes who deserve a little share of the limelight as well. Case in point: the incredible staff on site for Wilson, which somehow strung 1,058 rackets Sunday and Monday. No, that is not a typo.
Apparently a two-day record for the team, one can only imagine what their final total will be by the end of the tournament.
New record alert🚨 Our official @USOpen stringing team strung 1,058 rackets in the past 2 days! Congrats to our incredible team! pic.twitter.com/xcsZYRqvD1
— Wilson Tennis (@WilsonTennis) August 28, 2018