Venus Williams receives a wild-card entry with Reilly Opelka to play mixed doubles at the U.S. Open
The 45-year-old Williams, who returned to the tennis tour after more than a year away, and Opelka were among the 14 teams announced by the U.S. Tennis Association for its mixed doubles event on Aug. 19-20.
Eight of the pairings received direct entry into the field based on having the highest combined current singles rankings, and six were given wild cards by the USTA.
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Novak Djokovic withdraws from the Cincinnati Open and will head to the US Open without preparation
CINCINNATI -- CINCINNATI (AP) — Novak Djokovic pulled out of the Cincinnati Open on Monday for what officially was listed as a 'non-medical' reason, meaning he will head to the U.S. Open without having played a match in about 1 1/2 months. The 24-time Grand Slam champion hasn't competed since losing in the Wimbledon semifinals to eventual champion Jannik Sinner on July 11. That straight-set defeat against Sinner at the All England Club came two days after the 38-year-old Djokovic took what he described as a 'nasty' and 'awkward' fall in the last game of his quarterfinal victory. Djokovic clearly was compromised against Sinner and unable to move at his best; he received treatment on his upper left leg from a trainer. Djokovic's withdrawal from Cincinnati follows his decision to sit out the Toronto Masters that concludes this week. He cited a groin injury for that absence. His previous event before Wimbledon was the French Open, where he also lost to Sinner in the semifinals. Djokovic will have no hard-court tournament preparation before the U.S. Open singles competition begins on Aug. 24. He has won four championships at Flushing Meadows, most recently in 2023. That was also his most recent Grand Slam trophy.
Eater
4 hours ago
- Eater
U.S. Open 2025: What to Eat During the Big Tennis Tournament in Queens
The U.S. Open is nearly here. Come late August and early September, tennis fans will gather at the sprawling USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, Queens, to cheer on their favorite tennis players, potentially like defending champions Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka, as well as Venus Williams, Novak Djokovic, Taylor Fritz, Coco Gauff, and others. And since so many people will be flocking to Queens for all things tennis, Eater is here to help you figure out what and where you should eat and drink. Choose among plenty of big-name chefs operating pop-up restaurants, familiar New York City food businesses, and plentiful cocktails and wines. First-time restaurants to the U.S. Open dining grounds include New Jersey Italian Japanese restaurant Pasta Ramen and José Andrés's Manhattan Mexican restaurant Oyamel. Then there's returning favorites like fancy chicken nuggets and caviar-slinging Coqodaq, the socially minded Migrant Kitchen, and chefs Kwame Onwuachi and Masaharu Morimoto. (Alas, no churros so far, so you can't reenact that Challengers scene.) The U.S. Open takes place from Sunday, August 24, through Sunday, September 7. Before that, there's the U.S. Open Fan Week from Monday, August 18 to Saturday, August 23, which is open to the public for free, where people can watch the exciting Open Mixed Doubles Championship. Coco Gauff at the U.S. Open in 2024. Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images Where to Eat at the U.S. Open The best of the food options at the tennis tournament grounds. Oyamel at Dobel Tequila Club The tequila brand tagged José Andrés's new Mexican restaurant Oyamel to cook at its U.S. Open bar. Expect porky tacos with cochinita and chilorio, alongside cocktails. Location: Arthur Ashe Stadium, near the President's Entry The Montclair, New Jersey restaurant is making its U.S. Open debut with its wafu Italian specialties by chef Robbie Relice. The Japanese Italian menu will include the temomi shrimp scampi ramen, made with ponzu and garlic. Locations: The New York Post reports that the restaurant will pop up at random sites on the grounds during the tournament. Empanadas from the Migrant Kitchen. The Migrant Kitchen The NYC restaurant is focused on feeding New Yorkers, where a portion of its proceeds — including this tennis restaurant — funds its initiative. The menu highlights its blend of Middle Eastern and Latin American dishes. Expect chicken mole bowls; empanadas with chicken tinga or mushroom-spinach-cheese; a braised beef sandwich; falafel bowls; and hazelnut doughnuts. There are vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. Locations: Food Village; Louis Armstrong Stadium main concourse The CQDQ food stall in the Food Village will offer those nuggets alongside the new crispy chicken sandwiches and sides. The Arthur Ashe club level location won't have those sandwiches, but it'll have the fancier nuggets paired with caviar. Locations: Food Village; Arthur Ashe Stadium club level Aces This on-site restaurant operates only during the U.S. Open with a bunch of notable chefs on board. Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto will be offering sushi, naturally (his New Jersey restaurant will have just opened too by then). Caribbean chef superstar chef Kwame Onwuachi will be cooking as well. The two chefs will collaborate on the Laotian wagyu rib-eye skewers with maitake mushrooms and a pineapple chile jam. And then chef Ed Brown will serve seafood dishes too, such as jumbo lump crab cakes. There will be vegan and vegetarian options. Keep in mind it's only open to people who have Courtside Box and Luxury Suite tickets. Reservations are required. Location: Arthur Ashe Stadium, Club Level, Near Gate 4 Summers are for lobster rolls, especially from the Brooklyn seafood restaurant. In addition to the ones available in the Connecticut and Maine styles, there is also a lobster BLT, fish and chips, fish sandwiches, lobster fries, shrimp citrus salad, and more. Locations: Food Village, Louis Armstrong Stadium upper concourse The New York taqueria chain will serve up tacos, burritos, and bowls with fillings like carnitas, pollo asado, and vegetables, alongside loaded nachos, queso, and guacamole. Locations: Food Village; Grandstand Food Village A Neapolitan pie from San Matteo. San Matteo The Upper East Side pizzeria will be slinging its Neapolitan-style pies with toppings like the margherita-pepperoni and the prosciutto, plus the option to add fresh burrata. There are vegetarian, vegan, and dairy-free options. Locations: Food Village; Grandstand Food Village; Arthur Ashe Stadium loge on the promenade Gates 25 and 36; and Louis Armstrong Stadium main and upper concourses Celebrity chef Josh Capon is bringing two outposts of his seafood restaurant within a private members club to the tennis grounds. Expect East and West coast oysters, Bay scallop ceviches, lobster rolls, shrimp cocktails, and crab cakes. There are gluten-free options. Locations: Between Court 7 and the Grandstand; Arthur Ashe Stadium club level at Gate 4 This outpost of the classic New York restaurant is the best for out-of-towners who don't have the bandwidth to explore outside of the U.S. Open grounds. There are hot pastrami sandwiches, hot dogs, and cheesecake. Location: Food Village The growing New York ice cream company will be offering up scoops of its frozen sweets in cones, cups, and milkshakes. It'll offer an exclusive flavor too — the honeycomb fudge slam, where the sweet cream ice cream is studded with honeycomb candies and fudge swirls. There are vegan and dairy-free options. Locations: Backyard x 17, Food Village, outside Louis Armstrong Stadium, the stadium's main concourse, Arthur Ashe Stadium loge on the promenade level's east and west sections U.S. Open attendees at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in the rest of the dining options One of the men's singles matches at the U.S. Open in to Drink at the U.S. Open The Italian coffee brand will churn out many caffeinated options, from iced coffees to cappuccinos to cold brews to boozy espresso martinis. Location: Grandstand Food Village and Food Village Get spritzes and small plates from the apertivo brand's bars and carts. Food-wise, there are vegetarian and gluten-free options. Where to find it: Multiple places Draft beers from the Dutch brewery brand, including light and nonalcoholic versions. There's also the Heineken Red Star Patio Cafe with food and desserts. Locations: Multiple places U.S. Open attendees lounging outside the Arthur Ashe Stadium in the rest of the drinking options Baseline Cocktails (Court 11 and near Court 7) Dobel Tequila (multiple locations) Grey Goose Bars and Carts (the vodka brand is offering the Honey Deuce cocktail with a melon ball garnish, which is (the vodka brand is offering the Honey Deuce cocktail with a melon ball garnish, which is very Severance of them ; multiple locations) Moët & Chandon Bar (Champagne, wines, and mimosas; near Arthur Ashe Stadium and various Champagne carts throughout the grounds) Open Bar (cocktails, wines, spritzes, beers, wraps, sandwiches, snacks; multiple locations) Racquet Bar (cocktails and wines by the glass; terrace outside the Arthur Ashe Stadium) Terrace Bar (main level of Louis Armstrong) Wine Cart (outside Arthur Ashe Stadium) Where to Eat and Drink Nearby in Queens The borough is chock-full of amazing dining options. Where to Eat and Drink Elsewhere in New York City Hop on the subway and explore the rest of NYC. A sunset at the Arthur Ashe Stadium during the U.S. Open 2024. Kena Betancur/AFP via Getty Images Things to Know While Attending the U.S. Open The Queens tennis grounds include the iconic Arthur Ashe Stadium, the Louis Armstrong Stadium, and the Grandstand Stadium, as well as several courts. So, yes, wear comfortable shoes to walk around and get to and from the matches. Per the wonderful Queens summer sports tradition of baseball meets tennis, the New York Mets will be playing home games at the nearby Citi Field from Monday, August 25, through Sunday, August 31. Take the 7 train to witness the swarm of sports fans splitting off to either the stadium or the tennis grounds. It'll be hot — hydrate and wear sunscreen. And bring a light layer if it gets chillier in the evenings. No glass containers or outside booze. Metal and plastic water bottles are okay. People can bring in only one bag — no backpacks or coolers — that is 12 inches by 12 inches by 16 inches. Drawstring bags are okay. No on-site businesses will accept cash — there are loadable card machines on the grounds dubbed reverse ATMs. Eater NY All your essential food and restaurant intel delivered to you Email (required) Sign Up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
New York Times
5 hours ago
- New York Times
‘Game, Set, Matchmaker'? The U.S. Open Gets Into the Dating Game.
Last week, the United States Tennis Association made an unexpected announcement. The U.S. Open, one of the sport's four Grand Slam tournaments, will be inserting itself in the saturated world of reality show dating. The announcement raised a few eyebrows and set off widespread online chatter that is best encapsulated on Instagram by the professional tennis player and U.S. Open contender, Donna Vekic, who said: 'Wait what?' According to a statement from the U.S.T.A., the tournament will host its own reality series, set at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens. The eight-episode series, called 'Game, Set, Matchmaker,' will be filmed the week before the event begins in late August. It will air on YouTube during the tournament. The bachelorette at the center of the series is Ilana Sedaka, a 'tennis-savvy' 24-year-old former figure skating champion and Pilates teacher, who was born and raised in Long Island and now lives in Miami. She will be matched with seven men, and will go on dates which will include playing games and exploring the tennis center. A contestant will be sent home at the end of each episode. 'My hope is to bring a little joy, a little chaos, and a whole lot of realness to the court,' Ms. Sedaka said in a news release. The U.S.T.A. did not divulge how Ms. Sedaka was chosen or share any details on the male contestants. The decision to film a dating show — and the sponsorships it drew from Dobel Tequila and Moët & Chandon — illustrates that, at the end of the day, 'sports is a business,' said Marsha-Gaye Knight, an assistant professor at the Preston Robert Tisch Institute for Global Sport at New York University. Ms. Knight added that 'sport and culture are very intertwined,' whether that's tennis, basketball or football. 'Let's be honest, a lot of people watch tennis because Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are there,' she said. The basketball star Stephen Curry, the actress Tina Fey and Vogue's global editorial director, Anna Wintour, all attended the U.S. Open last year. The other Grand Slams, which are held in London, Paris and Melbourne, Australia, consistently draw their own star-studded audiences too. And celebrity fashion choices at the games become social media catnip for their fans, Ms. Knight said. At a moment when shows like the 'Love Island' franchises, 'The Bachelor' and 'Love Is Blind' seem to have overtaken cultural conversation, putting on a dating show is an attempt by the U.S.T.A. to bolster the sport's cultural cachet beyond tennis purists. 'We are trying to attract an entirely new audience, reaching fans at the intersection of tennis, pop culture and entertainment,' a spokesman for the association said in an emailed statement. The U.S.T.A. has also been trying to boost participation in tennis. According to research conducted by the association, 1 in 12 Americans — about 26 million people — played tennis in 2024, which is the highest it has been in five years. That makes it among the most popular sports in the United States; recent research found that 28 million Americans play basketball and just over 15 million play baseball. Despite that level of participation, professional tennis still draws a far smaller viewing audience than football and basketball in the United States, according to a recent market research report, and Gen Z, Ms. Knight added, simply isn't watching sports on television as much as previous generations. 'The U.S. Open realizes that for them to appeal to new audiences and tap into new sectors, they have to go where audiences are,' she said. 'Audiences are no longer chasing sports, we have to now chase our audiences.' Not all tennis fans, however, were excited by news of the dating show, with some noting that it disrespects the game and turns the U.S. Open into a gimmicky tournament. The overarching reaction, though, was confusion. Some on social media pointed out that the show seemed to nod at themes from 'Challengers,' the critically acclaimed 2024 film which stared Zendaya, Mike Faist and Josh O'Connor as professional tennis players entangled in a steamy love triangle, which only added a layer of intrigue. 'I don't get this,' Savannah Guthrie, a host of NBC's 'Today,' said in a Friday morning broadcast, before offering to host the series. 'I don't understand. Do you have to be into tennis?'
