By Dylan Butler
Deloise McKeever couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate her birthday, so for a second straight year the Alexandria, Va. native bought herself tickets to the US Open.
What can be better than celebrating your birthday with 29,000 of your best friends?
“That is a wonderful idea, isn’t it?”
McKeever took the No. 7 train with her daughter Shanara from her Woodside apartment to attend opening day of the US Open Monday at the National Tennis Center.
While waiting for her daughter, who was watching a match on Court 10, McKeever took to people watching while she sat facing the Unisphere.
“I love it. There’s a lot of different people, different cultures. Everybody’s so open and friendly, it’s really nice,” McKeever said. “It’s a two-year tradition.”
McKeever wasn’t the only one making a return appearance at the Open, the last of tennis’ Grand Slam tournaments.
Wayne Newton (no, not that Wayne Newton) was making his 31st straight appearance, including all 25 years at Flushing Meadows. But it was the first time the resident of Hartford, Conn. attended Opening Day.
“I liked Forest Hills, too, but they’ve really done a lot to improve this location,” Newton said. “I like the fact there are three major stadiums to go along with all the side court activity.”
Newton was one of many fans who skipped the stadium matches to check out the action on the smaller, more intimate outer courts.
“One of the nice things about the outer courts is you get a lot closer to the action, and you get a much greater sense of the velocity of the ball and the intensity of the players,” he said. “When you're in Arthur Ashe stadium, you’re so far from the action it’s sort of like looking through binoculars.”
Lisa Lewicki wasn’t concerned that the only household name to be on the schedule Monday was former women’s champ Lindsey Davenport.
The Manhattanite returned for her third straight Opening Day, following in her father’s footsteps, who attended his 20th straight year.
“I work for my parents who are also here, so it works out well,” she said as her friend Matt Seiff attempted to give a drink of water to Tennisaurus, a sculpture made by Nellie Lou Slagle from the Carnegie Museum of Natural History that stood outside Arthur Ashe Stadium.
As fans walked around the grounds, some stopping to watch the on-court action on a large video screen and others following the scores on a new match information board, they were entertained by a Calypso band.
A jazz band provided background music for diners at the packed food court where fans were able to choose from a variety of different cuisines, from Japanese to Jamaican to French.
While fans seemed to enjoy the variety, the prices brought about a much different reaction.
A grilled chicken sandwich went for $8.75 while a cheeseburger cost $7.75. For those with an Asian persuasion, beef and broccoli stir fry went for $10.75. The most expensive items were the mile-high triple-decker special of the day for $18.50, while the shrimp and lobster salad at the Fulton Seafood booth cost $18.
Those looking to cool down with a soothing frozen drink shelled out $7 for a pina colada.
“The prices are unbelievably high and I really miss the foot-long hot dogs that they used to do,” said Karen Lynch, a native of Ireland who lives in the Bronx. “When I was here in ’96, the first time I went four or five different days it seemed to be a little bit better organized, friendlier and smaller. It’s gotten very, very, very commercial. I only come out once or twice, when in the old days I went out as often as I could.”
Early on, security guard confiscated food from arriving fans at gates, but after protesting fans pitched a fit the USTA lifted its ban at around 1 p.m.
“The fans spoke, and we responded,” said USTA vice president David Newman in a published report. “We always strive to create a fan-friendly environment.”
Reach Associate Sports Editor Dylan Butler by email at TimesLedger@aol.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 143.
