KEEP QUIET! NADAL TELLS SPECTATORS
New York, Aug. 30: Rafael Nadal has conquered the French Open 10 times and battled career-threatening knee and wrist injuries, but his greatest challenge awaits him — telling rowdy New Yorkers to be quiet.
The world no. 1 and two-time US Open champion took his first-round record at the season’s concluding Grand Slam to 13-0 on Tuesday with a 7-6 (6), 6-2, 6-2 win over Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic.
But with torrential rain lashing the Flushing Meadows site, the roof on the showpiece Arthur Ashe Stadium was shut, creating a giant echo-chamber for the boisterous crowd of 24,000 beneath.
“Being honest, it (the noise) is a little bit too much,” said the 31-yearold Spaniard, whose Grand Slam collection of 15 titles includes the 2010 and 2013 US Open crowns.
“The energy and support of the crowd is massive. I enjoy it and I have unforgettable memories from this tournament and this court, because the energy is different from in other places.
“But at the same time, under the roof, it’s too much noise. I was not able to hear the ball when hitting. I understand it’s a show, but under the roof we need to be a little bit more strict about the noise. All the noise stays inside, and this is difficult.”
Nadal’s complaints echoed similar concerns made by Andy Murray last year when the huge $150 million roof over the world’s biggest tennis stadium was rolled into action for the first time.
Murray, the 2012 champion, claimed that when the rain was bouncing off the outside of the roof, it was impossible to hear line calls inside.
Even the umpire in that match appealed to spectators to cut the volume, a desperate and often futile appeal during the tournament’s famed night sessions when the alcohol-fueled atmosphere is not for the meek.