Serena vs. Sharapova set for prime time
NEWYORK(AP) » Serena Williams vs. Maria Sharapova is, not surprisingly, getting primetime billing at the U.S. Open.
The two tennis stars’ 22nd career meeting — and first at Flushing Meadows — will be the opening act in Arthur Ashe Stadium for the night session on Monday as the year’s last Grand Slam tournament gets started.
“Of course I’m going to watch it. I know you all are going to watch it. I think everyone in New York is going to watch it,” defending champion and No. 1 seed Naomi Osaka said Friday. “Yeah, I mean, for me, I’m not that surprised that that happened, because, like, at every Grand Slam, there is always some sort of drama. You know what I mean? Like a first round. Like, ‘Oh, my God!’”
The U.S. Tennis Association announced the showcourt schedules for both Day 1 and Day 2.
That includes 15-yearold Coco Gauff in action at Louis Armstrong Stadium on Tuesday.
The first match in the main stadium Monday will be French Open champion Ash Barty against Zarina Diyas, followed by defending men’s champion and No. 1 seed Novak Djokovic against Roberto Carballes Baena.
Then at night, WilliamsSharapova will be followed by 20- time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer against qualifier Sumit Nagal.
Williams owns 23 major singles trophies, while Sharapova has five. Both have been ranked No. 1. They’ve met at every other major tournament at least once, including in a final at each, but never before at the U. S. Open. Williams has won 18 matches in a row against Sharapova, and leads their overall series 19-2.
In Louis Armstrong Stadium on Monday, the day slate includes Williams’ older sister, two-time U. S. Open champion Venus, 2016 runner-up Karolina Pliskova and No. 5 seed Daniil Medvedev, while the night program features threetime major champ Stan Wawrinka and 2017 U. S. Open runner-up Madison Keys.
Tuesday’s participants in Ashe include Osaka and two-time French Open finalist Dominic Thiem during the af ternoon, with 18- time major title winner Rafael Nadal and 2017 U. S. Open champion Sloane Stephens in action at night.
In addition to Gauff’s first-round match against Anastasia Potapova, Day 2 in Armstrong will include two-time major champion Simona Halep and Australian Open semifinalist Stefanos Tsitsipas in the afternoon, along with two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka and the combustible Nick Kyrgios against American Steve Johnson at night. RULES RECAP
In an effort to avoid the sort of confusion that reigned over last year’s U.S. Open final between Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka, the U.S. Tennis Association wants to make the sport’s rules — and chair umpires’ rulings — clearer to on-site spectators and TV viewers.
So when a player is warned by an official about a code violation — getting coaching during a match, say, or destroying a racket — that will be displayed on the scoreboard.
“It’s not a constant marker there,” U. S. Open chief umpire Jake Garner said Friday. “It’s just when the violation occurs, it will show up on the board at the moment it’s given.”
The USTA decided against allowing match officials speak to the media after a contest involving controversy or questions, but Garner or tournament referee Soeren Friemel — both are new appointees — might be made available.
Two other rules tweaks this year: The excessive heat rule will allow for 10- minute breaks for all men’s or women’s matches, whether or not they already were in progress when the weather reached a point of being dangerous to players; women can now only have one bathroom or change- of- clothing break per three- set match, not two.