Swiatek says she feels more comfortable playing on Grandstand than Arthur Ashe
Polish tennis player Iga Swiatek said she feels comfortable playing on the Grandstand court in New York, United States, rather than on the US Open’s main arena, Arthur Ashe Stadium. In the third round of the tournament, she defeated Czech player Marie Bouzkova 7:6 (3), 7:6 (3), Channel NewsAsia reports.
A smaller arena and less noise
Arthur Ashe Stadium, which holds nearly 24,000 spectators, is the tournament’s largest arena and one of the noisiest tennis venues. Grandstand, where Swiatek played Bouzkova, holds slightly more than 8,000 fans.
The eighth-seeded player said that the atmosphere at Arthur Ashe is sometimes too lively. According to her, Grandstand has fewer screens, and the court size feels more familiar. Swiatek also noted that it is not easy to play at Arthur Ashe because the court appears small compared with the large green space around it.
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Cobolli's comment
Swiatek is not the only one who finds the large arenas at Flushing Meadows too noisy. Italian Flavio Cobolli, after losing to Belgian Alexander Blockx at Louis Armstrong Stadium, said that the noise level at the US Open differs from the conditions players are used to on tour.
Cobolli lost to Blockx 6:7 (4), 6:3, 6:0, 6:3. He noted that tennis players usually play in silence, when spectators do not move around or talk, but stressed that he was not explaining his defeat by the noise.
