US open 2011

Yes I did have a chance to see the US open this time but it was a very different kind of experience.

After spending time, in Santa Barbara and Miami our next destination was New Jersey where Anu lives. As hubby dear is a great Tennis fan (he also plays Tennis) we had decided that we would see the US open match in Flushing Meadows this time. Anand had arranged tickets for one of the semi finals match on 10th of September in Arthur Ashe Stadium.

At that time we did not know as to whose match we are going to see and we were wanting to see Roger Federer or Rafeal Nadal and were keeping our fingers crossed as to whom we will see.

We never knew that Rain God had different plans for us and the whole schedule would become very chaotic due to heavy rains.

We ventured to go on 10th evening to Flushing Meadows to watch the match after seeing the Liberty of Statue from New Jersey side. It was raining on the way and Anu was driving in the rains and the traffic. We were in touch with my friend Saroja who was informing about the condition of the court by watching TV. By the time we reached Flushing Meadows Saroja informed us that the match has been abandoned. So we directly went to her house to stay over night.

Anu returned back as she had hospital duty (she was also supposed to see the match with us). Next day we went to the stadium with Saroja to see if they would allow us to see the match with the tickets with us.

The weather was beautiful and the atmosphere inside the Arena was so festive and lovely. After some confusion we could not find out anything about what would happen to our tickets. We went to Arthur Ashe Stadium for which we had tickets. They said they would not allow us as we did not have tickets for that day and we can go into any other stadium and we need to buy new tickets to enter this stadium.

While we were standing and discussing as to what to do we saw many people rushing towards another small stadium. We came to know that a match between Andy Roddick and Ferrer was to happen in the court no 13 as there was water seeping in the bigger court in which they had started the play.

We ran there and managed to get a seat for hubby dear.

This was a tiny, primitive court and we went near the fence side and stood up on bench and managed to watch the game. This court was so unlike a US open tennis court I almost felt that I was watching my two sons playing against each other in the Railway Club.

After some time Saroja and myself managed to sit in the second row near the fence and we were so near the court that we could almost touch the players.

We started shouting hoarse and it was like our younger days where we both used to have such fun together. I am sure our kids would not have recognized us if they had seen us shouting and cheering and what not.

By sheer crowd support Andy Roddick won the match and he came around the court to thank the crowd. It became an unforgettable experience for me.

Later we went into all the other bigger stadiums just to see them as there was no match being held there.

We came to know after inquiring from the proper place that the ticket money will be refunded through internet as my son had bought the ticket online.

So we had the pleasure of watching seeded players play the fourth round for free.

We had to return to New Jersey the same evening and so may be watching the big match in the famous courts for me will have to wait for some other time.