From its earliest moments, this year’s U.S. Open was one to remember, thick with pathos and a lot of good tennis. Marking Serena Williams’s purported final outing as a professional athlete, Week One saw the legend face off against Danka Kovinić of Montenegro, Anett Kontaveit of Estonia, and Ajla Tomljanović of Australia in three closely watched singles matches and Linda Nosková and Lucie Hradecká of the Czech Republic in doubles, alongside her sister Venus. Though Williams’s exit from the tournament came relatively early, the Serena Show proved to be as thrilling as ever; a delight to both the star-studded crowd in Queens and those tuning in from around the globe. Elsewhere on the women’s side, the likes of Coco Gauff, Victoria Azarenka, Aryna Sabalenka, Caroline Garcia, Ons Jabeur, and Iga Świątek—who were both at the peak of their powers in yesterday’s final—kept the quality of play sky-high into the second week.
Throwing a spotlight on its younger players, the men’s singles draw offered similar excitements. With Roger Federer, Alexander Zverev, and Novak Djokovic all absent this year, and the likes of Rafael Nadal, Marin Čilić, and Nick Kyrgios pushed out by the quarterfinals, 24-year-old Frances Tiafoe, 21-year-old Jannik Sinner, 23-year-old Casper Ruud, and 19-year-old Carlos Alcaraz became the talk of the town, offering followers of the sport a hopeful glimpse into tennis s future. (And on that note, be sure not to miss Alcaraz and Rudd’s match-up in the final later today.)
To capture the scene on the ground at the 2022 U.S. Open, Vogue sent Caroline Tompkins to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center last weekend, where she photographed the high-profile talent, tireless ball crew, and fans in the stands in moments of fierce battle, sharp attention, and total bliss. Have a look—and feel the pulse-quickening energy in Flushing Meadows—below.
