Thirty years on Earth, with proximity to Flushing Meadows for all of those 30 years, and Wednesday was my first trip to the U.S. Open.
An event of this magnitude and I wait this long to cash in on its magic. Sad, huh?
At least I lucked into a Maria Sharapova match during the day session.
Here are some observations from a first-time U.S. Open observer:
* Lindsay Davenport walked among the people and was not harassed by fans. What other sport would afford its top-ranked player such peacefulness at a major event? Let's see A-Rod do that!
* You wouldn't think rapper Missy Elliott would figure into a major tennis event, but there her song "Lose Control" was playing on the loudspeakers in Arthur Ashe Stadium between Kim Clisters' and Maria Sharapova's matches.
* The "tennis clap" appears to be the "golf clap" on steroids.
* Martini bars around the grounds as the National Tennis Center are a nice touch. In a related note, tequila shots are also available.
* If you're wondering why tennis broadcasters speak in hushed tones on air, it's because if they didn't, the entire stadium could hear them.
* When planes aren't flying overhead, the courts are so quiet, you can hear the person next to you thinking.
* Sharapova really isn't that hot.
* I'd like to nominate the above sentence for the Jayson Blair Hall of Fame
* During Sharapova's match, the 34-plus photographers in the pit had their lenses aimed Maria, rendering her opponent Dally Randriantefy a non-entity. They were all there to get "that shot" -- the career-defining photo of the reigning queen of tennis. Sadly, some are just hoping to catch Sharapova leaning over a little too far or her shorts ride up just a bit in the posterior.
* Being that this is New York, one of the top five guido cities in America, will they play TKA's freestyle hit "Maria" if Sharapova wins the title?
* If you see any published photos of Randriantefy, you're liking reading a Madagascar newspaper or Web site.
* You have to feel bad for Randriantefy, who through no fault of her own, had to deal with a pro-Sharapova crowd. If Randriantefy's family were in the stands, I can't guarantee they were rooting for her.
* Add Roger Federer to my "Nicky Eyes Hit List" -- those professional athletes to whom I've relayed the "Goodfellas" character's one line of "What's up, guy?"
* After each match, the winner does a quick interview on the court for all the fans in the stadium to hear. This is a nice touch, as are the autographed tennis balls they hit into the stands after the interview.
* Sharapova dropped bombs in her on-court interview. When asked about her game, Andy Roddick's loss and other tennis things: "That's tennis. Sometimes you play good, sometimes you play like crap."
* In order to experience the U.S. Open properly, a lot of pocket change is required.
* T-shirts cost nearly as much as a tank of gas.
* Outside their little universe, tennis players may be the most underrated athletes in sports.