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\n Less than two months ago, the tennis world had descended onto Wimbledon<\/a>\u2019s pristine green courts, where the sound of tennis balls echoed around hushed courts.\n <\/p>\n \n Spectators, on the whole, observed an almost librarian state of quiet, watching the players, dressed all in white<\/a>, battle it out in one of sport\u2019s most beautiful surroundings.\n <\/p>\n \n Fast forward to this week and the same players are now fighting for another title at the US Open. The atmosphere, though, is altogether different.\n <\/p>\n \n While Wimbledon \u2013 and most other tennis tournaments \u2013 require near total silence on court, the reality at Flushing Meadows is something slightly more boisterous.\n <\/p>\n \n Instead of hushed tones, loud music blares out from speakers between points, supporters are anything but quiet and there is said to be a sense of chaos in the air.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cIt\u2019s an assault on the senses in every way,\u201d sports journalist Molly McElwee<\/a> told CNN Sports<\/a>. \u201cIt\u2019s kind of chalk and cheese if you\u2019re comparing to Wimbledon. The US Open atmosphere is completely different.\u201d\n <\/p>\n \n McElwee, who has worked at the US Open twice in recent years, said the feeling around Flushing Meadows during the grand slam is more akin to a soccer match than a regular tennis tournament.\n <\/p>\n \n Fans are there to enjoy themselves, she said, frequently fueled by the beverages on offer \u2013 notably the Honey Deuce<\/a> cocktails which flow freely throughout the tournament.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cThe US Open is definitely one of the loudest slams, certainly the brightest, the biggest, in a lot of senses,\u201d she said.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cThe city that it\u2019s in, New York, is obviously all of those things. I think the slam is a real reflection of the city.\u201d\n <\/p>\n \n If players can handle the noise, they must also tackle the traffic-packed commute to the grounds and then the distinct odors wafting around the courts.\n <\/p>\n \n From fried food to the reported smells of marijuana, many journalists and players have noted how distracting the scent of the tournament can sometimes be.\n <\/p>\n \n World No. 12 Casper Ruud has already spoken about the ongoing issue of marijuana smells floating across the grand slam, a topic which has seen increased discussion since a bill was signed<\/a> in 2021 allowing recreational marijuana use across the state by adults 21 or over.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cI\u2019m not a big fan of the smell of weed when you walk around. Every corner of every street, you smell it,\u201d Ruud said after competing in the mixed doubles event<\/a> last week, adding that he still enjoys playing at the tournament.\n <\/p>\n \n Arthur Ashe Stadium, the biggest tennis court in the world, naturally produces the most fiery atmosphere at the US Open, where players sometimes struggle to focus.\n <\/p>\n \n McElwee, who recently published the book<\/a> \u201cBuilding Champions: Paths to Success in Women\u2019s Tennis,\u201d has witnessed first hand how breathtaking the noise can be inside the arena.\n <\/p>\n \n She recalls Serena Williams\u2019 run in 2022, before the American retired, as a moment where the US Open crowd was at its best.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cThe crowd noise during that run for her was unlike anything I\u2019ve ever experienced, definitely in sport, just in the way that I\u2019ve never been in such a united crowd,\u201d she said. \u201cEvery person in that stadium was obviously rooting for her, but also they were just so loud, so engaged.\u201d\n <\/p>\n \n But the feverish crowds are also seen in smaller arenas on the grounds, and not always in the best way.\n <\/p>\n
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