The 2025 US Open is up and running and Flushing Meadows can expect thousands of fans through the gates over the next fortnight.
New York hosts the final Grand Slam of the season and players will try their utmost to get their hands on a coveted major trophy.
The American players will certainly have the support of the home crowd throughout the tournament, such as Tommy Paul and Jessica Pegula.
They are both aiming for their first Grand Slam titles and heading into the event, they both agreed on a change they want to see implemented across the tennis circuit.
Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty ImagesTommy Paul agrees with Jessica Pegula about wanting more fan movement during tennis matches
In 2024 the US Open permitted more fan movement in certain sections of stadiums at any point during matches.
This is still in operation this year, and it is something that has elicited a polarising response on tour, according to Paul, the US Open’s number 14 seed.
During an interview with USA TODAY Sports, the 28-year-old says some players find it ‘weird’ as they do not want to be distracted during matches. But Paul agrees with Pegula, who welcomes more fan movement during matches and across the tour.
“I almost think that they should be able to walk around whenever, like at any time. If somebody has to go to the bathroom, they shouldn’t have to wait until three games go by to get up and go. Or if you want a beer, you want a hot dog, anything.
“I feel like people should be able to move around at any time. If they want to go see one court and maybe their favourite player is on another court in a battle and they have to like wait for their match to play two games and then they get there and then they have to wait for that one to play two games and they go in and 30 minutes have gone by.
“I think you should just be able to roll through wherever you want to go. And I think just that alone brings a different type of energy to the matches.
“Obviously some of the players can be kind of weird about it. They don’t like too many people walking around when they’re trying to serve, but I think it’s fine.”
Photo by Elsa/Getty ImagesDid Tommy Paul and Jessica Pegula play mixed doubles at the US Open?
Pegula was due to enter the revamped US Open mixed doubles competition alongside Paul.
But with the US Open singles draw commencing just days before the mixed doubles, Paul withdrew from the tournament at the last minute.
This left Pegula without a partner, but she was later paired with British number one Jack Draper, and they were the top-seeded team in the competition.
Pegula and Draper reached the semifinals, but were beaten by Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud in a tight match decided by a 10-point tiebreaker.
Swiatek and Ruud came up short in the final, as the tournament was won by the defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori.