All Grand Slams are different, but at the US Open, it’s the indoor temperature that bothers even Novak Djokovic.
After advancing to his 64th career Grand Slam quarterfinal, we asked Novak Djokovic what makes New York special compared to the other major tournaments.
“Every Grand Slam has something of its own. Casper Ruud talked about marijuana, and it really is quite prominent here compared to other Grand Slams. New York is one of the biggest, most important, and craziest cities in the world. The energy they have here is something special and different,” Novak told Serbian journalists and added:
“In London, most of us stay near Wimbledon, which is a bit outside the city, where the atmosphere is much calmer. In comparison, New York is the most exciting, especially when you play at night – it’s very loud, even during points – and there’s always something happening. Australia is the ‘Happy Slam,’ it’s more of that Asian part, and there’s a mixture of different cultures and traditions. Roland Garros and Wimbledon are more about style. The way people dress, how they arrive… It all has that aspect that differentiates them from Australia and New York, so every tournament has something of its own.”
What is the biggest problem for us journalists, and which our junior player Anastasija Cvetković, who is in America for the first time this year, also noticed, is the climate—specifically, the air conditioning units.
For some reason, it has to be cold in almost every room in New York. Regardless of what it’s like outside. The air conditioning is set to 15 degrees, freezing everything in its path, and even if everyone in the room complains that they’re cold and brought hoodies to wear inside, not outside.
“I would agree with the air conditioning! It’s really… I don’t know. It’s like that everywhere in America. They set the air conditioning to blow at a maximum of 15 degrees, and we’re not used to that; they are,” Novak said honestly, but at the same time, he praised the weather in New York:
“I would praise the weather this year—it can be extremely muggy and hot at this time of year in New York, and on the courts, especially on the Central one, there is no air circulation at all and you feel like you are in some sort of ship. This year, the temperature has been perfect every day, 24-25 degrees—ideal for tennis, and it’s better for us to play and for us to give better performances, and it’s also nicer for the fans who are watching.”
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Source: B92; Foto: Instagram / DjokerNole