US Open Practice Courts
If you have a grounds pass to the U.S. Open tennis tournament, then the action on the practice courts is really often the place to watch. Yes, there can be great matches in Louis Armstrong stadium, in the Grandstand and scattered around the outer courts.
However, there is definitely more star wattage per hour on the practice courts.
On Thursday, at the end of a scorching hot day, Maria Sharapova was hitting with her coach, Michael Joyce, in preparation for her evening match. They worked on groundstrokes, then Maria practiced some serves and played the first shot after the return. Joyce then hit a series of serves, standing a few feet inside the baseline to shorten Sharapova’s reaction time, as Maria worked on her returns.
Meanwhile, a couple courts away, Jimmy Connors was hitting with fellow legend and Tennis Channel commentator, Martina Navratilova. Jimbo and Martina and then played out some points and we’ll never tell who won most of them… As Connors and Navratilova were sitting and chatting, Sharapova came running over and asked Martina to hit her some serves (Sharapova played a lefty later last night and won) and so Martina went back out onto the court and served about twenty serves to each court as Sharapova blasted returns back. Just a typically entertaining and educational hour on the U.S. Open practice courts as one tennis legend, Martina, helps a future tennis legend, Maria, warm up for a match.
On Thursday, at the end of a scorching hot day, Maria Sharapova was hitting with her coach, Michael Joyce, in preparation for her evening match. They worked on groundstrokes, then Maria practiced some serves and played the first shot after the return. Joyce then hit a series of serves, standing a few feet inside the baseline to shorten Sharapova’s reaction time, as Maria worked on her returns.
Meanwhile, a couple courts away, Jimmy Connors was hitting with fellow legend and Tennis Channel commentator, Martina Navratilova. Jimbo and Martina and then played out some points and we’ll never tell who won most of them… As Connors and Navratilova were sitting and chatting, Sharapova came running over and asked Martina to hit her some serves (Sharapova played a lefty later last night and won) and so Martina went back out onto the court and served about twenty serves to each court as Sharapova blasted returns back. Just a typically entertaining and educational hour on the U.S. Open practice courts as one tennis legend, Martina, helps a future tennis legend, Maria, warm up for a match.
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