ATP: Premiere on black carpet

The premiere of the New York Open in the Nassau Coliseum will take place on a special underground – which the tennis fans already know from the Laver Cup.

When it comes to the color black, the golfers on Long Island are way ahead: The Bethpage Black Course is one of those mythical places where legends are born. Most recently, the US Open took place there in 2009. Seven years before, Tiger Woods had won the title at the level of his creative power, with only three strokes under par. The Nassau Coliseum is only a few minutes or several hours from the first tea in Bethpage, depending on the traffic situation. Legends were also born in the more ancient than venerable round – however, in ice hockey. However, the New York Islanders have long since left for Brooklyn, and the Coliseum has thus lost its most loyal tenant.

For the first time since Monday, the ATP professionals have been trying their luck in the hall, which was opened in 1972 – on a black background. This colour is considered popular in tennis at the moment, not least because of its resounding success at the Laver Cup in Prague.

The Courts in the Coliseum are interestingly laid out, whoever places himself strategically favorable, can observe two matches at the same time. The first day of the main field games was marked by local colours, for example Frances Tiafoe was allowed to test the Junior Champion of the Australian Open. Sebastian Korda delivered an excellent figure, won first set, then had to admit defeat to the American player in three sets. Tiafoe is familiar with the black background, he was called into the Laver Cup world team by John McEnroe.

Ryan Harrison stayed unscathed in the purely American duel with Donald Young, Ivo Karlovic took Jared Donaldson out of the tableau. Harrison versus Young was anything but friendly.

From a German point of view, Peter Gojowczyk is off to a good start, and the Munich player is already in round two of the doubles. The single premiere of Gojowczyk on a black carpet will take place on Tuesday against Blaz Kavcic from Slovenia.

Here the single tableau in New York