By Lorenzo Dellagiovanna
CINCINNATI – One against 11,435. The electrifying atmosphere that surrounded Friday night’s feature match between Nick Kyrgios and Rafael Nadal at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati was quite an unpleasant experience for the new bad boy of Australian tennis. The only person in the stands that was cheering for Kyrgios was probably his mother, while the rest of the spectators were vocally and vibrantly supporting the Spanish tennis legend.
In Roger Federer’s absence, Nadal has been the sentimental favorite among the Cincinnati fans throughout the entire week. Roger has so many followers that he has almost become an institution in Ohio, having captured the event for an astonishing seven times. The local newspapers and posters that advertise the tournament in town still feature a picture of the Swiss maestro to attract fans for the final weekend, even though Roger withdrew from the event before the tournament started. While talking to some of the spectators that have been going to the tournament for years as well as the younger fans that are attending the event for the first time, we realize how Roger and Rafa will be truly missed once they decide to end their extraordinary tennis careers. A 7-year-old American girl named Sophie told us how much she already loves the sport at her young age and how excited she is to attend her first professional tennis tournament: She also added that her favorite players are Rafael Nadal and Madison Keys.
Djokovic and Murray are still far behind Federer and Nadal in terms of popularity in these parts of the world. Most of the spectators at the Western & Southern Open didn’t seem to be particularly affected by the absence of Novak and Andy. Federer’s withdrawal surely saddened them the most.
During the quarterfinal clash between Kyrgios and Nadal, the crowd didn’t really appreciate the Australian’s desperate attempt at “putting on a show” at every cost. When Nick pulled off a “tweener” in the first part of the match, it was perceived as a mockery to get under Rafa’s skin instead of being regarded as a spectacular shot. As a matter of fact, most of the crowd started booing in disarray. “He is an arrogant clown,” a disgusted spectator stated. “Who does he think he is? This is a tennis court, not a circus,” another gentleman reiterated. The Cincinnati tournament started in 1899 and is the oldest tennis event in the United States played in its original city. The local fans are extremely knowledgeable and don’t usually appreciate this kind of behavior on a tennis court. Kyrgios’ attempt at a “SABR” was also booed. At the end of the match, he smashed a ball that bounced off the window of the media box, which made the crowd turn against him once again. The boos echoed throughout the stadium.
At the beginning of the week, the women’s tournament was facing an extremely tough challenge. With the absence of Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka, many wondered if the local crowd could show any interest in the women’s matches. To everyone’s surprise, the Cincinnati fans brilliantly responded to the fresh faces and new rivalries that are currently animating the top of the women’s game. Many local fans talked about how bored they were with Serena Williams dominating for so many years. After winning a couple of epic battles against Keys and Kuznetsova, Garbine Muguruza literally captured the hearts of the Ohio crowd. Her sweet personality, fearless determination and stunning Latin looks certainly left a mark on the local fans, which makes us wonder why the WTA continues to exclusively promote Sharapova and Williams instead of marketing their new champions.
“She should be a supermodel,” a spectator said during the quarterfinal match between Caroline Wozniacki and Karolina Pliskova while talking about the Danish star. Pliskova’s classy demeanor and elegant game style helped her gain plenty of new fans as well. This year’s Western & Southern Open has certainly been a very successful event for the WTA.
