The GIST - Sunday Scroll: So hard to say goodbye

Everything you need to know about the US Open ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Sunday Scroll

The GIST
Edition #624
August 28
📗 The history đŸ’ȘWomen to watch 👀 Men to watch

From The Gist Team

Good morning!

Welcome to The GIST’s Sunday Scroll, where we dive deep into one timely sports topic.

Today’s Scroll has the lowdown on everything you need to know before the final tennis Grand Slam of the season and likely of Serena Williams’ career, the US Open, begins tomorrow in NYC. Let’s hit the court.

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Quote of the Day

Quote

I’m not looking for some ceremonial, final on-court moment. I’m terrible at goodbyes, the world’s worst. But please know that I am more grateful for you than I can ever express in words. You have carried me to so many wins and so many trophies. I’m going to miss that version of me, that girl who played tennis. And I’m going to miss you.

Source: Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

— Serena Williams, announcing her plans to retire after the US Open. Smile because it happened.

The Scroll

📗 The history

Source: George Rinhart/Getty Images

Established in 1881, the US Open was originally only open to members of the U.S. National Lawn Tennis Association (USNLTA, now USTA) and began exclusively as a men’s singles and doubles tournament. *eye roll*

  • But women didn't have to wait too long for a singles tournament to be introduced in 1887, followed by doubles in 1889.

However, it wasn’t until 1950 that Althea Gibson became the first Black tennis player to enter the championship, overcoming many obstacles to get there. She went on to win the tourney in 1957 and 1958.

  • Gibson paved the way for civil rights leader and legendary athlete Arthur Ashe (the namesake of the US Open’s main stadium), who in 1968 became the first player to win the competition in the “Open Era” — when amateurs and pros could compete against each other. Trailblazers.

✔ The details

A general view as Elina Svitolina of the Ukraine serves during her Women's Singles semi-final match against Serena Williams of the United States on day eleven of the 2019 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 05, 2019 in the Queens borough of New York City.
Source: Mike Stobe/Getty Images

The US Open features 128 women’s and men’s singles players competing across seven single-elimination rounds. And they’re all hoping to advance to mid-September — the women’s final is set for September 10th, followed by the men’s on September 11th.

  • As for doubles, there’ll be 64 women’s and men’s pairs in action, along with 32 mixed doubles contenders. Prepare your split screen.

Let’s talk about prize money. Both the women’s and men’s singles winners will walk away with a cool $2.6M, part of a record $60.1M pot, up from last year’s then-record-breaking sum of $57.5M. Must be nice.

  • And we can’t discuss cash without shouting out the one and only Billie Jean King. The legend threatened to boycott the US Open in 1973 due to the disparity in women’s and men’s earnings, leading the USTA to award equal prize money that same year.

đŸ’Ș Women to watch

Emma Raducanu of Great Britain celebrates a game win in the second set against Maria Sakkari of Greece during their Women’s Singles semifinals match on Day Eleven of the 2021 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 09, 2021 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens
Source: Elsa/Getty Images

All eyes will be on Serena and her quest to nab that elusive record-tying 24th Grand Slam trophy, but the rest of the women’s draw is utterly stacked, with no consensus title favorite. Anything could happen in NYC.

đŸŽó §ó ąó „ó źó §ó ż World No. 11 Emma Raducanu: The reigning US Open champ, Raducanu burst onto the scene during last year’s Cinderella run to the final, where she topped Canada’s Leylah Annie Fernandez.

  • And while the Brit has struggled this season, she impressed at the Western & Southern Open earlier this month, reaching the Round of 16. Can the 19-year-old fulfill another teenage dream in the Big Apple?

đŸ‡”đŸ‡± World No. 1 Iga ƚwiątek: ƚwiątek was the story of the tennis season, rattling off an incredible 37-match win streak spanning from February to July. The world No. 1 has stumbled since her French Open victory in June, but she could certainly return to form in NYC.

đŸ‡ș🇾 World No. 12 Coco Gauff: Already a fan favorite, the tennis world truly went loco for Coco when she reached the French Open final in June, her first Grand Slam final appearance. The 18-year-old recently achieved world No. 1 status in doubles — now it’s time for Gauff to keep it rolling in the singles draw.

đŸ‡«đŸ‡· World No. 17 Caroline Garcia: Fresh off a title win at the Western & Southern Open, the Frenchwoman is undoubtedly the hottest player heading into the US Open. She has a whopping 27 match wins since June and has skyrocketed from No. 35 in the world standings to 17, her highest ranking since 2018. Keep moving, keep climbing.

👀 Men to watch

Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates a point during the fifth set of his Men's Singles final match against Daniil Medvedev of Russia on day fourteen of the 2019 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 08, 2019 in the Queens borough of New York City.
Source: Mike Stobe/Getty Images

Unvaccinated top contender Novak Djokovic isn’t allowed to travel to the U.S. and world No. 2 Alexander Zverev is sidelined with an ankle injury, leaving the path wide open for other superstars.

đŸ‡Ș🇾 World No. 3 Rafael Nadal: Rafa holds the record for most men’s Grand Slam titles (22) after winning the Australian Open and French Open earlier this year, and he’s primed to extend that record, especially with Djokovic (21 titles) out.

  • But the Spaniard’s been hampered with an abdominal injury and was surprisingly bounced in the Round of 32 at the Western & Southern Open. Something to keep an eye on.

🎖 World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev: The defending US Open champ, earlier this year Medvedev snapped the 18-year streak of tennis’ big three (Nadal, Djokovic and Roger Federer) holding at least one of the top two spots.

  • And especially after the Russian was banned from Wimbledon, he’ll look to disrupt history again in NYC, playing under a neutral flag.

đŸ‡Ș🇾 World No. 4 Carlos Alcaraz: The 19-year-old has been on the rise in 2022, picking up four individual trophies en route to his world No. 4 ranking. He’s yet to make a massive leap at Grand Slams (he’s reached the quarter-finals twice)...maybe the bright lights in the Big Apple are just what he needs.

đŸ‡ŹđŸ‡· World No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas (pronounced see-see-PAS): Always a bridesmaid, never a bride. The Greek God is still seeking his first Grand Slam win, but with his recent run to the Western & Southern Open final and his hard court success, this could be his breakthrough moment.

đŸ“ș How to tune in

The crowd cheers as the men's single final match between Andy Murray of Great Britain's and Novak Djokovic of Serbia approaches its conclusion in the men's singles final match on Day Fifteen of the 2012 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 10, 2012 in the Flushing nei
Source: Al Bello/Getty Images

Tennis’ season finale begins tomorrow on ESPN in the U.S. and TSN in Canada and, as mentioned, will run through the women’s final on September 10th, followed by the men’s on September 11th.

The Gist Picks

đŸŽŸ What to win

A pair of US Open tickets. That’s right, you could catch all the action IRL (and snag some merch from our pals at Just Women’s Sports and Goal Five) just by entering here before the contest closes tonight.

👀 What to read

This article about the ball controversy leading up to this year’s event. Iga ƚwiątek called out the fact that the US Open is the only Grand Slam in which men and women use different balls, inspiring fellow female athletes to join in in questioning the disparity. As they should.

đŸč What to sip on

A honey deuce cocktail, the trademark drink of the season-ending Slam. It’s the perfect end-of-summer bevvy.

❀ What to watch

This video of Serena Williams’ 40 greatest moments at the US Open. Grab your tissues.

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