NEW YORK: In the weekend leading into the US Open, a throng of fans, a lot of them children, hanging on to their parents' coattails, wait around the practice courts. It's an all-day feature at Flushing Meadows.
The air of expectancy is dulled somewhat by the harsh afternoon sun, but that's only until a popular player steps out of the competitors' area. The decibel level rises dramatically and as if on cue, the crowd steps back, allowing the player to pass.
