September Issue of TENNIS Magazine Reports on the Last Chaotic US Open Held at Forest Hills

2007 US Open preview: 33 pages of players and predictions

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08/16/07 - New York, NY – While Jonathan Mahler focuses on the 1977 Yankees’ battling clubhouse in his best-selling book and now ESPN miniseries, "Ladies and Gentleman, The Bronx is Burning," TENNIS Magazine reports there was a fire brewing in Forest Hills, NY that year as well.

The magazine calls 1977 a tumultuous year for tennis, where, unable to escape the insanity that gripped New York during the notorious Summer of Sam serial murders, chaos ensued on and off the court during the US Open. The September issue (on-sale now) features a report on “The Year Tennis Broke” as part of a comprehensive, 33-page ultimate US Open fan guide filled with player profiles and predictions.

“The 1977 US Open, the last to be played at Forest Hills in New York, could be called the ‘bust,’” writes Stephen Tignor in the September issue of TENNIS magazine. “The game had outgrown its clubby surroundings, its gentlemanly ethos -- itself. At the ’77 Open, the sport’s past – in the form of the forbidding West Side Tennis Club, the private facility where the Open had been held since 1915, and members still wore white – came face to face with its colorful, multicultural, big-money present. It was clear that tennis’ new audience had grown too large and unruly to fit into West Side’s Tudor clubhouse and quaint pathways. Just as important, there wasn’t enough room for the merchandise the USTA wanted to hawk.”

“By the end of the two weeks,” he writes, “the event had taken on its own sinister vibe.” Renee Richards tested the limits of ‘70s progressivism by putting gender confusion on the national agenda; Tracy Austin, 14, would mark the beginning of the controversial child prodigy era; frenzied crowds threw debris on the court when told they would not see Guillermo Vilas due to a match time change; a fan was hit by a stray bullet from outside the grounds during a night match featuring John McEnroe; and Jimmy Connors inspired and endured the wrath of fans and competitors due to his oddly combative turn which included a mid-match flash of the middle finger at the crowd, a profane war of words with a woman in the audience and the rubbing out of a ball mark at the baseline before the umpire could inspect it. These are just some of the events Tignor highlights in his examination of a period when tennis pushed the boundaries of sports.

Everything You Need to Know Before you Go to the US Open
This year, More than 650,000 fans are expected to pass through the gates of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center during the US Open, now held in Flushing Meadows, NY. From buying tickets to attire to parking, TENNIS magazine explains everything you need to know before you get to the grounds, including the inside scoop on must-see action on the outer side courts.

The Best Places to Spot a Pro
TENNIS Magazine names the best places to catch a glimpse of the pros having fun off the court during their two week stay in New York City. Maria Sharapova is often found at Cornelia Day Resort; players and industry people pack Whiskey Blue, the bar at The W Hotel; the Williams sisters are often spotted enjoying jazzed-up comfort food at Pop Burger; and many pros hangout at the bar Snafu, which is within walking distance from all the tournament hotels.

Dr. Phil Takes to the Court
After shelling out advice on his talk show, Dr. Phil McGraw looks forward to his own therapy session. McGraw, who fits in seven or eight matches a week, discovered the sport in college. “I would walk out of football practice [McGraw went to the University of Tulsa on a football scholarship] bloody, beat up, and dragging and look over at the tennis courts where these guys were in white shirts, shorts, and taking water breaks. I thought it looked like a whole lot better deal.” Does he play head games on the court? He tells TENNIS magazine, “I try to focus on what I know my opponents are going to try and do to me. I can figure it out, but the problem is, I can’t do much about it.”

About Miller Publishing Group: MPG publishes TENNIS Magazine, SMASH. Magazine and the photo annual The Year in Pictures. TENNIS, published 10 times annually, is the world’s largest tennis title, with a circulation of more than 600,000. MPG also owns TENNIS.com, the world’s leading tennis website, plus SMASHtennis.com and the blog Peter Bodo’s TennisWorld (peterbodostennisworld.com).

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