Serena Williams and Andy Murray win their first round matches at Day 2 of the U.S. Open and American Express premieres this year’s Fan Experience.
Day 2 of the U.S. Open brought Serena Williams and Andy Murray back to New York City after competing in the Rio Olympics. World number 1 Serena Williams opened the second night of matches at Arthur Ashe Stadium and picked up a quick 6-3, 6-3 victory against 2014 US Open semifinalist Ekaterina Makarova. Williams was powerful and confident on what could be called her home court as she served ace after ace. Makarova held her own and played a solid game, returning Williams’ massive shots with speed and precision. Fresh off his Olympic win, Andy Murray beat Czech player Lukas Rosol in three sets, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2. Rosol is known for his 2012 Wimbledon victory over Rafael Nadal and ran Murray around the court, forcing him to come to the net to backpedal to reach an overhead smash. Rosol’s tricks were no match for the No. 2 seed, who was able to outlast him through the long rallies. Celebrities in attendance for last night’s matches included Vogue Editor Anna Wintour, Olympians Ibtihaj Muhammad and Simone Manuel, tennis champion Andre Agassi, and actors Lupita Nyong’o and Kevin Spacey.
American Express, a long time sponsor of the U.S. Open, unveiled the “Pro-Walk” for this year’s fan experience, giving fans the experience of stepping out onto the court at Arthur Ashe stadium. The “Pro-Walk” replicates the player locker room, the tunnel to the court, and features a dome projection of the stadium. The American Express Fan Experience pop-up also included a large projector and couches for live viewing, an indoor practice court for fans to practice their stroke, and an upstairs lounge with food and drink for cardholders. Various American Express booths were set up around the stadium grounds and provided cardholders with earpiece radios, featuring play-by-play commentary and match updates from ESPN.