In 1985, the company called Emirates was founded. Emirates is an airline based in Dubai.
This airline is renowned for being the largest airline in the Middle East. For a number of years now, Emirates became heavily involved in supporting the US Open, and it’s luxury VIP Suite is the most sought after spot at the famous event.
As if the Emirates suite was not amazing enough, in 2015, the suite was redesigned and renovated, and now it is more glorious than ever. The new design was inspired by the idea of connections; it actively connects Emirates, the US Open, and fans worldwide.
You may be wondering what makes this suite so incredible. Well, it comes jam-packed with many amenities. On Tuesday September 6th, 2016, I got to experience the suite for myself, and boy, was I in heaven. There were comfortable cushioned dining booths, an adequately named lounge area, two private restrooms, and an outdoor seating and viewing space, center-court!
When you enter the US Open, there is bag-check and security. As this is very well organized, it does not take too long to get into the US Open grounds. Upon arrival at the grounds, I was so excited to see what the Emirates Suite had to offer, that I made my way directly there.
As soon as I arrived, I immediately went to the Emirates suite outside viewing area to watch the Vinci v. Kerber game, located at the Arther Ashe Stadium. The viewing spot was absolutely first-rate, smack-bang front and center of the courtside seating area. Once I had sat down, Angie, one of the Emirates Suite workers, offered me any drink of my choosing from the open bar. At first I went with a Vodka-Cranberry, which was delightful, but I promptly moved onto a Bloody Mary, which was positively delicious! The coffees were also to-die-for.
It is important for me to mention how unbelievable the staff at the Emirates suite were. The US Open staff work around 90 hours a week, which is an extraordinary amount of work hours. If I were not informed of this, I would have had no idea what long hours the staff was working. The staff is also not assigned to any specific suite, so they all work at different suites depending on the day. This made it evident that the phenomenal caliber of the staff was not simply luck of the draw. Every single staff member at the US Open is top-notch. They were exceptionally friendly and professional, always there to give a helping hand. Not one person let the team down, they were all fantastic – especially the before-mentioned Angie, who was truly incredible.
One of my favorite aspects of the Emirates suite was the buffet – equipped with chicken, salad, cheeses, shrimp, roast-beef, and an assortment of dressings. The buffet even had its own personal sushi chef; the Emirates suite is the only suite at the US Open to have one. My personal favorite food was the chicken, which I dipped in lemon aioli, to create a mouth-watering dish. The main course was served until 3 p.m., and at then dessert was served. Make sure you save room for dessert, as there were fruits, pies, and an infamous seven-layer carrot cake that will melt in your mouth.
With such luxury treatment, it can be easy to forget that there is incredible tennis going on. Luckily, although I indulged in the pampering the Emirates suite provided me with, I was still able to focus on the match. At 3 games to 2, in the first set, Vinci saved two break points to bring it to deuce, Kerber retaliates with advantage, but Vinci fought back, and prevented a break. At 6 games to 5, in the first set, Kerber had triple-set-point. Vinci crumbled under the pressure and double-faulted, allowing Kerber to snatch up the first set. Moving into the second set, Vinci is clearly shaken. She got broken on her first service game, ending that game on another double-fault. It was then 2 games to nothing in the second set, and Kerber won her third game on an ace. Things only got better for Kerber, and she won the second set 6 games to nothing. It was a blow out, and Kerber won the match in two straight sets.
The courts at the US Open are in amazing condition, perfectly prepared for the players to come and use. If you want to check on scores from other courts, there is a US Open app, which keeps you updated with all of the latest tennis news. After the Kerber v. Vinci match, it was time for Monfils and Pouille to take to the court. If you are unfamiliar with these tennis players, then surely from their names alone, you can work out that both players are from France. As they warmed up to exciting music, I was left wondering which player would make their country proud.
Monfils, who is ranked higher, was certainly the favorite to win, but I always do like an underdog. Both men played exceptional tennis, and although Monfils won the first set 6 games to 4, it was by no means a blowout. Monfils breaks early on in the second set, and then the roof has to be closed due to rain. It takes about 5-10 minutes for the roof to fully close, and the court to be prepared for the player’s returns. After mother-nature’s disruption, maybe the flow of tennis would be disrupted, and Pouille would break back. Although Pouille managed to win three games in the second set, Monfils won it with six games. It was now 4 games to 1 in the third set, and I was starting to think this match would be a blowout. I was right, Monfils won the match on an ace, and the end score was: 6:4, 6:3, 6:3. Although the match was won in straight sets, it was not due to poor play on Pouille’s part; Monfils was unstoppable! Pouille would hit unreturnable winners, yet somehow Monfils would hit every single one of them, and place them perfectly. Pouille played a solid game, but he was simply overmatched.
The tennis was just as fantastic as the Emirates suite, and I was sorry to have to leave it after the day session was over. I’ve being hyping up the Emirates suite a lot, and you may be wondering: if it’s that good, why isn’t it packed with celebrities? Well, my curious friend, it is! The Emirates suite has had many celebrity appearances throughout the US Open, including: Andi Dorfman, Sara Mearns, Sydney James Harcourt, Ashley Graham, Kevin Spacey, Uzo Aduba, Judah Friedlander, Danielle Brooks, Adrienne C. Moore, Jonah Hill, Lupita Nyong’O, and Susan Sarandon. It’s quite the collection of esteemed celebrities.
[slideshow]If you are attending the US Open, and are interested in finding out more about the Emirates, there is a stand in the South Plaza, where you can find out where Emirates flies to, and its range of sponsorships, using the interactive Route Map.
Now, if like me, you have been dying to visit Dubai, here is your lucky chance! You can enter an Emirates competition, for a chance to win a gran prize to Dubai! Emirates Airline is offering US Open fans an opportunity to win a trip for two to Dubai, as well as tickets to the US Open Men’s final!
To find out more, visit:
