Journalists at the U.S. Open often the farthest away from it

By Max J. Dickstein, amNewYork Sports Editor | mdickstein@am-ny.com

8:07 PM EDT, August 28, 2008

Day sessions at this Labor Day weekend at Flushing Meadows will challenge U.S. Open ticket-holders to enter the stands for just one of several simultaneous, appealing matches.

But for reporters working on deadline at the Media Center built into the south side of Arthur Ashe Stadium, there is often just one option: post up at your assigned workstation, turn on your television monitor, put on your headphones and flip through live television feeds from all 18 courts on the grounds.

Demanding editors and unpredictable player interview times make catching the sun-drenched action out of the question.

"It always kills me how these guys fly across oceans and then have to watch on TV," said Jon Wertheim, a New York-based senior writer for Sports Illustrated. "But I guess that's the nature of the beast."

The "beast" is the task of giving readers and listeners an accurate and comprehensive view of an avalanche of men's and women's singles and doubles matches.

Craig Gabriel, a Sydney-based international tennis correspondent, is covering his 105th Grand Slam.

"I feel as though I'm tied to the desk and phone," said Gabriel, who calls media station No. 289 home for these two weeks each year. "Because of all the time zones and the Internet and all of that, I'm on deadline all the time. This works, though. I'm not complaining. ... You can still hear the cheers from the outside courts."

His desk phone rang.

Amanda Lanari, a Rome-based writer for Tennis Oggi (Tennis Today) magazine, spends the first week doing one-on-one magazine interviews for planned features.

"I have to stay in front of the TV and wait for the press conferences," she said. "During the second week, I can go out and watch. It's better than stay here all the time, but it's the job."

Attending a match in person offers writers a more sensory experience -- boisterous crowds, off-camera incidents and heightened tension. But there are also advantages to television viewing, said Tom Tebbutt, the tennis writer for the Globe and Mail of Toronto.

"Sometimes it's more practical to watch on TV," Tebbutt said. He cited television's ability to broadcast arguments between players and chair umpires, instant replays and extreme close-ups that tell viewers whether players are "confidant or giving up or nervous."

This columnist is grateful that he can wander the grounds without worry, knowing that wire-service writers, anchored to their desks, televisions and interview rooms, will pick up the slack.

E-mail

Reprint

Journalists at the U.S. Open often the farthest away from it

Related links

U.S. Open Photos

Roger Federer through the years Photos

Andy Roddick: Roger Federer's still the favorite at the U.S. Open Audio

John McEnroe: Epic Nadal-Federer Wimbledon match may be turning point for fans Audio

John McEnroe: I'll be shocked if U.S. Open champ isn't Nadal, Federer, or Djokovic Audio

Popular stories

Hampton Roads Facts, Data and Statistics

Blogs