"My only desire is to return freedom"

The first three days of the US Open were eventful and unexpected results.

But, perhaps, one of the brightest matches was played by 20-year-old Varvara Gracheva.

In the second round, she met with the most experienced Christina Mladenovic and managed to snatch the victory, stopping a step away from relegation and with the score 1: 5 in the second set, having played four match points.

Moreover, in the decisive game, she did not give up a single game to her opponent.

“I would like to answer the question myself, how I managed to win from such an account.

I just became more confident to play, entered the court, thereby taking away time from Mladenovic to hit.

Thanks to this I was able to earn an advantage in most of the draws, ”Gracheva shared her impressions on the air of Eurosport.

In turn, the Frenchwoman paid tribute to the winner and called this defeat the most painful in her career.

At the same time, she complained about the conditions in which tennis players are forced to be at the US Open.

Recall that in order to avoid the spread of coronavirus, all tournament participants live in a closed area - in a "bubble" - and observe a number of strict rules.

Mladenovic noted that despite 30 negative tests, she is still treated like a prisoner.

“We live here like a nightmare.

My only desire is to regain my freedom.

We must fight for freedom.

They treat us disgustingly, but I do not want to justify my defeat by this.

Don't get me wrong: the US Tennis Association is not to blame for not scoring four match points, ”The Guardian quotes Mladenovic.

It is worth noting that the four-time winner of the Grand Slam tournaments in doubles was among the tennis players placed in special conditions due to contact with Benoit Per, who passed a positive test for COVID-19 just before the start of the competition.

According to the Frenchwoman, she would not have come to New York at all if she knew what a simple game of cards with a compatriot would turn out to be.

In accordance with the regulations, the infected player is removed from the tournament, and all those in contact with him are placed in separate rooms and have the right to leave them only to participate in matches.

In addition to Mladenovic, the list includes the French Edouard Roger-Vasslin, Adrian Mannarino, Richard Gasquet, Gregoire Barrer and the Belgians Kirsten Flipkens and Isaline Bonaventure.

Nicolas Mayu, Damir Jumhur and Daniil Medvedev are in milder conditions.

They also undergo regular checks, but can leave their rooms.

A few days later, Peer's test showed a negative result, and some tennis players expressed dissatisfaction with the actions of the organizers.

On the one hand, they were not satisfied with too strict requirements.

For example, Roger-Vasslin said that his pass was taken away at night, so he could not go anywhere, even if he wanted to.

And Mannarino complained that someone was accompanying him everywhere, on the court he had to be exclusively in his box and could not watch the matches even from the balcony.

“We are not allowed to use the elevators, because there is a possibility of contact with other players.

Therefore, you have to constantly climb the stairs, either to the box at the stadium or to the hotel room.

And my room is on the seventh floor, to which there are a lot of steps.

To get to the hotel, I use the back entrance, ”journalist Tumaini Karayol quotes Mannarino.

In addition, many tennis players agreed that the bubble idea turned out to be a failure, since, despite the large number of prohibitions, the medical protocol is constantly violated.

German Tim Pütz said that ordinary people live in one of the two hotels reserved for US Open participants, with whom tennis players are forced to contact.

In addition, the service personnel have the right to leave the bubble.

Canadian Denis Shapovalov also doubted that the protocol is being fully observed.

“We see photographs from tennis players, in which strangers are in the hotel, and the second hotel is not a“ bubble ”at all ... I wonder if it really exists?

Benoit was simply out of luck as he was here, following the rules and not his fault that he got infected.

Rather, it is the organizers' fault, since they failed to ensure safety, ”Shapovalov said in an interview with Tennis Majors.

The fact that celebrations are being held in the second "not closed" hotel adds fuel to the fire.

It is reported that during this time there have already been four weddings.

This information was confirmed by the German Alexander Zverev.

“I don’t know how many weddings there were - four or how many, but they definitely took place there.

This was in the second hotel, which is not a bubble.

Didn't I get married?

No, not me.

First, we need to find someone on whom, "Zverev joked.

"Wow, you're real!"

Apart from the problems and ambiguities associated with the medical protocol, the US Open takes place in a warm atmosphere.

Due to the pandemic, spectators were not allowed into the stands, so tennis players try to support each other themselves.

So, a funny situation happened after the second round match Madison Brengle - Dayana Yastremskaya, in which the American won.

Leaving the court, she saw Arina Rodionova, who was holding a small bottle of red wine.

Noticing this, she happily exclaimed "Alcohol!"

and went to her friend.

Today's clear #USOpen MVP is Delaware's Madison Brengle.



-Dominated # 19 Dayana Yastremska 6-2, 6-3;



-Explained a less-than-rigorous mid-tournament routine;



-Shouted "Alcohol!"

and was promptly brought a bottle of Sutter Home red to chug by Arina Rodionova (whom she beat in R1) pic.twitter.com/bdHL9drH3I

- Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) September 3, 2020

Serb Novak Djokovic also celebrated success in the second round match in his manner.

After a successful rally in the third set, ending with a break point, he let out a victory cry.

The journalist who interviewed him jokingly said that the cry woke his wife up.

In response, the first racket of the world apologized to the woman, explaining such an emotional reaction.

“I hope she will forgive me.

I had to give the game a thrust.

After all, that's how I play.

I try to add tension in these very strange conditions when we play in empty stands.

At the same time, it is new to us that all the boxes are filled with other players, top tennis players and tennis players.

They're watching you, right?

They are here.

You feel it, and it encourages you not to lose face in front of them, ”explained Djokovic.

Thanks to the closed format of the tournament, tennis players constantly intersect with each other not only at sports facilities, but also outside them.

One of these meetings took place with 16-year-old American Katrina Scott.

After defeating the Russian woman Natalia Vikhlyantseva, she told how she met with Stefanos Tsitsipas, whom many girls adore.

“I saw Tsitsipas when I was undergoing tests.

Before that, I had never seen him in my life, and I thought then: “Wow, you are real!

My God, it can't be!

Did he just walk past me?

And you are much higher in life ”, - Scott shared her impressions.