Cut Short at the U.S. Open
Venus Williams' emotions and Carlos Alcaraz's hair got buzz on Monday at the U.S. Open.
NEW YORK — Nothing nearly as chaotic transpired on Monday at the U.S. Open compared to Daniil Medvedev’s meltdown a day earlier, but there were a couple moments that stopped everyone in their tracks featuring the two stars of the Monday night session.
This first item about Venus Williams will be free for all, and then the deep dive back into Carlos Alcaraz’s hair—as well as a look ahead at Day 3 Matches to Watch will be beyond a paywall for subscribers.
Venus, Set Free
The first match of the night session had featured Venus Williams, who, at 45 years old, was playing much better than she had in her previous appearances in New York this decade.
After a slow start in the first set, Williams found her range and her rhythm, and commandingly took the second set 6-2 over No. 11 Karolina Muchova, a semifinalist in New York both of the last two years.
Venus faded in the third set, but was still clearly enjoying herself on this improbable occasion, waving to all sides of Arthur Ashe Stadium as she took her time exiting the court after a 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 defeat.
When Venus came into the press conference room afterward, she sounded positive opening notes.
“Yeah, I definitely had a bit of a slow start, but it's not really a bad thing,” she said. “I just haven't played a lot of matches, so I'm still finding everything…I was really able to start to dial into my game. I didn't win today, but I'm very proud of how I played.”
Though Serena’s trials and tribulations here are more discussed, both Williams sisters have had complicated relationships with the U.S. Open. I will always remember in 2012 when I asked Venus about the crowd support she had gotten during a spirited defeat against Angelique Kerber, which was her 72nd match at the tournament after 15 years at the tournament.
“Today I felt American, you know, for the first time at the U.S. Open,” Venus replied. “And I've waited my whole career to have this moment, and here it is.”
13 more years on from that, Venus’ feelings about the crowd on Monday night had no bittersweetness about them, only joy.
“The lights are very bright out there,” Venus said. “I don't think I've ever had a crowd that much on my side. When I lost those first two games, they were just still right there with me every point. Didn't matter if I was losing and it was starting to roll fast, they were just right there with me, and it felt great. I knew going into this match that people in this stadium, people in the United States, people around the world were really rooting for me, and that felt great. That felt great to have that kind of support.”
With how well she had played this summer, albeit only across four singles matches, the obvious question this time was not when Venus might stop—as it so often has been for her in recent years—but where she might continue. Venus had said earlier this summer that she didn’t plan on playing any post U.S. Open tournaments; might she reconsider that given her strong present form?
“Are there any tournaments in the States?” Venus replied. “Can someone move a tournament here? I don't know that I'm willing to travel that far at this stage in my career to go play. I love playing. The level of my game has come up so much since D.C. I tried as hard as I could to throw off any rust, but at the end of the day, there's only so much that can really be accomplished in three or four matches.”
She added: “Is there something? I don't play in high altitude either, so I won't be going to [WTA 500] Guadalajara.”
It’s only about four and a half months, I realized, until the next major. But as we discussed that journey, Venus’s own path through this night started to shift, traveling through a patch of Cattrallian self-determinism to an eventual moment of sudden emotion when she reflected on her health struggles.
Ben Rothenberg, Bounces: The next major is in Australia, which you played well at a lot of times.
Venus Williams: That's kind of far, too (laughing).
Ben Rothenberg, Bounces: That’s a long flight, but you flew plenty in your career. You made these trips lots of times before, so...
Venus Williams: I did. I did do it.
Yeah, my goal is to do what I want to do. (laughs) I wanted to be here this summer. I'm so grateful for all the folks who gave me a wild card. They could have said, ‘Hey, listen, you've been gone too long, you haven't won a lot of matches in the last few years.’
I wasn't lucky with my health and with injuries, but there were a lot of people who believed in me in these tournaments, so I'm very grateful to have had that chance and that opportunity, and to make good on it and have a chance to really strike the ball.
You know, I play an exciting brand of tennis. (laughs) It's a lot of fun to go literally hog-wild out there and hit as hard as I can. I'm happiest when I can: Just. Hit. Hard.
I think I played some matches in Cincinnati and D.C. where I didn't really understand how to control myself yet. So I think today was a lot better measure of, like, OK, you don't have to hit this one as hard as you can. Play a smart shot, then go for the next one, you know? (laughing).
You never stop learning. I learned so much. I'm still learning about myself. When I think about the match I played against [Muchova] in 2020, I was so uncomfortable. I wasn't well. I was in so much pain. And today, it's night and day, how much better I felt. So I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity to play, feeling better. And at that rate, have a real chance.
Venus got a follow-up question about what she showed and proved to herself through her performances this summer.
She has gotten versions of this question several times this summer, but this time, it seemed to land differently for her.
“Oh, what did I prove to myself? I think for me getting back on the court was about giving myself a chance to play more healthy,” she began, before pausing.
“When you play unhealthy, it's in your mind,” she continued. “It's not just how you feel; you get stuck in your mind, too.
“So...um…it was nice to be freer.”
Venus then stared down at the podium and nodded for several seconds without looking up, tears appearing to well in her eyes.
“OK everyone, thank you,” the press room moderator Gary Sussman interjected, abruptly ending the press conference with what he later called “an executive decision.”
Many reporters were caught off guard by the sudden curtain drop on what had been a very engaging press conference until then, still with lots of questions remaining, but Venus didn’t protest.
“Thank you,” she said as she stood and left the room, walking into a future that looks brighter, even when seen through tears.
Carlos Alcaraz’s Hairdo-over
Readers who have been around Bounces for a few months will remember my profile of Victor Martinez, aka Victor Barber, who has served as Carlos Alcaraz’s hometown barber—as well as occasionally on the road—giving Alcaraz haircuts which caused strong reactions among fans.
But no Alcaraz haircut has ever turned heads like the one he showed up with on Monday at the U.S. Open. When I first walked past a colleague’s laptop and saw Alcaraz on their screen, I assumed he must’ve been photoshopped.
For the rest of the story with thoughts from Alcaraz and Frances Tiafoe—including Victor Barber’s exclusive take on his star client’s new look—please subscribe to Bounces! Plus, Matches to Watch for U.S. Open Day 3.
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