NEW YORK: Ivan Lendl, Monica Seles and Billie Jean King took a walk down memory lane at a joint appearance, reminiscing about the thrills of playing – and winning – the US Open Tennis Tournament.
“If you like noise and confusion and hoopla and fun and just a lot of noise pollution, then New York’s where you want to be,” four-time winner King told a crowd gathered at Rockefeller Plaza in Manhattan on Tuesday, where a large screen has been set up to televise the event.
Seles, a two-time US Open winner sidelined this year due to a stress fracture, agreed. “The best crowd is definitely the US Open … they know their tennis and they really just get into it.”
Lendl, a Czech national who competed against American favorites such as John McEnroe, said he enjoyed playing even when the crowd was less than supportive.
“I always felt you draw from the crowd no matter what,” said Lendl, who won the US Open in 1985, 1986 and 1987.