Qualifying for the Open

Qualifying for the US Open started today. For many young players this is a stressful few days that may result in their winning an entry into the main draw of the US Open. In the players' training room, however, the mood is much more relaxed. Most of the players with guaranteed entry into the tourney arrived today. These guys play together most of the year so, for the most part, they get along very well. In the locker room there were lots of players congratulating Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer on the medals they won in last week’s Olympics. All who played in the Olympics stressed that there really is nothing like playing tennis to represent your country.

For me, today is about getting organized for the upcoming 2 weeks. In my role as medical director of the ATP tour, we make sure that all men’s tennis tournaments have the appropriate medical coverage, as well as sufficient provision of ancillary services. The US Open is a huge tournament, so a tremendous amount of team work is necessary to provide the level of medical care we strive to provide. At the US Open, we are very fortunate to have great player medical services under the direction of Mike Yorio, MD chief medical officer. On the bright side, so far it has been quiet with regards to injuries, which is good news for the players.