U.S. Open postcard: Tennis players have major support staffs | NOLA.com

Flushing, N.Y. — Monday, the U.S. Open will begin a two week long “Slam” competition to find out who will be the top male and female players in this year’s event. Right now, I’m sitting in the player’s dining area, which is still at full capacity, where I’ve just crossed paths with Roger Federer and said hello to Rafael Nadal, but that’s not what I’m here for.

I’m here to assist my client and friend Serena Williams, as part of her team that will help prepare and maintain her consistency over what we hope to be the next two weeks. I say hope because if you lose you go home. This year’s Open is my sixth time to participate with Serena as her fitness coach.

About an hour ago, I was working with Serena in the fitness center, which was also filled to capacity, watching a packed house of players and coaches making every effort to secure their space, albeit a tight space, to use their unique fitness protocols with their clients.

What’s fascinating is that once the Open starts virtually every area — tennis courts, locker rooms, player’s lounge — is filled with players, coaches, trainers like me, physical therapists, and other U.S. Open support staff. As time progresses, the losers will go home and the winners stay, slowly emptying the complex by attrition.

In working with Serena, I have experienced having to scramble for a small area to do our fitness work, only to have the entire fitness facility to ourselves and our lone competitor having reached the finals.

More to come from New York at the U.S. Open on Monday.

via U.S. Open postcard: Tennis players have major support staffs | NOLA.com.