[Blotassefesek]

Tennis for 660: When Players Step Up at U.S. Open, It’s All According to a Plan

By VINCENT M. MALLOZZI
Published: August 23, 2008
There are three words that best describe Brian Earley’s job as the United States Open referee: decisions, decisions, decisions.

“There are always tough choices to be made,” said Mr. Earley, a 57-year-old modern-day court composer who is in his 16th year as referee of the tennis tournament in Queens, which begins on Monday. “You can’t make every player happy,” he said.

For the next two weeks, Mr. Earley, tall and lean with wavy salt-and-pepper hair, will be spending a lot of time in his office at the National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows Corona Park deciding on which days the more than 660 men and women will play, and on what courts the more than 900 matches will be staged. He will also decide whether some players will compete beneath the often-punishing summer sun, or the bright lights that shine during prime-time television hours.

“Players who are well known for their fitness might prefer playing in the day and wearing down their opponents in the heat,” he said. “Players who thrive in more of a showtime atmosphere, the way Jimmy Connors did, might prefer playing at night.”

Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Ana Ivanovic and Venus and Serena Williams may be the headliners at this year’s Open, but Mr. Earley, a gold-badge certified referee with the International Tennis Federation, must determine who will play on the show courts at Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong Stadiums and the Grandstand, who will be relegated to the side courts and when all the matches will take place.

Decisions, decisions, decisions.

“It’s a real balancing act,” said Mr. Earley, who has a committee that helps him coordinate schedules, but who ultimately has the final say. “You have to consider which fans the players want to see, as well as requests that come in from the players themselves or their representatives.

Rest of article (a definite big rec. Well written, with some cool insight):
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/24/ny...courts.html?em

[Blotassefesek]

an aditional FYI for anyone that lives anywhere near a store that sells the NY Times - they have a special supplement devoted to the US Open that will be in tomorrow (Monday's) edition. It's always well put together. I've been saving them for years.

[pongeystrhjst]

Wondering did Lindsay put in a request to play a day match tomorrow as I thought they would have put her in the evening session in which this may be her last USO.

[TeNuaTe]

“It’s a real balancing act,” said Mr. Earley, who has a committee that helps him coordinate schedules, but who ultimately has the final say. “You have to consider which fans the players want to see, as well as requests that come in from the players themselves or their representatives.

That must get tricky.

[JennaJJxoxoxo]

thanks for the nytimes article, very interesting read!!!

[Roorseprate]

Mr. Earley is a very nice guy. An excellent temperment to deal with all of this.

[VYholden]

That must get tricky.

I stopped on that quote, too. Surely he meant it the other way around. Surprised the reporter didn't follow up.

[VYholden]

I wish they would have said what Earley's priorities are. For instance, does he care if a player prefers day or night matches? Is he supposed to try to accommodate those kinds of preferences? Seems like it gives an unfair advantage to a player. How much do those requests matter?