Tennis champion Sloane Stephens is not thrilled about the new multi-million dollar stadium the US Open is using saying the venue is loud and distracting for players.
On Monday, Stephens played Russia’s Evgeniya Rodina at the brand new Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, New York. The stadium opened this week after two years of construction.
Following her match, which she won, Stephens said that it was hard to ‘settle down’ because of the distractions going on around her.
‘Obviously playing on a court that’s very loud, there’s a lot going on,’ she said. ‘I think it makes it a little tough to kind of settle down. I was happy I was able to kind of find a rhythm.’
Tennis champ Sloane Stephens had a few complaints about the new Louis Armstrong Stadium, which opened this week
Stephens (seen above during a match on Monday) said she could hear airplanes and subways behind the court
The 25-year-old said it’s ‘unorganized’ and there were a lot of distractions while she was trying to play
One of the things the 25-year-old athlete took issue with was elderly fans who want a quick photo, but aren’t smartphone savvy.
‘It’s unorganized out there. If you got your phone out, quick selfie, I’m totally fine with it,’ she explained. ‘Most of the time it’s a parent who doesn’t know how to work the phone. It’s a mes most of the time.’
She added: ‘But the younger kids, the kids from age probably 8 to 15, they’re ready. They’re like, “Ok, selfie.” You’re smiling. It’s super easy. But then there’s some that it’s not.’
Stephens also said she could hear the airplanes and subways roaring behind the court and the trample of spectators walking around.
‘There was a lot going on … the concessions being in the lower bowl, and people walking in the games at 2-all, 3-all,’ she said. ‘I got so much going on on the court, I’m trying to manage like eight different things.’
She added; ‘I’ll probably play another match on Armstrong, knowing the USTA. I got to get my mind right and get ready for it.’
The $150million Louis Armstrong Stadium at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens is the first naturally ventilated tennis arena in the world.
It was designed by Detroit-firm Rossetti and seats 14,000 people. The high-tech stadium also has a retractable roof that can open or close in just under six minutes so matches can be played in rain or shine.
The $150million stadium was redesigned and opened this week for the US Open Championship. It’s located in Queens
An outside aerial view of the multi-million dollar stadium, which seats 14,000 people and has a retractable roof so matches could be played in rain or shine
Stephens played against Russia’s Evgeniya Rodina, and won Monday’s match. The two players are seen above after Stephens’ win
The sides of the stadium allow breezes to flow through the venue with 14,250 overlapping terracotta louvers on the north and south sides of the structures, according to Architects Newspaper. The louvers act as horizontal window blinds.
The original Armstrong stadium, which opened in 1978, was demolished in 2016 so construction on the new 236,600-feet stadium could begin. Three games will played on the Armstrong stadium during the day, and two at night.
Apparently, Stephens isn’t the only one complaining about the newly designed stadium. TV viewers took to Twitter on Monday to slam the high-up camera angle which made it difficult for them to watch what was happening on the court.
Several people asked if the game was being shot from a blimp, while others said the angle was making them dizzy.
‘Is it me or is the TV camera angle on new Louis Armstrong way too high?’ past US Open champion Andy Roddick tweeted. ‘Feels off.’
‘Are they serious with this camera angle in Armstrong??’ user Mike tweeted. ‘#Couldyougetanyfurtheraway’.
‘They clearly didn’t build the new Louis Armstrong Stadium at the #USOpen with camera angles in mind. It’s not great,’ Twitter user Myles McNutt tweeted.