NEW YORK – Five thoughts on a rainy afternoon of Day Two from the U.S. Open.
• With rain halting play on the outside courts—and validating the roof on the big court—last night’s matches still echoed. When the draw came out, the tennis salon collectively circled the women’s match pitting wild card Maria Sharapova against second-seeded Simona Halep. The expectation was warranted. In the most intense—and generally well played—first round match you’ll ever witness, Sharapova earned her most significant win in years. We’ve long known about her ballstriking and competitiveness when a player not named Serena is on the other side of the net.