50 Parting Thoughts from the 2020 U.S. Open

• Let’s start not with the champions, but with the other big winner, the USTA. This event was by no means perfect—not that it ever is; not that there was ever the expectation. But by every meaningful metric and criterion, this was a success. The decision to stage the event was bold and controversial and entailed planning and contingencies and financial risk. It wasn’t just the right one. The USTA made it the right one. You might say the bubble never burst. Long may this pliability and spirit of enterprise persist...

• Naomi Osaka didn’t just win the 2020 women’s title; she emerged as the new authority figure in women’s tennis. This was her third major singles title; she turns 23 next month.…