Another US Open finished and it left quite an impression. Things have changed- Novak Djokovic failed to defend the title in the first US Open without Roger Federer since 1999, Angelique Kerber succeeded Serena Williams as the new No. 1, and the innovative Grandstand seating area and roof at Arthur Ashe got their debut.
Stan Wawrinka won the men’s tournament by beating defending champion Djokovic in the final. Djokovic’s defeat, as well as the early elimination of Nadal and Murray led the public to question the existence of the “Big 4”. As for the ladies, Angelique Kerber beat Karolina Pliskova, thus winning her second major title. There was some speculation that Federer’s absence would harm the attendance, however, the numbers did not show any dramatic decrease in interest – in fact, they set the daytime attendance record twice!
Nevertheless, the stadium’s new features were the biggest stars this year. The new roof at Arthur Ashe was finally put to use and the Grandstand seating section shined (despite a few criticisms). Overall, it was an interesting tournament that announced some major changes in the world of tennis as the new stars, venues, and competitions come in years to follow.

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