A Special Ritual at Summer's End

As autumn approaches, saying goodbye to summer isn't easy. While the heat isn't always welcome, summer offers unique privileges: the freedom of light clothing, long days and short nights, and swimming in warm water.

But one columnist has long found a way to smooth the transition from summer to fall: the US Open Tennis Championships. Despite graduating from school decades ago, this writer still organizes life around the academic calendar, and for them, the US Open serves as a perfect two-week midpoint.

The Unique Appeal of Individual Sports

Unlike team sports such as soccer or baseball, in tennis the responsibility for victory or defeat rests entirely on the individual player. There are no teammates to blame, no one to shift responsibility onto. What separates champions from the rest isn't simply athletic ability, but the ability to battle one's inner demons.

This psychological warfare, played out before 20,000 spectators, resembles a public therapy session. Few sports so starkly reveal the highest and lowest points of human competition.

The Gap Between Media Pass Days and Reality

The author enjoyed the privilege of an all-access media pass for seven years as a newspaper columnist. No waiting in lines, courtside press box seats for major matches, and meal stipends plus free drinks during cocktail hour provided by the USTA (United States Tennis Association).

But now the situation has completely changed. Even matches between unknown players require waiting in endless lines, seats are assigned in the upper levels, and even a hamburger and fries costs serious money. Like Yogi Berra's famous saying about "the restaurant nobody goes to anymore because it's too crowded," that's the US Open today.

A Special Day with Daughter

Fortunately, this time the columnist visited with their daughter. She's not so much a tennis fan as simply happy to briefly escape from caring for two-year-old twins. This brief freedom was made possible by grandmother watching the children.

The second-round crowd at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center was still full of energy. Though past privileges have vanished, this ritual of welcoming autumn at summer's end continues.