Forget the weed stench and screaming fans — Big Apple weather may be the most significant outside factor that tennis pros have to deal with at the US Open.
Gotham’s humid subtropical climate not only affects the physicality of the players but also puts extra strain on their rackets and additional weight on the little green balls, experts say.
“Humidity definitely plays a big role, for sure, in the Open,” said Dillon Pottish, the head coach of the men’s tennis team at St. John’s University in Queens, to The Post. “That’s something that a lot of players have to get used to playing here in New York.”
Luckily for the 128 players participating in the US Open in Queens this past week, the average dewpoint was running about 10 degrees below the normal 61.4 degrees, according to Fox meterologist Christopher Tate.
That means players might escape the typical equipment malfunctions that New York’s typical humidity might bring.
Tennis Balls
Such weather-related glitches include the dreaded tennis ball “fluff up” — which is exactly what it sounds like.
The humidity makes the ball’s surface to “fluff” up and expand at an accelerated rate, causing it to get dragged down during play.
“It definitely changes the ball,” Pottish said.
“You’ll feel [it] get heavier, which means it doesn’t move as fast. The ball is a little slower because it’s getting fluffier. You’ll see the wear and tear on the ball come quicker in terms of fluffing up versus playing in dry heat.”
To avoid this, the US Open routinely introduces new balls into the matches every few games and on an as-needed basis.
Rackets
What the tourmanet administrators can’t plan for — and what the players have to anticipate themselves — is how the humidity will affect their rackets.
The humid weather can cause deformities in the strings of the racket and cause them to “pop,” or break apart on the court more quickly than they otherwise might.
To avoid this, players have been known to deviate from the typically preferred tension at which they string their rackets — as well as keep an extra few rackets on hand in case they snap.
“With humidity and the weather conditions, that changes a lot in terms of how players string their rackets,” Pottish said. “When the strings are tighter, it means that they try to get more control on the ball. And when they go loser, it means that they want more power on it.”
Court
Fortunately, rain has been a non-factor at this year’s matches, at least so far — but it always has the potential to throw a wrench into the three-week-long tournament.
Just two courts at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center have the potential to be covered by a retractable roof — leaving 41 others exposed to the elements.
Rainwater can saturate a tennis court, causing it to become softer than on an otherwise dry day — in turn affecting the speed and bounce of the tennis balls.
As with ball fluffing, players would need to adjust their own speed and power on their hits during wet conditions.
