This year, as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the US Open, we’re counting down the 50 most memorable moments in the history of America’s Grand Slam. Today, we take a look back at No. 30.
The altercations between players and linesmen had been occurring forever. These disputes had been woven into the fabric of the game, and the controversy surrounding the line calls was both entertaining for the fans and aggravating for the competitors and those making the calls.
At the 2006 US Open, however, the players at last had a recourse at a major tournament when they felt they had been wronged by linesmen or umpires. The Hawk-Eye Instant Replay System was put into operation, and that meant that the participants were allowed a certain number of challenges per set. The guidelines prevented players from arguing just for the sake of gamesmanship and delaying, rather than doing so when they had a legitimate beef.
And so the likes of Federer and Nadal, Sharapova and Henin, Roddick and Blake, all exercised the option during the New York fortnight. The Hawkeye Instant Replay System established itself immediately as a significant step forward for tennis, as an enhancement for the fans and a benefit for the players.
Former New York Times sports editor Neil Amdur summed it up lucidly in a Tennis Week editorial, writing, “The [US] Open has led, with the institution of tiebreakers, night play, parity for women and even instant replay, which became an instant hit at this year's tournament. Hawk-Eye eliminated interminable arguments and verbal assaults on umpires and linesmen that became such a nightmare and a form of gamesmanship years ago."
"With the possible exception of Marat Safin, who operates in his own universe, and Federer (who quietly intellectualized about money perhaps being better spent elsewhere), players, officials and fans embraced Hawk-Eye more favorably than the NFL’s replay system... Dr. Paul Hawkins, the developer, with diverse talents in sports, technology and artificial intelligence (and not necessarily in that order) made replay plausible, painless and productive for the sport.”
Join the celebration. Share your favorite on/off-court moments from the US Open using hashtag #USOpen50, and be sure to tag @usopen to be featured here.
