Welcome to today's edition of "Hot Shots," a USOpen.org-curated look at what you may have missed on social media over the past few days.
As the world continued to respond to the coronavirus pandemic, tennis players took to social media to support their communities, entertain their fans and share their experiences of what day-to-day life looks like without tournaments taking place.
This week, we check out Kristie Ahn's latest contribution to TikTok, Gabriela Sabatini's epic run in the US Open Bracket of Champions and Katie Swan's painting-by-numbers success.
But first, let's get an update from John Isner. How far are we into this new life of self-quarantining, social distancing and work from home-ing? Two weeks? Three weeks? One month? Isner might not be too sure, either, but he knows it still isn't as long as that Wimbledon epic against Nicolas Mahut. Look at them both, all happy and everything. They have no idea what awaits them. "John Isner, King of the Memes"? Who knew.
Daria Kasatkina doesn't seem hopeful that she'll see much time on the court in 2020, if her tennis racquet-inspired house of cards is anything to go by. The first five sticks seem pretty stable until she tries to put the finishing touches on the top. Side note: which racquet color do you prefer: the pink and black or blue and white?
Gabriela Sabatini won her first and only Grand Slam women's singles title at the 1990 US Open with a tournament run that featured wins over world No. 1 Steffi Graf and American favorite Mary Joe Fernandez. Three decades later, the Argentine made another charge to the final, this time in our Bracket of Champions contest, voted on by fans. Sabatini defeated legend after legend along the way, edging out Serena Williams, Chris Evert, Kim Clijsters and Maria Sharapova.
The International Tennis Hall of Fame got fans debating who they'd like to partner up with and against in a dream mixed doubles match. Imagine you and Billie Jean King against Rod Laver and Martina Navratilova. Or perhaps you and John McEnroe against Stan Smith and Martina Hingis. Honestly, there's no wrong answer because any match involving these legends would be epic.
With everyone staying at home and practicing social distancing, people are taking up new hobbies to pass the time. Some people are binge-watching shows on Netflix, playing video games or learning to cook. British No. 6 Katie Swan has decided to try her hand at painting by numbers. And if the first effort is anything to go by, we'd say she's got the hang of it pretty nicely. Slap it in a frame and hang it on the wall, and she'll be the envy of her friends.
TikTok queen Kristie Ahn reminded us all that she prefers to hang back at the baseline with a little help from AJR's 2018 hit, "Sober Up." At last year's US Open, Ahn reached the fourth round as a wild card to become the first Asian American to accomplish the feat at a major in almost two decades. For what it's worth, she won 33 of 53 points at the net in those four matches.
And finally this week, we would like to take a minute to remember longtime New York sports photographer Anthony Causi, who died from Coronavirus this week. Causi, who captured many iconic moments at the US Open throughout the years, leaves behind his wife, Romina, and their children, John and Mia. He was 48.
Check back soon for another edition of "US Open Hot Shots."
