Blue Courts at the US Open

What's with the blue tennis courts at the US Open? If you tuned in to the first-day coverage of the US Open, you might have been surprised to see the tennis played on a blue court, surrounded by green. For the 2005 US Open, the USTA has changed the tennis courts at Arthur Ashe Stadium and the other courts to blue, from the traditional green.

Though the new courts are blue, it's all about the green -- or at least the Benjamins of millions of TV viewers. The USTA chose blue courts because they are more telegenic, letting viewers track the tennis ball more easily. No tennis player has lodged any serious complaint about the new color scheme.

The blue courts are the same DecoTurf II hardcourt surface as the green of years past, and were used throughout the US Open Series leading up to the Grand Slam Championship. Andy Roddick played on the blue courts at matches in Montreal, Indianapolis, and Washington, D.C., this summer, and Metro quotes him saying, "It's a cool look." Apparently, they're not a problem for Roddick, since he won the D.C. US Open Series event.

US Open - First Day Notes
The story of the day was upsets. Defending champion Svetlana Kuznetsova lost in straight sets to 97th-ranked Ekaterina Bychkova. And the upset of the day goes to unknown American Brian Baker taking out ninth seed Argentine Gaston Gaudio in straight sets. (See full story at USOpen.org.)

Top seed Maria Sharapova advanced easily. Maria has grown to 6' 2", which at 130 pounds is incredibly thin, especially for a professional athlete. How can she withstand the New York heat and humidity? Undoubtedly, if she makes a good showing (and she is seeded #1), Maria will be the talk of the town.

Some last bits: Read ESPN's Patrick Hruby on the cast of characters or why you should watch the US Open. And check out the quote of the day, by Serena Williams: "You have got to have the bling."

• More 2005 US Open Tennis Coverage