The excitement is building in New York as the U.S. Open moves closer to the championship matches. ESPN analyst and six-time Grand Slam champion Rennae Stubbs has been watching courtside.
RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:
OK. Now let’s check in on the U.S. Open in New York. ESPN analyst and six-time Grand Slam champion Rennae Stubbs has been sitting courtside. She knows a good tournament when she sees one.
RENNAE STUBBS: Oh, it’s been incredible. I think that the women have really been quite the story here at the U.S. Open obviously and Serena Williams still in the tournament.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
STUBBS: Serena Williams is back in a U.S. Open quarter final.
MARTIN: So Serena Williams is still in. Coco Gauff, though, the other U.S. star, is out. Her run at the U.S. Open ended yesterday. But Rennae Stubbs says it’s only the beginning for the athlete.
STUBBS: She’s 15 years of age. So when you think about that and you think that Serena’s at the tender age of – what is she? – 37 now, we’re going to see – hopefully see Coco Guaff around for a very long time.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
UNIDENTIFIED CROWD: (Chanting) Coco, Coco, Coco.
MARTIN: And then there is the player fans root against. Russia’s Daniil Medvedev has become the so-called villain of the tournament. His over-the-top showmanship has drawn plenty of boos.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
UNIDENTIFIED ANNOUNCER #1: Basking in the boos.
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: You guys being against me, you gave me so much energy to win. Thank you.
STUBBS: You know, he’s actually a really funny guy, and he’s a tremendous player. But I think he kind of thrives on this, loves the drama, and I think he’s a great character.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
UNIDENTIFIED ANNOUNCER #2: What a performer this guy is.
STUBBS: It’s been a fantastic U.S. Open for everybody.
MARTIN: ESPN analyst and six-time Grand Slam champion Rennae Stubbs. The U.S. Open runs through next Sunday.
(SOUNDBITE OF LUSINE’S “LUCKY”)
Copyright © 2019 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by Verb8tm, Inc., an NPR contractor, and produced using a proprietary transcription process developed with NPR. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.