In Arthur Ashe Stadium, the stands tower above the court. With a seating capacity of 23,800 – by far the largest in Grand Slam® tennis – the centrepiece arena is a veritable lion’s den during big matches with its ultra-charged atmosphere. Headline matches are played in the evening in the sizzling ambience of a New York summer. This is what sets the US Open apart and players must feed on the exuberant energy in the stands and overcome their tumultuous surrounds. This contrasts with the more hushed experience at Wimbledon two months earlier. The season’s fourth and final Grand Slam® tournament is always eagerly anticipated, by players and spectators alike, attracting an impassioned crowd every year.