Gearing up for the U.S. Open

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It was Friday afternoon during the Qualifying Tournaments week of the U.S. Open, and Long Island’s presence was found throughout the National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadow Park. On Practice Court Three, 13 members of Malverne High School girls tennis team was firmly situated in the grandstand seats with their coach, Patrice Ward, examining the professionals’ techniques. “I’m looking at her serves,” said Minahil Mudassar as she and her teammates watched Venus Williams practice. “It is the most important thing in the game.” Others, like Roshni Shukla were examining other skills. “I’m looking at backhands,” said Shukla, who just joined the tennis team this year and said the two-handed backhand was the more difficult skill for her.

What the team all did agreed on was their choice of a tennis idol - Serena Williams - who will be looking for her 23rd grand slam at the Open - a record in the sport. “I think she does have a good shot at it,” said Preksha Patel, who has been on the tennis team since last year.

With no big-name American men involved in the Open this year, none of the girls said they knew or followed any of the male players, but had plenty to say about Serena. “She’s real to herself, and she doesn’t care what other people think about her,” said Patel . “She is who she wants to be.”

Serena, who seemed somewhat somber during her press conference that same day, said she was recovering a shoulder injury which canceled her out in the third round of the Rio games in early August. The tennis superstar said she has been treating it with lots of physical therapy in preparation for the Open.

An hour later, on Court 11, Merrick resident Noah Rubin was playing a strong game against Russian opponent Karen Khachanov, who won the first set against Rubin, but couldn’t keep him down during the second. The crowd, which filled and overflowed the court’s seating capacity of 1,700, was overwhelmingly supportive of Rubin, who made it to the third and final round of the Qualifyers, but ultimately lost the game to Khachanov, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4.