The US Open will pause on Friday as organisers stage a formal remembrance for the 25th anniversary of the 11 September 2001 attacks, altering the tournament's schedule and atmosphere for players and spectators. A minute's silence will be observed before both of Friday's men's singles semi-finals, the Arthur Ashe Stadium will be lit light blue from dusk until dawn, and American flags across the site will fly at half-mast.
The Story in Pictures
Before the night session, which features an all-American semi-final between Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe, a giant flag will be unfurled on court while R&B artist JoJo performs The Star-Spangled Banner. Tournament organisers say the gestures are part of the event's established tradition of marking the anniversary when the date falls during the championships.
Former world number four James Blake, who was on the professional tour in 2001 and had lost in the US Open second round that year, said the attacks penetrated the travelling life of tennis. "It was something that I just couldn't believe could happen in the States," he said, adding that it "shattered the guise of safety" many players and Americans felt at the time.
Blake recalled being in Augusta, Georgia, on Tuesday, 11 September when mobile phone networks became overloaded and he had to wait anxiously to hear his father was safe. With planes grounded, he hired a car to drive from Augusta back to Tampa. He said the prospect of boarding for his next event in Hong Kong two weeks later was far from straightforward, "It was definitely scary because I think you get so isolated in tennis," he added.
The disruption extended across sport. Several domestic events paused in the immediate aftermath and the Ryder Cup, scheduled that month at The Belfry in England, was postponed by twelve months. For Blake, the resumption of high-profile sports helped the country begin to recover; he singled out the image of then President George W Bush throwing out the first pitch at a Yankees game as a vivid sign sport had returned.
For the US Open, the anniversary ceremonies are both a public tribute to the 2,977 people who died on 11 September 2001 and a reminder of how the attacks affected athletes' lives and travel. The tournament's schedule will reflect the pause, and players and fans will be presented with structured moments for reflection during Friday's sessions.
