There are, according to a report this week, as many rats in this city as there are New Yorkers. But when the new Arthur Ashe stadium was officially opened here to the whoosh of fireworks and bellicose warblings of Whitney Houston, the crowd of some 20,000 concentrated on just three: Jimmy Connors, Andre Agassi, and the Mayor of New York, Rudolph Giuliani.
Giuliani, a New York Yankees man, has been at daggers drawn with the United States Tennis Association (USTA) for some time, so he was never expected to be at the ceremony. "Boo Mayor Giuliani," John McEnroe beseeched the crowd, and they did.
But the absence of Jimbo, he of the thrusting pelvis and pre-Michael Jackson clutch of the crutch, from a 37-strong parade of former champions, was more of a surprise, as was the non-appearance of the shaven headed, be-earringed one. The tennis fans were not happy.
Agassi, and his wife Brooke Shields, were at the pre-opening dinner but apparently the USTA president Harry Marmion forgot to mention him during his dinner address and Agassi immediately poured acid rain on the parade by withdrawing his presence.
Another absentee was Pete Sampras, although he had a perfectly valid excuse. He was down in the locker room preparing for his opening match against Australian Todd Larkham which the reigning champion, chasing a third successive US Open title, won with celebration ease 6-3, 61, 6-3.
Prior to this win, and before the fireworks, Monica Seles had won the first floodlit match on the new court, beating Kristie Boogert of Holland 6-1, 6-2.
Hingis began her quest yesterday with a straight sets victory over America's Tami Jones, currently pregnant and about to concentrate on more pressing matters than tennis.
Second seed Michael Chang, beaten by Australia's Todd Woodbridge in the first round at Wimbledon, beat Swede Patrik Fredriksson 6-3, 6-4, 6-2, in his first match here since losing last year's final to Sampras.
Chang was broken in the penultimate games of the last two sets but broke back each time for the victory.
Third seed Yevgeny Kafelnikov beat 175th-raanked qualifier Cristiano Caratti 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4). The Italian, who has only one ATP match win this year, lost in one hour and 44 minutes.
US Open (in New York) - Men's Singles - First round (Monday): J Van Lottum (Neth) bt R Reneberg (USA) 6-1 6-4 2-6 6-4, B Steven (NZ) bt J-A Viloca (Spa) 4-6 6-2 6-1 6-2, D Vacek (Cze) bt L Tieleman (Ita) 6-4 4-6 1-6 6-3 6-2, J Sanchez (Spa) bt A Portas (Spa) 7-5 6-2 7-5, M Damm (Ger) bt T Ho (USA) 6-3 6-4 6-7 (5/7) 6-4, M Ondruska (SA) bt F Santoro (Fra) 5-7 6-4 4-6 6-2 6-3, R Fromberg (Aus) bt Pat McEnroe (USA) 6-2 6-2 6-7 (8/10) 6-3, (15) P Korda (Cze) bt V Spadea (USA) 2-6 7-5 7-6 (7/1) 6-4, P Baur (Ger) bt J Oncins (Bra) 4-6 3-6 6-4 6-3 6-3, J Novak (Cze) bt D Sanguinetti (Ita) 5-7 6-2 7-6 (11/9) 6-2, (1) P Sampras (USA) bt T Larkham (Aus) 6-3 6-1 6-3. Yesterday: (3) Y Kafelnikov (Rus) bt C Caratti (Ita) 6-2 6-4 7-6 (7/4), R Krajicek (Ned) bt W Black (Zim) 6-4 6-2 6-2, M Larsson (Swe) bt J Siemerink (Ned) 6-4 6-2 6-3, J Tarango (USA) bt D Prinosil (Ger) 6-4 6-2 7-5.
Women's Singles - First round (Tuesday): (4) I Majoli (Cro) bt C Cristea (Rom) 6-3 62, (9) M Pierce (Fra) bt G Fernandez (USA) 6-1 6-2, N Zvereva (Blr) bt R Zrubakova (Svk) 6-1 75, A Rippner (USA) bt N Medvedeva (Ukr) 6-2 62, P Hy-Boulais (Can) bt M Kochta (Ger) 6-2 6-1, N Miyagi (Jpn) bt I Gorrochategui (Arg) 6-2 7-5, S Testud (France) bt M A Sanchez Lorenzo (Spa) 6-3 6-3, C Morariu (USA) bt A Ellwood (Aus) 7-6 (7/3) 7-6 (7/3), K Habsudova (Svk) bt N Tauziat (Fra) 7-5 7-6 (7/2), M Tu (USA) bt J Watanabe (USA) 6-3 7-5, (1) M Hingis (Swi) bt T Jones (USA) 6-0 6-1, (3) J Novotna (Cze) bt V Ruano-Pascual (Spa) 6-0 6-4, S Farina (Ita) bt L Wild (USA) 6-4 6-7 (3/7) 6-4, Y Yoshida (Jpn) bt K Brandi (USA) 6-7 (7/9) 6-1 6-4, S Smith (Gbr) bt N Pratt (Aus) 6-3 6-1.
