If the opening day had the air of an exhibition at certain times, the finals night immediately felt like business.
From the start it brought the feel of a traditional US Open showpiece event, with a patriotic rendition of the national anthem and a group of US Marine Corps standing with an unfurled Stars and Stripes flag providing pomp.
Many feel the overhaul has devalued the mixed doubles as a major title. Some are even putting asterisks next to the champions.
Given that, the stadium announcer outlining what winning the title would mean for each player’s Grand Slam résumé felt like an attempt to add legitimacy.
The opening semi-final was played at a ferocious intensity – not surprising given the will-to-win of the characters involved – while Ruud calling for a VAR-style check on a Pegula shot was another indication of how seriously it was being taken.
At 3-3 30-30, the umpire confirmed the American had not reached over the net – following fervent discussion between the opposing players – with Pegula and Draper using the momentum to win the opening set.
But Pegula’s clasp of her head after they blew an 8-4 lead in the first-to-10 match tie-break summed up their bitter disappointment at missing a shot for the trophy.
Unsurprisingly, Errani and Vavassori were also seriously pumped up.
The duo mirroring Hulk Hogan-style underarm bicep flexes after winning their semi-final was one of the defining images.
While the energy on court ramped up, the emphasis on providing entertainment for those watching in the stands remained.
A pair of DJs were perched behind courtside decks, tasked with whipping up the crowd through a New York-inspired playlist including Jay-Z, Cyndi Lauper and the Friends theme tune, while the familiar sight of Celeb Cam and Dance Cam added to the party atmosphere.
Fashion icon Anna Wintour, who recently stepped back from her role as Vogue editor-in-chief, added further star-dust in a near-full capacity crowd.
Thousands stayed late until the end and were rewarded with a fine finale to a transformative tournament which looks destined to stay in the coming years.
