Thoughts from the U.S. Open Media Center

With over 1,500 credentialed journalists, the media center at the 2012 U.S. Open in Flushing Meadows, N.Y. can be an overwhelming place.

Reporters ranging from The New York Times to bloggers of popular tennis websites are represented, along with journalists from all over the world. The atmosphere is professional, with assigned desk spaces allotted to only a lucky portion.

But one the first thing I noticed when arriving at the tournament information booth where I worked was the camaraderie amongst all the employees, journalists and event staff.

Despite the busy, hectic environment, the journalists all appeared to enjoy each other’s company, and it felt like a gathering of old friends.

Mid-way through the first week, Bud Collins, the esteemed 83-year-old tennis commentator, made his first appearance at the U.S. Open since suffering a fall during last year’s tournament that required several surgeries. Collins and his wife, Anita, entered the room to numerous smiles, and the niche tennis media community felt even closer with his arrival.

As a media staff member for the United States Tennis Association, my job was to make sure that the journalists had all the information they needed on the players, including stat sheets and press conference transcripts. While I did not cover the event or speak directly to the tennis players, this job gave me the chance to be as close to being part of the journalist action as possible.

On August 30, the fourth day of the tournament, a surprise announcement was made that Andy Roddick would be appearing the press conference room later in the afternoon. It was strange because Roddick was not playing that day.

The media center was bustling with anticipation, and the conference room was filled to capacity when Roddick arrived. The former world No. 1 and 2003 U.S. Open champion had called the conference to announce his retirement from professional tennis after the tournament (he went on to lose in the fourth round to 2009 U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro.)

I was fortunate to see Roddick make the announcement in person and also hand out copies of his transcript immediately afterwards. I felt like I was part of tennis history.

That same day, I spotted Meb Keflezighi, the 2004 Olympic marathon silver medalist, in the media center with his brother Howard. I had the chance to speak with both of them, who were at the U.S. Open to watch some tennis and announce that Meb would be running the 2012 New York City Marathon on Nov. 4.

As exciting as it was to see Roddick’s press conferences in person and Roger Federer and Andy Murray walk through the hallways near the media center, I was equally thrilled interacting with some of my favorite journalists and tennis writers, such as Sports Illustrated’s Jon Wertheim and Tennis Magazine’s Steve Tignor.

Their professionalism and high caliber work continue to inspire me, and I hope to be sitting where they were in the U.S. Open eventually.

The journalism world continues to change rapidly, but working at the U.S. Open media center reassured me that media consumers continue to seek quality journalism from publications they trust and respect.

Kelyn Soong is a University of Maryland Journalism Graduate Student