Ben Solomon for The New York Times
When Gayle Benjamin invited a friend to travel from his home in Calgary, Alberta, to visit her in New York, she already had tickets to the United States Open women’s final. A devoted fan of Serena Williams, Benjamin never thought that Arthur Telesford, her Canadian friend, would become a liability.
But as it turned out, Williams faced a Canadian, Bianca Andreescu, in the final on Saturday, and Telesford, who wore a bright red shirt and a baseball cap with the flag of Canada on it, cheered for his compatriot.
“I told him, don’t wear the red and the Canadian flag,” said Benjamin, a construction manager from New York, “because you will be the only one.