Rafael Nadal was the first professional player to hit a tennis ball at Arthur Ashe Stadium with its new retractable roof closed.
It was during a practice session Aug. 22, and he said he recorded it because “it was an important thing in the history of this tournament.”
There was no need to play under the closed roof Monday, a sunny and hot day at the U.S.T.A. Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
For fans in Ashe Stadium, there was no roof in motion above and no drama on court below.
No. 7 seed Roberta Vinci, a surprise finalist last year, defeated Anna-Lena Friedsam, 6-2, 6-4, in 1 hour 9 minutes.