Latest / OneLegUpAlex Media / ONELEGUPALEX MEDIA CHECKS IN ON THE US OPEN WITH TENNIS ENTHUSIAST AND ‘BECAUSE I CAN ‘ FOUNDER CHERI SROUR 8-31-26

Transcript

ONELEGUPALEX MEDIA CHECKS IN ON THE US OPEN WITH TENNIS ENTHUSIAST AND ‘BECAUSE I CAN ‘ FOUNDER CHERI SROUR 8-31-26 · OneLegUpAlex Media

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: All right, I'm Alex Garrett back here at One League
• 0:01
  Speaker 1: of Alex Media. And what a weekend it was in Chicago. Yeah,
• 0:05
  Speaker 1: it was a day trip, but it was so worth it.
• 0:07
  Speaker 1: Reminiscing about my dad and his love of the Cubs
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: and the Cubs 150. Going to get to that in
• 0:13
  Speaker 1: a couple days. But what takes priority now is the U.S.
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: Open is back. It's back in New York City. And
• 0:20
  Speaker 1: on my line right now is someone I've become very
• 0:23
  Speaker 1: close with. Sherry Swarer. Sherry, welcome back to the show.
• 0:26
  Speaker 2: Thank you for having me.
• 0:28
  Speaker 1: Hi. All right, so talk to me about why Novak
• 0:31
  Speaker 1: Djokovic firstly got knocked out last night in, I believe,
• 0:35
  Speaker 1: five sets. First round exit for him, very, very unusual.
• 0:39
  Speaker 2: Yeah, they said it hasn't happened in over 10 years.
• 0:44
  Speaker 2: It's been since 2018, not 10 years. But yeah, that's
• 0:49
  Speaker 2: really sad. He's sad too. You can definitely tell he
• 0:54
  Speaker 2: was not feeling it towards the fourth set. and kind
• 0:58
  Speaker 2: of just lost him there. He was starting off and
• 1:03
  Speaker 2: was crying at a certain point. He definitely looks like
• 1:08
  Speaker 2: he felt defeated. I hope that he will still choose
• 1:13
  Speaker 2: to come back again because he is so loved and
• 1:16
  Speaker 2: we love watching him and love seeing his stamina and
• 1:21
  Speaker 2: determination and strive to get that 25th Grand Slam.
• 1:27
  Speaker 1: I know that is his forever quest. And of course,
• 1:29
  Speaker 1: he's won the US Open a few times here. But Sherry,
• 1:33
  Speaker 1: you know, you are an avid tennis fan, which we
• 1:35
  Speaker 1: really didn't. We didn't really. You're an avid tennis fan,
• 1:39
  Speaker 1: which we really didn't talk about last time you were
• 1:41
  Speaker 1: on solo with me. How did you grow that love
• 1:44
  Speaker 1: of tennis?
• 1:47
  Speaker 2: A friend of mine introduced it to me and I
• 1:50
  Speaker 2: just loved it ever since. I got very invested in
• 1:54
  Speaker 2: it and I love the idea of it. I love
• 1:57
  Speaker 2: the sport of it. I love how relaxing it is
• 2:00
  Speaker 2: to watch and going there and the ability to go
• 2:04
  Speaker 2: there because I live in New York and it's a
• 2:08
  Speaker 2: round the corner for me and it's something I look
• 2:10
  Speaker 2: forward to every year. I love the tournament. I watch
• 2:14
  Speaker 2: all the tournaments. I'm a very big tennis fan.
• 2:19
  Speaker 1: And she does stay up for the Australian Open. Let
• 2:21
  Speaker 1: me tell you, she stays up way early in the
• 2:23
  Speaker 1: morning for that.
• 2:25
  Speaker 2: Yes, I do. Monday I'll get there.
• 2:30
  Speaker 1: Yeah, one day. And the French, and of course Wimbledon
• 2:33
  Speaker 1: is something I've always wanted to see too. Do you
• 2:36
  Speaker 1: think with Djokovic out, it changes the playing field? I mean,
• 2:40
  Speaker 1: you still have Alcaraz. There is no center this time,
• 2:43
  Speaker 1: which is kind of tough because a lot of people
• 2:45
  Speaker 1: want to see him follow up his performance at Wimbledon,
• 2:48
  Speaker 1: but not to be. But does the exit of Djokovic
• 2:52
  Speaker 1: sort of even the playing field here? For sure.
• 2:55
  Speaker 2: I mean, it definitely opens up the option for underdogs
• 2:59
  Speaker 2: to take his place. And yeah, I mean, I was
• 3:02
  Speaker 2: hoping to see him win, truthfully, because Alcaraz hasn't been
• 3:06
  Speaker 2: playing for months. So that's a disadvantage to him. But
• 3:09
  Speaker 2: now maybe his wife can get that second Grand Slam. Yeah,
• 3:15
  Speaker 2: Shelton can get there. There's a bunch of different contestants. Also,
• 3:20
  Speaker 2: it was cast for a readout. It kind of opens
• 3:22
  Speaker 2: up a lot for anyone's game.
• 3:28
  Speaker 1: Now, you said you go to the U.S.
• 3:29
  Speaker 2: Open.
• 3:29
  Speaker 1: So talk about, because for those who don't know, Sherry
• 3:32
  Speaker 1: is the woman behind Because I Can. And she's got
• 3:36
  Speaker 1: an incredible story, which you can hear on our prior podcast.
• 3:38
  Speaker 1: We have a few minutes today. So I want to
• 3:41
  Speaker 1: cut to the chase, though. The accessibility of Arthur Ashe
• 3:44
  Speaker 1: of USTA, what's that like for you navigating in your
• 3:47
  Speaker 1: walker and in your chair? You don't have to go
• 3:50
  Speaker 1: into the letter you send to them, but just give
• 3:52
  Speaker 1: us an idea of what it's like navigating the US Open,
• 3:56
  Speaker 1: you know, from an accessibility standpoint.
• 4:00
  Speaker 2: So as far as their accessibility... They definitely are accessible.
• 4:06
  Speaker 2: They have accessible bathrooms and accessible seating locations. They have
• 4:10
  Speaker 2: ramps everywhere. So as far as getting around, it's definitely accessible.
• 4:15
  Speaker 2: As far as purchasing tickets, they definitely need to have
• 4:19
  Speaker 2: some serious work done in that area. The way that
• 4:24
  Speaker 2: it works is if you log on to get tickets
• 4:27
  Speaker 2: online online, the accessibility row is available to purchase by anyone,
• 4:33
  Speaker 2: not just someone that needs it. And therefore, because of
• 4:37
  Speaker 2: its prime location of where the accessibility seats are located,
• 4:42
  Speaker 2: everyone wants those seats. So those tickets are sold instantaneously
• 4:49
  Speaker 2: and are also for retail very, very quickly. And it's like,
• 4:54
  Speaker 2: probably triple the price. And But the USTA have no
• 5:02
  Speaker 2: part in it, and they don't want any way to
• 5:05
  Speaker 2: accommodate it. They're very unhelpful about it. And even when
• 5:10
  Speaker 2: they ask to have my accommodations adhered, they're just all
• 5:14
  Speaker 2: over the place and don't know what's going on. And it's...
• 5:19
  Speaker 2: It's upsetting because it takes away from the experience and
• 5:23
  Speaker 2: it's an experience that I love to have and I
• 5:26
  Speaker 2: love to go there and I love to watch tennis
• 5:29
  Speaker 2: and be a part of it. But the idea of
• 5:31
  Speaker 2: having to always configure and navigate my own way to
• 5:37
  Speaker 2: get seats that I need is so stressful and it's
• 5:40
  Speaker 2: just very unfortunate.
• 5:41
  Speaker 1: Well, hopefully this year it's a little more easier. Now,
• 5:45
  Speaker 1: obviously the other mystique of the U.S. Open are the grounds.
• 5:48
  Speaker 1: And now I know you kind of go right into
• 5:49
  Speaker 1: the Arthur Ashe Stadium or the other stadiums, but do
• 5:54
  Speaker 1: you ever wander the grounds at the same time during
• 5:56
  Speaker 1: the day?
• 5:57
  Speaker 2: Yeah, the grounds are awesome. It's a little old city,
• 6:03
  Speaker 2: and they have a bunch of shops, a bunch of restaurants,
• 6:06
  Speaker 2: and it's pretty tranquil. It's very nice. The grounds itself
• 6:10
  Speaker 2: is accessible. The entire arena is accessible. It's just the
• 6:14
  Speaker 2: way they go about getting tickets to the people that
• 6:18
  Speaker 2: I needed is where the issue lies.
• 6:23
  Speaker 1: Have you ever met any big players? Because if you notice,
• 6:27
  Speaker 1: if you get there for practice rounds and all that,
• 6:28
  Speaker 1: you get to see some of these guys. I believe
• 6:31
  Speaker 1: I saw Federer walk past me, and I think he
• 6:33
  Speaker 1: even signed a tennis ball for me once when I
• 6:35
  Speaker 1: was back in 09 and 08. But for you, have
• 6:39
  Speaker 1: you ever met anybody over there or seen guys practice?
• 6:44
  Speaker 2: I've met a lot, but I've not met a US
• 6:47
  Speaker 2: Open and a different exhibition. They were so kind. I
• 6:51
  Speaker 2: also met Emma Navarro.
• 6:55
  Speaker 1: One today, I see. So that was her first one.
• 6:59
  Speaker 2: But no, I haven't met anyone at the US Open.
• 7:02
  Speaker 2: I'd love to, but no, I haven't met anyone.
• 7:06
  Speaker 1: On the women's side, what's your opinion? I feel like
• 7:09
  Speaker 1: you follow the men's side a little more, but do
• 7:11
  Speaker 1: you follow the women's side just as much? Yes, of course.
• 7:15
  Speaker 2: I love them. I love all of them.
• 7:16
  Speaker 1: All of the above. Yeah, no. And, and they, that's
• 7:19
  Speaker 1: an interesting field. Once again, uh, Sabalenka today. I mean,
• 7:25
  Speaker 1: what's your take on the women's side for those that
• 7:28
  Speaker 1: may not be tennis aficionados?
• 7:31
  Speaker 2: Well, Serena and Venus are back. So that's kind of cool.
• 7:34
  Speaker 2: I mean, Venus got out last night, but it's cool
• 7:37
  Speaker 2: to see them back in action. They're also there for
• 7:39
  Speaker 2: the doubles. So that's, that's cool to see. Uh, As
• 7:44
  Speaker 2: far as who's going to take it home, I want
• 7:46
  Speaker 2: to say Selka Linka, but it's so early to tell.
• 7:49
  Speaker 1: Yeah, and didn't she come off an upset? Wasn't she
• 7:54
  Speaker 1: upset in Wimbledon, or am I missing something there?
• 7:57
  Speaker 2: Yeah, she did. She was defeated in, I want to say, quarterfinals,
• 8:02
  Speaker 2: which is unusual for her. So, yeah, she has to
• 8:05
  Speaker 2: make her comeback.
• 8:07
  Speaker 1: Yep. Well, we'll have to see how it all goes. Now,
• 8:09
  Speaker 1: you know, one of my favorite things about the U.S.
• 8:11
  Speaker 2: Open.
• 8:12
  Speaker 1: is then you have the Mets across the street. I mean,
• 8:14
  Speaker 1: it's really, A, I can't believe we're here in September, basically.
• 8:18
  Speaker 1: I don't know where the time went. B, Mets always
• 8:22
  Speaker 1: are fun when they're across the street because you get
• 8:24
  Speaker 1: to go to one thing in the day and one
• 8:26
  Speaker 1: thing in the night. So it's always an interesting vibe
• 8:29
  Speaker 1: when both are happening.
• 8:30
  Speaker 2: Yeah, it's so fun. It's just fans all around. Everyone's happy.
• 8:36
  Speaker 2: Everyone's in great spirits. And the weather's nice. And there's
• 8:40
  Speaker 2: so much to do. And just everyone's, Having a great time.
• 8:44
  Speaker 1: I'd be remiss to ask, because I feel like you
• 8:46
  Speaker 1: like tennis way before the renovations. Roof? No roof? Did
• 8:49
  Speaker 1: you like the uniqueness of that stadium without the roof,
• 8:53
  Speaker 1: or do you like it better because they can play
• 8:55
  Speaker 1: more even during the rain?
• 8:57
  Speaker 2: Yeah, definitely. To have it to stop the tournament when
• 9:01
  Speaker 2: they're in there and then suddenly it's a little better,
• 9:03
  Speaker 2: it's just unfair to them, you know? So the fact
• 9:06
  Speaker 2: that they have this ability to continue playing is great.
• 9:12
  Speaker 1: All right, Sherry. Well, I know you're going to a
• 9:14
  Speaker 1: couple times this year, and maybe I'll catch up with
• 9:16
  Speaker 1: you there during the Open, and we'll do a recap
• 9:18
  Speaker 1: of all this. But, yeah, it is accessible for those
• 9:21
  Speaker 1: who want to go, and I think I want to
• 9:22
  Speaker 1: stress that point today with you before the round. I mean,
• 9:25
  Speaker 1: I always remember it was a Monday start. Now they
• 9:27
  Speaker 1: push it to Sunday. It's a bit of a different
• 9:32
  Speaker 1: thing like that. But, hey, it's the U.S.
• 9:35
  Speaker 2: Open.
• 9:35
  Speaker 1: There's nothing like it, and it definitely brings out everybody
• 9:40
  Speaker 1: to Flushing, New York. That's for sure.
• 9:42
  Speaker 2: Yeah.
• 9:43
  Speaker 1: All right, Sherry. Sherry Schroer, thanks for joining us. And
• 9:48
  Speaker 1: feel free to follow her at Sherry Schroer because I
• 9:51
  Speaker 1: can on Instagram. I mean, you keep growing that account
• 9:54
  Speaker 1: every day, I feel like, Sherry. Thank you. All right.
• 9:59
  Speaker 1: That was Sherry Swore on One Leg Up Alex Media.