Stan Wawrinka Hosts Private Tennis Clinic at Waldorf Astoria Ballroom

In the week before the US Open, the Waldorf Astoria's Grand Ballroom was transformed into a regulation-size tennis court for the Waldorf Astoria Ballroom Tennis Invitational. The event, held on Thursday night, featured exhibition matches with Leylah Fernandez, Maria Sakkari, Ben Shelton, and Tommy Paul, with proceeds benefiting Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. Attendees enjoyed luxury bites and a radar gun to measure serve speeds; Ben Shelton recorded the fastest serve of the evening at 141 mph. The next morning, three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka gave a private one-hour clinic to a journalist, part of the Waldorf Astoria Racquet Club's offerings. Wawrinka, who was initially denied a wild card for the US Open but later received one after another player withdrew, discussed his mental approach, noting he sees a regular psychologist. He is set to face Matteo Berrettini in the first round, with a potential match against Novak Djokovic if he advances. The event marked a potential new Manhattan tradition, with players expressing hopes for future editions.