With the U.S. Open underway, I was calculating it's been 35 years (!) since I first went to to the event, then played at Forest Hills. I was probably too young to appreciate it. I have a few distinct memories of the day: fighting to find a parking space on the leafy streets of this Queens neighborhood, wondering why there were letters painted on the racquet strings of the players, and being thirsty and bugging my dad to get me something to drink frequently throughout the day. The 1974 Open titles were won by Jimmy Connors (hist first of five) and Billie Jean King (for whom the new USTA facility is named).
