Welcome to this week's edition of "Hot Shots," a USOpen.org-curated look at what you may have missed on social media over the past few days.
Serena Williams can't hide in her mask, and while the WTA Tour has the week off, the ATP Tour travels to Kazakhstan just in time for the relase of the new Borat movie.
The WTA Tour is idle this week and next, after the cancellation of scheduled tournaments in Europe and Asia. While Serena Williams is enjoying some down time, she can never truly get out of the spotlight, even with her mask on.
The 39-year old, who reached the 2020 US Open semifinals before bowing out against Victoria Azarenka, will continue her quest for Grand Slam singles title No. 24 at the 2021 Australian Open in January.
The ATP has two events this week, a 500-level event in Vienna, Austria, and a 250 in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. With "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm" out now, American Mackenzie McDonald took advantage of the chance to watch the fictional Kazakh journalist in his "home" country.
Of course, the comedic version of Kazakhstan in the Sacha Baron Cohen film is nothing like the reality in the Central Asian country.
Borat is sure to be a popular costume on Halloween this Saturday. But these two Japanese brothers, Koujirou and Yunosuke Kosuke, dressed up as Pikachu and Ash from Pokemon as they practiced their backhands—a strong two-hander for 5-year-old Koujirou, and a sweet one-hander from 7-year-old Yunosuke. The youngsters have become a bit of an online sensation through their Instagram account, which has over 30,000 followers.
On the topic of video games, check out this Mario Tennis-inspired birthday video honoring Taylor Fritz. The world No. 29 turned 23 on Wednesday and is an avid gamer himself.
After thousands of tennis fans had their say, Lleyton Hewitt won first place in the International Tennis Hall of Fame's Class of 2021 Fan Vote. The Official Voting Group, comprised of tennis media and experts, will cast their votes in the coming months.
Candidates must receive an affirmative vote from at least 75 percent of that group in order to be elected into the Hall of Fame; by winning the fan vote, Hewitt earns three bonus percentage points towards that threshold.
Lisa Raymond will earn two bonus percentage points for her second-place finish in the fan vote, while Jonas Bjorkman will receive one bonus point for finishing third. Also on the 2021 ballot are Juan Carlos Ferrero and Sergi Bruguera.
But you don't have to settle for just being a fan. Following the COVID-19 shutdowns in the U.S., recreational tennis has boomed in record numbers. Less than 10 miles from the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, New York, Brooklyn's Fort Greene Park is a local hotbed for tennis players of all levels and all backgrounds.
Players queue up before 7 a.m. for a chance to play on the park's hard courts, freshly painted in US Open blue and green. It's a shining example of a welcome national trend.
Tennis is the perfect social-distancing sport, so get out and play! And for our American audience... get out and vote!
Check back next week for more US Open Hot Shots.