The US Open

Back in January, when I first learned that I would be moving to New York in the last week of August, one of the first things I did was look into the possibility of getting hold of tickets to the US Open. After all, I wasn't sure if I'd ever find myself in NYC at this time of year again.

Having been to Wimbledon already this summer, I thought I might know what to expect when arriving at Flushing Meadows. Obviously I was aware of Wimbledon's unique qualities, but part of me wondered just how different two Grand Slam tournaments could be when the game, players and schedule went virtually untouched.

But as we entered the grounds via Queens' famous Unisphere, subtle differences between The All England Club and Flushing Meadows became immediately apparent. Although both championships proudly celebrate their respective histories, your eyes at the US Open are drawn to sponsors rather than statues as you walk through the gates.

There are plaques listing previous winners, but you're soon distracted by the Heineken logos that dominate eye-level. More commercialization than commemoration.

That said, the imposing exterior of the Arthur Ashe stadium soon grabs the attention. Like at Wimbledon, you walk past a couple of outer courts before reaching the show courts and although there is no ivy climbing up the walls and no golden clocks giving it added glamour, the view of the US Open's centre-piece still carries the same authority as Wimbledon's Centre Court.

The Arthur Ashe Stadium's exterior - and a bearded bloke

We had arrived at the gates for entry to the evening session - itself an alien concept to me. Presumably it's another shameless method of increasing turnover at the turnstiles, but I wasn't complaining when the schedule drew up Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova on the same night. To see two former champions for around £50 didn't seem too bad, considering the tickets I inherited at Centre Court in the summer cost more than twice that amount.

If Madison Square Garden attempted to find a balance between size and intimacy, the Arthur Ashe Stadium made no such effort. They say everything is bigger in the United States and this stadium is testament to that - and it has to be, considering the US Open is the busiest tennis tournament in the world. The 'nosebleeds' (as our taxi driver condescendingly called our seats) offered panoramic views of the city, giving an idea of the sheer size of the arena.

The stadium is bigger, and so is the show. At Wimbledon the atmosphere is famously polite, a word you wouldn't necessarily associate with Flushing Meadows, or indeed New York as a whole. Five-time champion Federer was introduced amid a crescendo of rock music - a gimmick I can't see the All England Club adopting any time soon.

The same can be said for the way the marketing that was plentiful outside the stadium had managed to worm its way into the Arthur Ashe. Wimbledon has not been immune to the necessary evil that is commercialism in sport (even its strawberries and cream are sponsored by HSBC) but I can't imagine a break in play on Centre Court being filled by Tina Fey appearing on screen to try and sell the crowd bracelets.

The typically understated Federer provided a stark contrast to his loud surroundings as he disposed of the unseeded Australian Sam Groth in straight sets. However, my view of the opening exchanges were constantly interrupted by the mass of people trying to find their seat. At Flushing Meadows, movement around the stadium is not restricted whilst the players are in action.

This was a by-product of the far 'messier' nature of the tournament compared to Wimbledon. From the bustling crowds outside the venue to the way the ball-boys would throw the ball the length of the court rather than roll them about in a more organised fashion, the whole event seemed decidedly and unsurprisingly less regimented than Wimbledon.

Crowds outside the Arthur Ashe Stadium, with the Unisphere in the background

Whilst this was not how I was used to watching tennis, it created a refreshingly relaxed atmosphere that was more suited to the busy city that is New York. With the advertising, colossal arena and show-like atmosphere, it was a lesson in the fact that - contrary to popular belief over here - bigger doesn't always mean better. It just means different.

In the same way that Britain likes to think that Wimbledon reflects the country as a whole, the US Open had America written all over it - it even came complete with a nerveless twelve-year-old's rendition of 'America the Beautiful'. And like everything else at Flushing Meadows, it was impressive.