Sporting an Appetite at the U.S. Open

09.09.09
When it comes to conspicuous consumption, this tournament’s players are no match for the fans.
us open food

The US Open generates about $420 million of economic activity for New York City, and plenty of it comes in the form of cheeseburgers. The year’s last major tournament on both the men’s and women’s professional tennis tours, it’s also a gigantic food court serving everything from Nutella and strawberry crêpes at the Sweet & Savory Crepes stand to Thai chicken wings with chile sauce at the Patio Café. It’s typical for players to carbo-load during tournaments, especially on match day—think lots and lots of pasta. (Some sports dieticians say athletes should consume 35 calories per kilogram of body weight.) Visitors to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center seem to have a similar instinct—minus the 45-minute practice before the two-and-a-half-hour singles match. So, while the number-five seed Andy Roddick, for example, is busy running 15 miles and burning more than 3,000 calories during a five-set match, spectators sit courtside, consuming just as much. Last week, we observed a couple of tennis fans in action. And, in sports terms, they dug deep. Here are the stats from a day session:

Spectator/Female

Café latte: 180
Pretzel: 370
Heineken: 166
Hot dog with ketchup: 250
Raspberry Snapple: 48
½ serving of nachos: 346
Salad with dressing: 100
Chicken quesadilla: 742
Two glasses of white wine: 168
Ice cream cone: 300
Free Oreo snack: 90

Total: 2,760 calories

Spectator/Male

Coke: 97
Pretzel: 370
Heineken: 166
Cheeseburger: 359
And fries: 539
Raspberry Snapple: 48
½ serving of nachos: 346
Guacamole and chips: 170
Chicken quesadilla: 742
One vodka tonic: 159
Heinken: 166
Ice cream cone: 300
Free Oreo snack: 90

Total: 3,552 Calories

*The Mayo Clinic recommends a daily calorie intake of 2,000 for an active adult woman (5’8”, 140 pounds) and 2,800 for an active adult man (6’1”, 195 pounds).

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