You never know who you will run into at the U.S. Open. Golfing great Greg Norman was with his two sons in the men’s locker room moments after a Roger Federer win on Ashe Stadium. After chatting with the world #2 and taking some photos, the two-time British Open champ (1986 & ‘93) shared a few thoughts on his appreciation for tennis:

Greg Norman’s introduction to tennis? “Well, you’ve got Patrick Rafter, John Newcombe, Cashie, Ken Rosewall, I could go down the list. Rod Laver. All the great Australian players. Margaret Court. When you grow up in Australia and you look at all the other sports that have been played – and I follow cricket just as much as I follow tennis – this is the first time I’ve ever been to the U.S. Open. I was here for a meeting anyway, so I was fortunate enough to be able to come out and see it.”

The appeal of tennis? “It’s sport, simple as that. It’s sport. A lot of the athletes we know play golf. And so you have a connection in some way. Like James Blake loves to play golf. So when you see him, you know they watch you on TV. We watch them on TV. When you get to meet them and have a chat with them, you have some type of understanding with each other, even though you may not know each other until you actually meet them. At the end of the day, you respect them for their abilities just as much as they respect us for our abilities.”

How is your tennis game? “[Laughs]. I don’t play [smiles]. I don’t play.”

Who are your favorite players to watch? “It depends. I’m a huge Roger fan. I’m a huge Lleyton Hewitt fan. Because I just admire Lleyton’s determination and grit, he maximizes everything that he gets out there and puts his best foot forward every time, which is a rare talent indeed. And obviously Roger because of his grace and perfection of the game. Watching him hit a backhand is like standing there looking at the Mona Lisa all the time.”

Federer oil painting by John Murwaski

You and Lleyton play golf together. Is his tenacity and intensity on the golf course similar to the way it is on the court? “Yeah [smiles]. Yeah, I think we’re all that way. No matter what we do – if it’s another sport or whether it’s scuba diving or something like that, we want to be the best we can be at it. Because it’s in our blood. That’s our make-up. No matter what challenge we have, same as golf, into sport, into business, we’re taking that competitive spirit and edge to it. And you just want to be the best you can at it.”

Favorite tournament? “I’ve only been to three – Wimbledon, U.S. Open and Australian Open. They’re all majors so they’re pretty impressive in their own right.”

Your greatest tennis moment? “I remember watching Bjorn Borg play McEnroe I think that was in 1981. The tie break. I’ll never forget that one [smiles].”

Zaniest Erratic: Jelena Jankovic

Favorite Tournament: US Open

Future Star: Viktoria Azarenka

Best Personality/Charisma: Amelie Mauresmo

Overhyped: Maybe Serena/Donald Young

Underhyped: Ivan Ljubicic

Favorite TV Commentator: Mary Carillo

Favorite Tennis Apparel: I like the Adidas stuff. I liked James Blake’s Nike outfits.

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David Saffran, NYC-based photographer

Coolest: Federer

Smartest: Federer, without a doubt.

Funniest: Can’t answer that one.

Dullest: Davenport.

Zaniest Erratic: Roddick but he holds it on. He talks to himself. He can be cool one second, then, literally strap him up in a strait-jacket. He needs Prozac during some matches.

Favorite Tournament: US Open

Future Star: Ivanovic. Donald Young

Best Personality: Agassi – the elder statesman. He’d do that little skip-hop – the crowd feeds off it. Sampras and Federer didn’t play to the crowd.

Overhyped: NA

Underhyped: NA

Favorite TV Commentator: Mary Carillo, John McEnroe, Patrick McEnroe – just as good as his brother.

Favorite Tennis Apparel: NA

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Al Bello, Getty Images Photographer

Coolest: Federer. He does everything looking like he’s not exerting himself.

Smartest: Hingis. She made up for physical disadvantages by out-thinking people.

Funniest: Marat Safin. He’s always breaking his racquet and yelling and screaming.

Dullest: Amy Frazier

Zaniest Erratic: Safin. Lleyton Hewitt was always angry about something.

Favorite Tournament: Miami

Future Star: Murray

Best Personality: It was Agassi

Overhyped: NA

Underhyped: NA

Favorite TV Commentator: I do like McEnroe

Favorite Tennis Apparel: Fila – it’s not too flashy.

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Lloyd Carroll, Queens Chronicle

Coolest: NA

Smartest: I like Gimelstob. He’s funny, good wit. Understands it, knows his limitations. Just a good sense of humor. Can laugh at himself.

Funniest: Gimelstob, Spadea, Muster, Djokovic

Dullest: Dokic, Dementieva

Zaniest Erratic: Rios

Favorite Tournament: A&P Classic in Mahwah RIP. Forest Hills Challenger Classic RIP.

Future Star: Sania Mirza, Peer

Best Personality: Federer’s got a certain charisma for a champion.

Overhyped: Andy Roddick. James Blake comes in a close second.

Underhyped: Kim Clijsters

Favorite TV Commentator: Mary Carillo. I think she’s pretty sharp.

Favorite Tennis Apparel: Adidas. I like the logo.

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Alex Trautwig (Son of Al)

Coolest: Blake. He carries himself well.

Smartest: Agassi.

Funniest: NA

Dullest: Davenport

Zaniest Erratic: Roddick. He’s sort of all over the place.

Favorite Tournament: NA

Future Star: NA

Best Personality: Nadal. He’s just exciting, no matter what he does.

Overhyped: NA

Underhyped: NA

Favorite TV Commentator: John McEnroe

Favorite Tennis Apparel: NA

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Doug Smith, Formerly of USA Today

Coolest: Nadal

Smartest: Andre. Photographic memory, shows perspective, insightful despite not a day in college. I don’t know a lot of the lower ranked players.

Funniest: Gimelstob makes me laugh.

Dullest: In the sense of Sampras, Federer has been content to win. Very few distractions.

Zaniest Erratic: Marat

Favorite Tournament: French Open

Future Star: I thought Vaidisova.

Best Personality: Maybe Serena somewhat. I still like Andre for that. He wasn’t that way when he was younger but he grew into it.

Overhyped: NA

Underhyped: NA

Favorite TV Commentator: John – he gives you more than the others. Jim Courier is very analytical.

Favorite Tennis Apparel: NA

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Dave “The Koz” Kozlowski, print & TV media

Coolest: Roddick

Smartest: Hingis. Federer. Henin.

Funniest: Roddick, Ivanisevic, Justin Gimielstob is witty.

Dullest: I like to feel nobody. Some are more charismatic than others. Maybe Davenport, but she’s gotten better. First time we chatted, when the camera came on her went down. She’s gotten better. That’s hard. Maybe I’m not bringing the charisma out of them.

Zaniest Erratic: Goran again.

Favorite Tournament: US Open, Amelia Island, Houston.

Future Star: Sam Querrey certainly has a good shot.

Best Personality: Blake, Roddick, Sharapova has a lot of fan appeal.

Overhyped: NA

Underhyped: NA

Favorite TV Commentator: I love ‘em all. John McEnroe, Cliff Drysdale, Patrick McEnroe, Dick Enberg, Bill McAtee, Ted Robinson. They’re all entertaining.

Favorite Tennis Apparel: NA

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Araz Gulekjian, French print & radio media

Coolest: Arnaud Clement – very nice guy, always ready for interviews, never takes himself too seriously, he’s warm, congenial. Gael Monfils.

Smartest: Max Mirnyi – very smart guy, pinpoint, very articulate. Federer.

Funniest: Safin – sarcastic. He has his way of communicating. He detaches from the event, at the same time he’s sufficiently down to earth, pokes fun at himself.

Dullest: Gaudio. He doesn’t say anything interesting.

Zaniest Erratic: Safin

Favorite Tournament: Rome

Future Star: Korolev

Best Personality: Many

Overhyped: Blake

Underhyped: Berdych

Favorite TV Commentator: John McEnroe

Favorite Tennis Apparel: I’d say the Nike ones. I like colors. If you asked me two years ago it was Adidas, before that it was Lotto.

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Scoop Malinowski, 10sballs.com

Coolest: Federer, Nadal, Djokovic.

Smartest: There’s many but Ljubicic is right up there with Federer and Nadal and Roddick.

Funniest: Djokovic, love his court personality. Roddick’s press conferences also.

Dullest: Murray at times. Living under the microscope might inhibit most regular people though.

Zaniest Erratic: Who will be the heir apparent to Marat?

Favorite Tournament: US Open, Wimbledon, Newport, Wash DC, Delray.

Future Star: Isner, Dimitrov, Radwanska, Ryan Harrison

Best Personality: Djokovic, Monfils, Ryan Harrison

Overhyped: Maybe DY

Underhyped: Monfils

Favorite TV Commentator: McEnroes, Fred Stolle, Courier, Cliff, BG, Cahill, Evert.

Favorite Tennis Apparel: Nike and Adidas.

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Juttana Rimreartwate, Thailand print & TV

Coolest: Roger

Smartest: Roger then Nadal.

Funniest: The guy from Cyprus Bagdhatis

Dullest: Davenport

Zaniest Erratic: Safin, Andy Roddick is crazy also.

Favorite Tournament: US Open.

Future Star: Lopez

Best Personality: Roger

Overhyped: NA

Underhyped: NA

Favorite TV Commentator: NA

Favorite Tennis Apparel: Nike all the time.

(Artwork by Miami-based artist Carlos A. Navarro.)

The field features several former World No. 1 players, Grand Slam champions and major finalists in a formidable field that includes Wimbledon runner-up Andy Roddick, two-time Grand Slam champion Lleyton Hewitt, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, defending champion Juan Martin del Potro, Fernando Gonzalez, Robin Soderling, and Rainer Schuettler.

Tommy Robredo, Israeli Davis Cup hero Dudi Sela, Ivo Karlovic, Mardy Fish and Tomas Berdych are also here as are doubles stars Daniel Nestor, Nenad Zimonjic, Mark Knowles and Mahesh Bhupathi.

Marin Cilic, who clinched Croatia’s first trip to the Davis Cup semifinals in four years with his victory over James Blake on the red clay of Porec last month, was here, but the sixth-seeded rising star went down to qualifier Somdev Devvarman, 7-5, 6-4, on Tuesday afternoon. The match was a rematch of the Chennai final in January, which Cilic won in straight sets. Devvarman, who lives in nearby Virgina and won the NCAA singles title at Virginia, enjoyed solid crowd support from his friends and supporters. He resides in the top quarter of the draw along with top-seeded Andy Roddick and 16th-seeded Sam Querrey, who could square off in the round of 16 tomorrow.

Roddick returns to tournament tennis tonight when he plays Benjamin Becker in his first match since falling to World No. 1 Roger Federer in last month’s epic 77-game Wimbledon final. Big-serving John Isner, who lost to Roddick in the final here two years ago, will play the third-seeded Tsonga in tonight’s second Center Court match.

Lleyton Hewitt edged Donald Young in Monday night’s opener, 7-5, 6-2. If Hewitt beats 15th-seeded Sela today he would face del Potro in a rematch of the Wimbledon second round. Hewitt dismissed del Potro, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5, on the grass courts of the All England Club.

But Young, who has been maligned by media and fans for lackluster results this year was impressive in defeat. Hewitt said the young American “hasn’t reached his full potential yet” and attributed some of the 20-year-old’s struggles this season to growing pains that are part of the transition from junior tennis to the pro circuit.

“He’s very talented and he just hasn’t fulfilled his potential just yet,” Hewitt said of Young. “It’s a big step up from juniors to seniors. He’s lightning quick, gets to a lot of balls, and is starting to get a bigger game out there. He’s just not playing the big points very well just yet.”

Two years ago, Young was the youngest man ranked inside the ATP’s top 100. He finished the 2008 season ranked No. 133. He has kicked around the Challenger circuit and ATP qualifiers this season as his ranking has dropped to No. 162. While the former ITF World No. 1 junior was often physically overmatched in his teenage years, Hewitt said Young is a true talent who must toughen up and learn to play pivotal points better in order to return to the top 100.

Despite some recent poor results on the Challenger circuit, Young looked like he belonged on an ATP show court in prime time. And if he can improve his service percentage (he served only 36 percent against Hewitt, which is obviously a recipe for disaster against one of tennis’ most consistent returners), and generate more consistency on his backhand and volleys, Young is not far removed from top 50 form. While that may sound like a bold prediction given his current ranking, it was supported by one long time tennis expert who also watched the match courtside and praised the Young’s hand and foot speed, but pointed out the Chicago-born lefthander needs better coaching if he is to rise back up the rankings.

Leonardo Mayer from Argentina followed up on his semifinal appearance in Los Angeles with an excellent effort against 33-year-old Rainer Schuettler. Mayer got blown out in set one, 6-1, and looked to be out of his league with the tenacious, muscular German. But Mayer rebounded to win the second and forced a third-set tiebreak. At 5-5 on his own serve in the breaker, Mayer got a ball down the middle and went for the big forehand to the German’s forehand corner but just missed it by about two inches wide. Mayer screamed in agony and went down in defeat on the next point as Schuettler connected on a forehand crosscourt winner. Oliver Marach and Daniel Nestor came out from the locker room to watch the finale of this exciting match.

This is a well-run tournament that draws a lot of the players out of the locker room to watch the matches on the outer courts, though they watch it from behind a windscreen. Sela watched a good portion of his friend Andy Ram partner Max Mirnyi against the venerable team of Knowles and Bhupathi, who both have the hand speed of pick pocket artists at net. In a highly-entertaining match, Bhupathi and Knowles held off Ram and Mirnyi, 7-6(6), 2-6, 10-7.

Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic watched much of his countryman Martin Damm and Sweden’s Robert Linstedt as the pair took down Oliver Marach and Lukasz Kubot, 7-5, 7-5.

Marcelo Melo and Andre Sa watched just about all of that doubles match from behind the wind screen, sitting on the grass. They went on court next without even warming up or stretching. Their coach awkwardly climbed the fence behind the baseline and hooked up a video camera to record the match. But the Brazilian tandem were defeated by Steven “Hussy” Huss and Ross “Rosco” Hutchins 6-1, 6-4.

Lleyton Hewitt and Chris Guccione saved two match points and defeated Bruno Soares and Kevin Ullyet in a very close third set tiebreak, 4-6, 7-5, 12-10. Interestingly, Hewitt still wears his Yonex baseball cap backward for singles but wears in the conventional, forward fashion for doubles. Fierce forehands were on display as Fernando Gonzalez and Tommy Robredo beat wild cards Isner and Querrey, 3-6, 7-6(5), 10-6.

One local media veteran down here, Bob Epstein from Lifestyles Magazine, told me the crowds here are the best ever and the outer courts are packed. He said even during the Agassi era when AA would play here just about every year, tennis fans flocked to see his matches but when Andre was finished, most fans left. But here each match, whether it’s singles or doubles, the courts are packed to near capacity and the tennis has been high quality.

Tennis Week contributing writer Scoop Malinowski is in Washington, DC, attending this week’s Legg Mason Tennis Classic. Scoop’s latest book Heavyweight Armageddon: The Tyson-Lewis Championship Battle was called “A smashing success,” by Hall of Famer Emanuel Steward, who called the book “one of the two best boxing books I’ve ever read.” Author Joyce Carol Oates, whose book “On Boxing” is regarded as a classic calls Scoop, “one of the hottest young journalists in pugilism.” He’s recently done Biofiles with Billie Jean King, Asafa Powell, and Olympic gold medalists Carolina Kluft, Oksana Baiul and Tirunesh Dibaba. Please visit his site www.thebiofile.com. Scoop is also a ham and egger tennis player, currently ranked No. 4 in the USTA Eastern 35s and holder of the Tennis Week singles title.