Although the location of the U.S. Open has changed over time, it has been played in some form or another every year since 1881.  While change is nothing new for the tournament, one constant has always remained: there have always been fans in the stands -- until this year. Apart from the absence of spectators, the other notable difference from this year's tournament was that three of the biggest stars on the men's side were missing in action.  Five-time tournament winner tournament Roger Federer was out with an injury.  Defending champion Rafael Nadal skipped the event to preserve his energy as he competes for a record thirteenth French Open title later this month, and 2016 U.S. Open champion Stanislas Wawrinka also chose to pass on the tournament.  On the women’s side, the defending champion Bianca Andreescu of Canada was also out with an injury. Even with the absence of fans and stars from the tournament, the overall quality of play was not...(Read Full Article)