Bryant, the N.B.A. star who died in a helicopter crash in 2020, was known for using No. 24 as one of his jersey numbers while playing for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Last year’s U.S. Open focused on goodbyes. This year, Gauff, the new singles champion, along with Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz, burst through the front door with plans to stay.
The U.S. Open begins with 128 players in each singles draw, and every day some will lose. Gradually, then suddenly, there’s a lot of space in the locker rooms.
An unseasonal stretch of extreme heat and humidity has left the stadiums at the Open sweltering. But a few players, Coco Gauff among them, say the hotter, the better.