Ruud

If the opening day had the air of an exhibition at certain times, the finals night immediately felt like business.

From the start it brought the feel of a traditional US Open showpiece event, with a patriotic rendition of the national anthem and a group of US Marine Corps standing with an unfurled Stars and Stripes flag providing pomp.

Many feel the overhaul has devalued the mixed doubles as a major title. Some are even putting asterisks next to the champions.

Given that, the stadium announcer outlining what winning the title would mean for each player’s Grand Slam résumé felt like an attempt to add legitimacy.

The opening semi-final was played at a ferocious intensity – not surprising given the will-to-win of the characters involved – while Ruud calling for a VAR-style check on a Pegula shot was another indication of how seriously it was being taken.

At 3-3 30-30, the umpire confirmed the American had not reached over the net – following fervent discussion between the opposing players – with Pegula and Draper using the momentum to win the opening set.

But Pegula’s clasp of her head after they blew an 8-4 lead in the first-to-10 match tie-break summed up their bitter disappointment at missing a shot for the trophy.

Unsurprisingly, Errani and Vavassori were also seriously pumped up.

The duo mirroring Hulk Hogan-style underarm bicep flexes after winning their semi-final was one of the defining images.

While the energy on court ramped up, the emphasis on providing entertainment for those watching in the stands remained.

A pair of DJs were perched behind courtside decks, tasked with whipping up the crowd through a New York-inspired playlist including Jay-Z, Cyndi Lauper and the Friends theme tune, while the familiar sight of Celeb Cam and Dance Cam added to the party atmosphere.

Fashion icon Anna Wintour, who recently stepped back from her role as Vogue editor-in-chief, added further star-dust in a near-full capacity crowd.

Thousands stayed late until the end and were rewarded with a fine finale to a transformative tournament which looks destined to stay in the coming years.

BBC Radio Leicester’s Foxes commentator Owynn Palmer-Atkin:

The agreement between Leicester City and Ruud van Nistelrooy to terminate his deal at the club should not come as a surprise to many.

This always felt like a case of when, not if.

Relegation from the Premier League, five wins from 27 games in all competitions and record runs without a goal at home – it doesn’t scream success for the Dutchman.

However, the timing and behaviour around the decision have to be questioned at the very highest level.

It’s been over a month since the end of the season and double that since relegation back to the Championship was confirmed. In every press conference, Van Nistelrooy told the media that no conversations about his future had started. I think he knew his fate.

But that does not make it acceptable.

Fans have a right to question the timing, too. Leicester City are clearly grappling with financial issues; they may well have been waiting for the new Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) financial year on July 1.

But the agreement underpinning this agreement can always have a date in July. Which begs the question, why was this decision not made earlier? The fans deserve an explanation for that.

This is another critical moment for the club. The search for a fourth manager in 12 months, the pre-season beginning on Monday and the Championship opener six weeks from this weekend.

They have to get the next appointment right.