The Tennis Tourist: The US Open

$23 million in prize money, the New York summer, record crowds - and Tennishead is there. What more could you want?

What? The US Open – the year’s fourth and final calendar Grand Slam, the richest tournament in tennis, one of the oldest competitions in the world. Need we say more?

When? Main draws run from August 25 to September 7, either side of America’s Labor Day weekend as always.

Where? After moving from its Rhode Island roots to West Side Tennis Club at Forest Hills in 1915 – then a short stop-off in Philadelphia during the 1920’s – the US Open was played on grass until 1975, when West Side replaced the grass with HarTru hardcourt surfaces. Then in 1978 it moved to its current home at Flushing Meadows, which had a DecoTurf surface. And The USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Flushing Meadows, is where you’ll find the US Open today.

In short – New York.

Why? Even among the big four, the US Open is that little bit special. For the players, it doesn’t come too early in the season as is often said of the Australian Open, and isn’t played on specialist surfaces like the terre battue of the French Open or lawns of Wimbledon. And unlike Paris and SW19, the US Open is played in a rowdy festival atmosphere, which reaches fever pitch when one of the big names or a home favourite takes to the court. For some, this is a good as tennis can get.

Tickets? There are still tickets for virtually every session still available from Ticketmaster),
with prices ranging from $52 up to $800 for the men’s final. Seating plans and advice can be found on the US Open site.

Travel? Getting to New York is up to you, but once there USTA.

Coverage? Oh, it’s covered. The US Open is televised worldwide, in all good newspapers and some bad ones, but most importantly here!

Tennishead will be providing up-to-the-minute news, results, and interviews, as well as original courtside photography, pro-blogging from women’s British No.1 Anne Keothavong and the musings of our man in the Meadows, plus analysis from your resident Tennishead experts. What more do you need?

Little known fact… On July 19, 2008, the USTA National Tennis Centre hosted its first ever non-tennis event and the first al-fresco professional basketball match, when the WNBA’s New York Liberty played Indiana Fever in the “Liberty Outdoor Classic: 2008”. Whether they repeat the experience will rest with the egos of the crestfallen hosts, after the contest saw the Fever defeat Liberty 71-55.