Under the slogan ‘The Power of Tennis’, New York City is entering the US Open atmosphere starting this Monday 19th with the so-called ‘Fan Week’ at the Billie Jean King Stadium in Flushing Park, where a series of activities will take place including qualifying matches, artistic performances and much more fun around a sport that seeks to gain ground in all social strata.
From August 19 through Saturday, August 25, Kids’ Day, the public can enter the sports grounds free of charge. Last year, more than 150,000 people participated in Fan Week. The official two-week US Open competition kicks off on Monday, August 26.
USTA Chairman of the Board of Directors Dr. Brian Hainline said at a press conference that this year the goal is to celebrate the power of tennis in many ways, but most importantly, they will now do so within the conceptual framework of the new USTA mission statement.
“The previous mission statement was to promote and develop the growth of tennis. Our new mission is driven by purpose, which is to grow tennis to inspire healthier people and communities,” said Dr. Hainline with a tone of conviction, while reinforcing that it is a sport that can be played at any age.
“You can start playing tennis at a young age, or even at 90 years old. It’s a sport for all levels. It’s a sport you can start after an injury or when you feel really good,” he explained during the talk with the press, where he was accompanied by Lew Sherr, CEO of the USTA, and Stacey Allaster, Tournament Director.
Supported by his scientific knowledge, the doctor even mentioned that the benefits of practicing tennis with some regularity are “incredible” because it increases life expectancy by up to 10 years “and at the same time you improve your mental acuity, your psychological resilience, your balance, your speed, your power, your muscle mass, your bone mass, your coordination and your sense of social connection.”
In the case of the Big Apple, Dr. Hainline encouraged New Yorkers to take advantage of the various programs that take place in the city’s parks, which include tennis classes, for example. “It’s a sport that brings communities together,” he insisted.
He also mentioned that the USTA Foundation provides important academic, extracurricular and sports programming through tennis throughout the country. The goal is to develop extracurricular programs that benefit more than 200,000 underserved youth by 2026.
Special treatment
During Fan Week, the 12 courts at the US Open will be dedicated to various tennis activities for kids, with drills, contests and competitions taking place from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
All attendees will be able to watch player practices taking place on the courts throughout the day as the world’s best tennis players prepare to compete in the Grand Slam.
The US Open will also offer a special $10 meal for children and their families.
This year, the USTA and Marvel teamed up to produce a comic book featuring the tennis stars alongside the Avengers. Fans who have signed up for Fan Access Pass can get one for free.
For details on the US Open, visit www.usopen.org, and to obtain a fan pass, go to https://www.usopen.org/en_US/fan-week/fan-access-pass.html