Free Tennis In New York City • U.S. Open Fan Week • Promoting Tennis • Great Events

By 10sballs Staff
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Updated: August 18, 2019

By: Thomas Cluck

The excitement, preparation, build-up, and anticipation are all building for the biggest, grandest tennis event of the year is here in New York City. The fourth and final major of the season, the 2019 U.S. Open, kicks off Monday, August 19th, sparking a three-week tennis celebration, a festival of the sport that will thrill tennis fans across New York City with the biggest, most expansive lineup of fan activities yet in the leadup to a Grand Slam tournament.

The grounds of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center will be alive from the first day of qualifying action for a week leading into the opening day of main draw play, providing fans across the Big Apple the best value in all of tennis with free entry for a thrilling US Open Fan Week this year. (FREE Qualifying)

Fan Week, stretching from Monday, August 19th to Sunday, August 25th, gives fans free entry to the grounds of the U.S. Open, providing the chance for die-hard fans and first-time tennis viewers alike to witness the grit, fight, spirit, and passion of the U.S. Open qualifying draw and see the biggest, brightest stars of the sport up close on the practice courts as they train for main draw action the following week.
(sign up for fan zone)

This year though Fan Week will take on a whole new dimension of life on the tournament grounds, now giving fans of all ages even more options for what to do and see. The U.S. Open Fan Access Pass will give the most dedicated, die-hard fans the chance to witness the Open up close like never before, allowing fans to register and attend top players’ practice sessions inside Arthur Ashe Stadium for the first time, attend practice sessions with priority seating inside Grandstand, and watch exciting legends action featuring some of the retired greats of the men’s and women’s games.

The exciting new ventures at this year’s U.S. Open extend far beyond the action on the courts, with U.S. Open Fan Week Center Stage hosting the main draw ceremony open to the public on Thursday, August 22nd, as well as special programming, panel discussions with top names in the game, and live musical performances from local artists and DJs, with Queens Day on Wednesday, August 21st.

Returning for the second straight season, U.S. Open Media Day will once again be open to the public inside Louis Armstrong Stadium as the top seeds meet the press for their pre-tournament press conferences on Friday, August 23rd. The U.S. Open will also become the first Grand Slam tennis event to host an LGBTQ+ pride event as part of the tournament as Thursday, August 22nd will see a new event, Open Pride, with Billie Jean King appearing alongside event organizer and host Nick McCarvel.

Fans of all ages will be excited during Fan Week this year with even more activities geared towards kids going on all week. Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day will take place inside Arthur Ashe Stadium on Saturday, August 24th, with free general admission tickets for the first time to the ticketed stadium show, which will feature three-time champion Rafael Nadal, defending champion Novak Djokovic, and 2017 winner Sloane Stephens among others. The following day’s action on Sunday, August 25th will see the Net Generation Doubles Showcase, allowing kids to take the court with current pros in a doubles exhibition to inspire the next generation of tennis stars.

All week long kids will be entertained at the Net Generation Kids’ Zone and with special entertainment and activities around the grounds for kids. The value and accessibility of Fan Week will extend even further for kids ages 12 and under as Holiday Inn will provide free meal vouchers all week.

The free fun for tennis fans in NYC extends past Queens this year and into The Bronx again as the final lead-up tournament to this year’s U.S. Open on the women’s side will take place with free admission for all fans to the Cary Leeds Tennis Center all week for the NYJTL Bronx Open, a new WTA International event, replacing the former Premier event the week before the Open up the road in New Haven, Connecticut, the Connecticut Open, which enjoyed its last year in 2018.

Additionally, tennis fans around the Big Apple will have a plethora of pre-tournament events to choose from under the lights of Manhattan as top players party ahead of the year’s final major. The annual player party of the U.S. Open, Taste of Tennis, will take place Thursday, August 22nd at Ciprani on 42nd Street, with tickets still available to party alongside the finest players and chefs in the world. (celebrating its 20th year)

Yonex will host an exclusive racquet launch party for its VCORE Pro racquet on Friday, August 23rd with some of their biggest ambassadors in world number one and defending champion Naomi Osaka, three-time major winners Stan Wawrinka and Angelique Kerber, and American home hope Frances Tiafoe.

Fans of two-time Grand Slam champion Garbiñe Muguruza and two-time French Open finalist Dominic Thiem can party alongside two of the biggest stars of this year’s U.S. Open at the 2019 Smash Bash on Wednesday, August 21st at The Pierre Hotel in Midtown Manhattan, with general and VIP tickets still available.

The 2019 U.S. Open qualifying kicks off Monday with American Tommy Paul headlining the schedule with main draw action beginning Monday, August 26th in a weeks’ time live from Flushing Meadows.