The US Open

The US Open tennis tournament is one of the oldest tennis championships in the world, first contested in 1881. The tournament is chronologically the fourth and final Grand Slam tennis tournament each year. It is held annually in August and September over a two-week period (the weeks before and after Labour Day weekend). The main tournament consists of five different event championships: men's and women's singles, men's and women's doubles, and mixed doubles, with additional tournaments for senior, junior, and wheelchair players. Since 1978, the tournament has been played on acrylic hard court at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens, New York City.

The US Open differs from the other three Grand Slam tournaments in that there are final-set tiebreaks. In the other three majors, the fifth set for the men and the third set for the women continue until someone wins by two games.

The main court is located at the 24, 000-seat Arthur Ashe Stadium, named after Arthur Ashe, the African American tennis player who won the inaugural men's final of the US Open in 1968. (In that same year, British player Virginia Wade won the first woman's US Open final, five months after she turned professional.) Court Number 2 is Louis Armstrong Stadium, which stood as the main stadium until the completion of Ashe stadium. Court Number 3 is the Grandstand Stadium, which is attached to the Louis Armstrong Stadium. Side courts 4, 7 and 11 each have a seating capacity of over 1, 000.

All the courts used by the US Open are lit; meaning that TV coverage of the tournament can extend into prime time to attract more ratings. This has recently been used to the advantage of the USA Network on cable and especially for CBS, the American broadcast TV outlet for the Open for many years, which used its influence to move the women's singles final to Saturday night to draw better television ratings.

In 2005, all US Open and US Open Series tennis courts were given blue inner courts and green outer courts to make it easier to see the ball.

The USTA National Tennis Centre was renamed in honour of four-time tournament champion and tennis pioneer Billie Jean King during the 2006 US Open.

Surface characteristics

The Deco Turf surface at the US Open is a fast surface, having slightly less friction and producing a lower bounce compared to other hard courts (most notably the Rebound Ace surface formerly used at the Australian Open). For this reason, many serve-and-volley players have found success at the US Open.

Recent Men’s Winners

2000 Marat Safin
2001 Lleyton Hewitt
2002 Pete Sampras
2003 Andy Roddick
2004 Roger Federer
2005 Roger Federer
2006 Roger Federer
2007 Roger Federer
2008 Roger Federer

Fixtures:	August 31st - September 13th
Contact:	United States Tennis Association 70 West Red Oak Lane White Plains, New York 10604 Tel: (914) 696-7000
Directions:	FROM MANHATTAN : Take the RFK Bridge (formerly Triborough) to the Grand Central Parkway East. Exit the Grand Central Parkway East at Exit 9E – I-678/RT-25A East/Northern Boulevard East. Stay to the left and follow to the Van Wyck Expressway South. Exit the Van Wyck Expressway South at Exit 12A – College Point Blvd. Follow signs to US Open Parking. FROM BROOKLYN (OPTION #1): Take the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE/I-278) East to the Grand Central Parkway East. Exit the Grand Central Parkway East at Exit 9E – I-678/ RT -25A East/Northern Boulevard East. Take the RT-25A East/Northern Boulevard East exit ramp toward the Mets stadium. At the 1st traffic light off the exit ramp, make a right onto Shea Road. Follow signs to US Open Parking. FROM BROOKLYN (OPTION #2): Take the Jackie Robinson Parkway to the Van Wyck Expressway North. Exit the Van Wyck Expressway at Exit 12A. Continue straight on to College Point Blvd. Follow signs to US Open Parking. FROM LONG ISLAND: Take the Long Island Expressway (LIE/I-495) West to Exit 22B - College Point Blvd. At first light, make a right on College Point Blvd. Follow signs to US Open Parking. FROM CONNECTICUT/WESTCHESTER (OPTION #1): Take I-95 to the Whitestone Bridge to the Whitestone Expressway South. Stay to the left and take the Van Wyck Expressway. Exit the Van Wyck Expressway South at Exit 12A – College Point Blvd. Follow signs to US Open Parking. FROM CONNECTICUT/WESTCHESTER (OPTION #2): Take I-95 to the Throgs Neck Bridge to I-295/Clearview Expressway South. Exit I-295/Clearview Expressway South at Exit 4 – Long Island Expressway (LIE/I-495) West. Take the Long Island Expressway (LIE/I-495) West to Exit 22B - College Point Blvd. At the first light, make a right on College Point Blvd. Follow signs to US Open Parking. FROM NORTHERN NEW JERSEY (OPTION #1): Take the George Washington Bridge to the Harlem River Drive, then to the RFK Bridge (formerly Triborough). Follow “FROM MANHATTAN” directions above. FROM NORTHERN NEW JERSEY (OPTION #2): Take the George Washington Bridge to the Cross Bronx Expressway, then to the Whitestone Bridge. Take the Whitestone Expressway South. Stay to the left and take the Van Wyck Expressway. Exit the Van Wyck Expressway South at Exit 12A – College Point Blvd. Follow signs to US Open Parking. FROM SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY: Take the Verrazzano Bridge to the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (I-278) East to the Grand Central Parkway East. Follow “FROM BROOKLYN” directions above.
Website:	http://www.usopen.org/