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COLUMNS ON THE BALL

How the US Open Series is improving tennis viewing this year.
August 2005

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GAME SET & MATCH

Back in 1881, a player named Richard Sears dominated a tennis event known as the US Championships. Played before a small gathering on the lawns of Newport Casino in Rhode Island, Sears lost only 22 games in five matches on his way to winning the first ever US singles title. Sears’ reward for his hard work? A check for $4.32 and a handshake.

My, how times have changed.

Now known as the US Open, the 125th edition of the event gets underway on August 29 in New York City, and victory could put a player in line for the $2 million US Open Series Bonus Challenge—the largest payout in the sport’s history.

The fourth and final tennis Grand Slam event of the year is also the culmination of the US Open Series. Launched in 2004, the US Open Series is the six-week summer tennis season of 10 major North American events linked to the US Open, making it essentially a “regular season” of hard-court tennis. Players are ranked based on their success in these events, and that ranking carries over to the US Open. With a victory at the US Open, the leading man and woman on the US Open Series can now double their $1 million paycheck. Second- and third-place finishers will also earn additional prize money.

Not only does the US Open Series provide a financial incentive to the players, it also guarantees that fans across the United States and Canada will see their favorite tennis stars come to their cities to play throughout the summer months. Prior to the launch of the Series, many players would regularly skip late-summer events in preparation for the US Open. As a result, the inaugural season of the US Open Series finished with record attendance, TV audience and live broadcast hours for the sport.

There will also be a new look at the US Open this year—and we’re not referring to Serena Williams’ eye-popping outfits. Instead of the traditional green court, all of the courts at the United States Tennis Association (USTA) National Tennis Center (including Arthur Ashe Stadium) will have a blue inner court surrounded by a green outer court. Tests have shown that the blue court heightens visibility of the ball, not only for the players but also for the fans watching in person or at home on television. The US Open has always provided tremendous drama and excitement for TV audiences, and the new courts will just add to the viewing experience.

“We support the USTA’s continued efforts to further engage the viewer,” says Sean McManus, President of CBS Sports. “This is a very positive breakthrough for the US Open and the sport of tennis.”

The new look marks the first change of court colors at the US Open since the event moved to the hard courts of the National Tennis Center in Flushing, NY, in 1978 from Forest Hills. The US Open was played on grass from 1881 through 1974, before switching to green clay from 1975 to 1977.

The 2005 US Open runs from August 29 to September 11. Check www.usopen.org for complete schedule and ticket information.

WORDS BY KEVIN SNOW

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