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Home , 1997 US Open (tennis), Arthur Ashe Monument, Arthur Ashe Stadium, Bob Hewitt, Gladys Heldman, Grandstand (US Open)

USTA NATIONAL CENTER QUICK FACTS T N E M

O Total acreage: 46.5 acres A F N N Groundbreaking Ceremony: October 6, 1977 I R

U Grand Opening: August 29, 1978 O

T Groundbreaking: March 1, 1995 Dedication: August 25, 1997 Stadium Re-Dedication: August 30, 1999 USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Dedication: August 28, 2006 S &

First US Open match at USTA National Tennis Center: Bjorn Borg, Sweden, d. Bob Hewitt, D Y N T

I , 6-0, 6-2, August 29, 1978, in U L I

O First US Open match in Arthur Ashe Stadium: Tamarine Tanasugarn, Thailand, d. Chanda Rubin, C R A G

F Lafayette, La., 6-4, 6-0, August 25, 1997

Number of courts: 49 (4 stadium, 29 outdoor, 12 indoor, 4 indoor clay)* Number of doors & locks: 1,594 Number of public toilets: 488 Number of public pay phones: 12 S & E Number of restaurants: 5 I S T I T Number of cafes: 1 V N I E T Number of kitchens: 12 V C E A Number of food concession stands: 51 Arthur Ashe Stadium: 20 South Plaza: 6 Louis Armstrong Stadium: 8 East Plaza: 2 Food Village: 15 Number of portable concession carts: 71 Number of trash receptacles: 1,260 (580 for recyclables)

Y Number of water fountains: 35 R

O Number of merchandise stands/stores: 24 T S I Number of elevators: 15 H Arthur Ashe Stadium: 10 plus 3 handicap lifts Louis Armstrong Stadium: 2 plus 1 handicap lift Indoor Training Center: 2 *The four indoor clay courts are not available for the duration of the US Open.

S ARTHUR ASHE STADIUM N O T I Height: 190 ft. (120 ft. to broadcast booth level + 70-foot light poles) S P

A Number of feet from the court to the top seat in the stadium: 105 M P A Number of light poles: 24 H

C Number of Luxury Suites: 90 ( Club Level: 44 Mezzanine Level: 46) Number of elevators: 10 plus 3 handicap lifts Number of escalators: 6 Number of TV studios: 6 Number of broadcast booths: 20 Number of camera positions: 16 Number of media workstations: 347 & S SEATING AT THE USTA BILLIE JEAN KING NATIONAL TENNIS CENTER C S I T D S R I Stadium Courts Seating Capacity Field Courts Seating Capacity T O A C

T Arthur Ashe Stadium 23,771 Court No. 11 1,552 E S R Louis Armstrong Stadium 10,103 Court No. 12 336 Grandstand 6,106 Court No. 13 584 Court No. 17 2,800 Court No. 14 336 Court No. 15 336 Field Courts Seating Capacity Court No. 16 336 Court No. 4 1,066 S R

D Court No. 5 1,032 E R

Y Court No. 6 1,148 O A C L Court No. 7 1,463 E P R Court No. 8 624 Court No. 9 336 Court No. 10 620

36 THE US OPEN AND T O s e The US Open and the City of New York share a special U g a R I N m N

I relationship that dates back almost a century, to 1915, when

F y A t t O

a national tennis championship of the was first M e G played in the Big Apple. E N

A study of the US Open in 2010 conducted by AKRF, Inc., T found that the tournament generates approximately $756 million in direct revenue for the tri-state area—more than any other sports or entertainment event in any city in the United States. The US Open has a longer association with the City of the F G

New York than such institutions as the Empire A R C O

State Building (constructed in 1930), The Tony Awards (first held I L U I T in New York in 1947), Rockefeller Center (created in 1928) and N Y D

& Lincoln Center (opened in 1966). The US Open also has a S longer association with New York than some of its most storied sports franchises, including the New York Knicks of the NBA, who started in 1946; the New York Giants of the NFL, who started in 1925; and the New York Mets of Major League Baseball, who began play in 1962. A E C V T E I N

THE BEGINNINGS V T I T S I

In 1915, the in Forest Hills, N.Y., first hosted the U.S. National E & Championships in men’s singles, a precursor to the modern-day US Open. At the time, the event S was strictly limited to amateurs and remained that way until the tournament became “Open” to both professionals and amateurs in 1968 and the name changed from the U.S. National Championships to the US Open. Before 1915, the U.S. Nationals enjoyed a 34-year run at the tournament’s birthplace, the in Newport, R.I. According to Wright and Ditson’s Lawn Tennis Guide , the first tournament in New York was an H I instant success. “The externals and business side of the tournament surpassed anything ever S T attempted in this or any country. Courts, schedule, handling of matches, umpiring, accommoda - O R tions for players and spectators were perfect and the galleries throughout were not only large Y and enthusiastic, but truly appreciative as well.” The men’s singles championships continued at the West Side Tennis Club until 1920, when the event moved to the in in a short-lived attempt (1921-23) to rotate the championships among different cities. In the absence of the men’s championships, the women’s championships moved to the West Side Tennis Club in 1921. The men’s singles C

championships returned to New York City in 1923 upon completion of the 14,000-seat horseshoe H A P

stadium at the West Side Tennis Club. The men’s and women’s singles events were played along - M A P side each other in Forest Hills for the next 53 years. S I T O

N S USTA BILLIE JEAN KING NATIONAL TENNIS CENTER In 1978, USTA President W.E. “Slew” Hester spearheaded the move of the US Open from the West Side Tennis Club to the newly constructed USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y. The

new facility, which featured the 18,000-seat Louis Armstrong Stadium as its centerpiece, was financed R S E T C by the USTA (with no public funding) and built on the grounds of the 1939 and 1964 World’s Fairs. A O T I

The move from the private West Side Tennis Club to the public USTA National Tennis Center created R S D T

a world-class venue for the US Open and ushered in an era of play on America’s public courts. I S C

S In 1997, the USTA opened Arthur Ashe Stadium as its main stadium and expanded the tennis & facilities at the USTA National Tennis Center. The construction increased the number of courts on the grounds from 25 to 45 and saw the acreage more than double to 46.5 acres. In 2006, the USTA renamed the entire facility the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in honor of one of tennis’ finest ambassadors and a product of public courts in her native Long Beach, Calif. Soon thereafter, the USTA began renovation of its indoor complex, unveiling the R P state-of-the-art Chase Center in 2008. E L C A O

More renovations are scheduled for the future. In 2011, the US Open added a fourth show court Y R E D with the debut of Court 17, and prior to this year’s US Open, the USTA unveiled its strategic vision R for the future of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, which features a retractable roof S on Arthur Ashe Stadium, a new Louis Armstrong Stadium and a new Grandstand located in the southwest corner of the grounds. (See page 11 for more.)

37 USTA BILLIE JEAN KING NATIONAL TENNIS CENTER

T AND ARTHUR ASHE STADIUM N E M O A F The USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center—home of the US Open—was renamed in N N I R honor of the tennis legend and trailblazer whose pioneering efforts helped change the sport of U

O tennis and launch the drive for gender equality in sports and in society on Opening Night of the T 2006 US Open. The USTA now honors two of the sport’s greatest icons who transcended tennis and gave voice to important cultural issues in this country. In 1997, the USTA named the world’s largest tennis stadium after Arthur Ashe. S &

r D Y e d N T l I e U L h I c t O C a R B

A n G F a e D S & E

I S T I T V N I E T V C E A Y R O T S I H

The 1997 US Open witnessed the inauguration of Arthur Ashe Stadium, named after one of tennis’ finest ambassadors and humanitarians. Nine years later, the surrounding grounds were S renamed the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in a special ceremony on Opening N O T I Night of the 2006 US Open. S P A M P A H C A GREAT DEAL FOR NEW YORK CITY Three months into office as the 108th mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg acknowl - edged to former mayor and then-USTA board member David Dinkins what the United States Tennis Association has known for 25 years. “You have done—to the best of my knowledge—the & S only good athletic sports stadium deal, not just in New York, but in the country,” Bloomberg told

C S I Dinkins, during the former mayor’s weekly radio show. Dinkins, New York City mayor 1990-93, T D S R I had signed legislation approving the construction of Arthur Ashe Stadium while he was in office. T O A C

T The USTA spent $285 million to build Arthur Ashe Stadium and to renovate Louis Armstrong E S R Stadium and the grounds of the USTA National Tennis Center, a four-year construction project (1995-99) that spanned more than a decade, including planning. But the USTA, in fact, operates the USTA National Tennis Center for the City of New York, paying in excess of $2.4 million per year in rent. The facility remains completely public, as it has been since the association moved the US Open there from the nearby West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills in 1978.

S Indeed, the USTA turned a former World’s Fair site in into a marvel of public and R D E R private cooperation with the opening of the USTA National Tennis Center. Today, the world Y O A C L marvels at the grandest stadium in all of tennis—Arthur Ashe Stadium—as it rises from the heart E P

R of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, welcoming even more people to the sport of tennis than Ashe might have imagined more than 40 years ago, when he became the first black man to win a tournament.

38 “Through the years, many people have honored Arthur and his work,” Jeanne Moutoussamy- Ashe said at the USTA news conference (Feb. 19, 1997) announcing the stadium was being named for her late husband. “All of the honors have been very flattering and much appreciated. T O

But I think Arthur would be extremely proud of this honor because he was very committed to the U R I N USTA and to helping it create opportunities for those who need them most.” N F A O

“I want people to see this and dream big and go for it,” said King, who won four US Open/ M

U.S. National women’s singles titles, on the night the facility was renamed in her honor. “It’s great E N to be side-by-side with Arthur Ashe, he dreamed big too. I can’t resist. Mi casa es su casa . My T house is your house. This is our house! Love you New York, thank you so much and go for it!” Arthur Ashe Stadium and the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center allow up to 40,000 fans to watch the greatest tennis in the world during each session of the US Open. That’s about twice the number of fans who attended the largest session of the 1968 US Open, which Ashe F G won at the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills. A R C O

Such growth has been—and continues to be—a boon to US Open revenues, which directly I L U I T fund the USTA’s community tennis programs nationwide. Arthur Ashe Stadium, since opening on N Y D

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August 23, 1997, has generated as much praise as the US Open has money. It has been called “a S Lincoln Center for jocks” and “a Xanadu for not just tennis but for sports.”

NEW AND IMPROVED SINCE 1997 Designed by Rossetti Associates Architects, the same Birmingham, Mich., firm that designed A E

the Tennis Center at Crandon Park in Key Biscayne, Fla., home of the Sony Open and the former C V T E

headquarters of USTA Player Development, Arthur Ashe Stadium features state-of-the-art broadcast I N V T I and audio systems, 90 luxury suites, five restaurants and a two-level player’s lounge. T S I

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The individual seating, increased restroom facilities and increased concession stands are S among the most visible differences between Arthur Ashe Stadium and its predecessor, Louis Armstrong Stadium. But the more subtle differences include loge box seating that is almost 10 feet closer to the center of the court, a two-fold increase in the number of entranceways for fans with upper-level seats and a 30-fold increase in seating availability for people in wheelchairs. Arthur Ashe Stadium can be adapted to hold other events besides tennis. One completely

hidden feature of Arthur Ashe Stadium that is sure to enhance its functionality is the hydraulic system H I within sections 38 and 39 of the north courtside seats. These hydraulics can raise the sections high S T enough to allow vehicles to be driven onto the court, making it possible, for example, for center O R court to be converted into a beach volleyball court with the help of just a few dump trucks. In fact, in Y 2008, Arthur Ashe Stadium hosted the WNBA’s N.Y. Liberty and Indiana Fever in the first regular season outdoor game in pro basketball history on the grounds of the US Open. The USTA is permitted to use the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center for its own events, including the US Open, for no more than 60 days a year, ensuring the facility’s use by the public for 10 months. C

In actuality, the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center is open to the public seven days H A P a week, 11 months a year, closing only on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Annual M A P events held at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in addition to the US Open S I T O

include the Eastern Championships and the Mayor’s Cup high school tennis N championships. The USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center staff conducts community S tennis programs, summer tennis camps, group and private lessons and USTA programs. Expansion of the USTA National Tennis Center has increased the number of outdoor courts available for public play to 29. This does not include Arthur Ashe Stadium, Louis Armstrong Stadium or the Grandstand. In addition, there are 12 indoor courts for public use following the R S completion of the new Indoor Tennis Center in November 2008. E T C A O T I R S D T

RISING FROM “THE VALLEY OF ASHES” I S C

S The idea to establish a USTA National Tennis Center began in the fall of 1976 when W.E. & “Slew” Hester, soon-to-be president of the USTA, recognized the need for an alternative site for the US Open. The size and scope of the tournament had clearly grown beyond the capacity of the tiny West Side Tennis Club. In January 1977, on a flight to New York to meet with the city parks commissioner, Hester

glimpsed Louis Armstrong Stadium in snow-covered Flushing Meadows Corona Park as his plane R P E L approached LaGuardia Airport. From that moment, Hester’s vision and perseverance led to the C A O Y rapid development of site plans and agreements with New York City to create the USTA National R E D R

Tennis Center. Ground was broken in October 1977 and, remarkably, the new facility opened the S following August, a mere 10 months later. By comparison, construction of Arthur Ashe Stadium took 30 months, from the initial groundbreaking in March 1995 to the August 1997 grand opening for Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day.

39 There is a certain irony in having Arthur Ashe Stadium as the magnificent centerpiece of a tennis facility in a park that was once an ash dump. Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens, in fact, is part of American folklore as the site F. Scott Fitzgerald described as “the valley of ashes” T

N in his 1925 novel The Great Gatsby . E

M But the site evolved from an ash dump at the turn of the 20th century to the center of world O A F attention within a few decades. Flushing Meadows Corona Park has been site of the 1939-40 N N I R World’s Fair, temporary headquarters of the United Nations (1946-49), site of the 1964-65 World’s U

O Fair (at which time the Singer Sewing Machine Company built the , renamed Louis T Armstrong Stadium after New York City acquired the property) and now, home of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center and the US Open. At the signing of the original agreement between the USTA and New York City, Mayor Abraham Beame said, “This venture is perhaps unique in the country between a municipality and an athletic organization. The entire cost of constructing and rehabilitating the facility is being S &

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Y underwritten by the USTA. In most arrangements, municipalities build and maintain in N T I U

L order to lure sports attractions.” I O C In a quarter century, the mayors clearly have changed, but the USTA’s “good citizen” status R A G F with New York City endures. S & E

I S T I T V N I E T V C E A Y R O T S I H S

N While the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center brings worldwide attention to O T I Flushing Meadows Corona Park each summer, the park was a world showcase long before S P A M

P the tennis center opened, hosting two World’s Fairs and the United Nations. A H C RENOVATIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS The NTC has been the scene of a number of enhancements and upgrades since its expansion in 1997. Most recently, Court 17 made its debut. Seating 2,800 fans, it is the US Open’s fourth-largest show court, behind only Arthur Ashe Stadium, Louis Armstrong Stadium and the Grandstand. & S

C This newest show court features a court sunk 7 feet into the earth to create a more intimate S I T D environment for players and fans. S R I T O In November 2008, the USTA unveiled its new state-of-the-art indoor facility. The 245,000- A C T E

S square-foot facility was built at the site of the former indoor tennis building near the East Gate of R the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center and was constructed at no cost to taxpayers. The facility features 12 indoor courts, viewing areas for all courts, training center classrooms, fitness facilities, a pro shop and a café. Additional upgrades for players and fans were completed several months before the indoor facility was unveiled, in time for the 2008 US Open. They included a $7.5 million renovation to S

R improve the players’ lounge, locker rooms and fitness facilities, and to expand the capacity for D E R

Y player operations as well as create more room for medical, training and office space. O A C L E P R

40 US OPEN OF TOMORROW This year’s US Open unveils the initial stage of the sweeping transformation of the USTA Billie T Jean King National Tennis Center: a new 30-foot, two-story viewing gallery in the northwest area of O U R the grounds that allows fans to watch the action on three rebuilt courts—Nos. 4, 5 and 6—as well I N N F as on practice courts 1–5. A O M

Announced shortly before last year’s US Open, this revolutionary reimagining of the USTA Billie E Jean King National Tennis Center will ensure it remains a world-class venue far into the future by N T creating a facility that sets a new standard for spectacular—brilliantly reflecting the status this tour - nament has earned and enhancing the US Open experience for players and fans alike. The transformation of the US Open grounds is being implemented in three stages over five years and includes a retractable roof on Arthur Ashe Stadium, two new state-of-the-art stadiums F and 10 rebuilt field courts. In addition, parts of the south campus will be expanded and walkways G A R C will be widened to alleviate congestion on the grounds. With more expansive boulevards and less O I L U I T crowding, it will be much easier to get around the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. N Y D

The improved traffic flow will allow fans to move from court to court with ease and effortlessly & S access the vast array of shopping and dining options available throughout the grounds. Arthur Ashe Stadium, the centerpiece of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, has long been considered one of the game’s greatest stages. With the addition of a retractable roof, that stage will become all the more impressive, as the drama unfolding upon it will be immune from weather-related distraction and disruption. The roof will be completed and operational in time for A the 2016 US Open. E C V T E

One of the best and most fan-friendly experiences in tennis is watching a match in the I N V T I

Grandstand; its intimate setting allows every fan an up-close look at the game’s greatest. The new T S I

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Grandstand is also scheduled to become operational in 2016, and its design retains that intimate S setting for fans, putting them right on top of the action so they’re not just watching a match— they’re part of it. Construction on the new Louis Armstrong Stadium is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2016, and the new Louis Armstrong Stadium will debut in 2018. H I S T O R Y C H A P M A P S I T O

N S R S E T C A O T I R S D T I S C

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The sweeping transformation of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center is creating a tennis facility that will set a new standard for spectacular—and enhance the US Open experience for players and fans alike. R P E L C A O Y R E D R S

41 ARTHUR ASHE COMMEMORATIVE GARDEN The Arthur Ashe Commemorative Garden, located in front of the South Entrance to the USTA T Billie Jean King National Tennis Center and facing the main entrance to Arthur Ashe Stadium, was N E dedicated at the 2000 US Open to commemorate the life, legacy and spirit of Arthur Ashe. The M O A F premier feature of the garden is a 14-foot high bronze sculpture entitled “Soul in Flight” and N N I R created by distinguished American painter and sculptor Eric Fischl. Selected by Ashe’s widow U

O Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe and a USTA committee, the sculpture does not depict Ashe, but T represents his spirit. “Rather than merely capturing Ashe’s physical likeness, I wanted to find a way to celebrate his unique character and strength in the time-honored and symbolic language of classical sculpture,” Fischl said. S

& Said Moutassamy-Ashe, “I believe he would approve of this commemorative statue. I am also

D Y pleased that the figure celebrates the life of an African-American man in a park that serves an N T I U L

I incredible mosaic of ethnic groups in this great city.” O C R

A The garden is encircled by a wall with a quote from Ashe: “From what we get, we can make a G F living; what we give, however, makes a life.” P L C / y v e L

n y r a S & C E

I S T I T V N I E T V C E A Y R O T S I H S N O T I S

P ® A

M AVENUE OF ACES P A ® H

C The “Avenue of Aces ” is a walkway of personalized pavers that welcomes fans as they enter the grounds of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center through the East Gate. Legendary champions , , Stefanie Graf, Billie Jean King, , John McEnroe, , and all have a paver that anchors & S their own “Neighborhood.” Ordering a personalized paver on the Avenue

C ® S I T D of Aces supports the USTA Foundation, which supports, monitors and S R I promotes programs that enhance the lives of under-resourced children and T O A C

T individuals with disabilities through the powerful combination of tennis and E S R education. The USTA Foundation has awarded more than $17 million, including $1.2 million in 2013 alone, benefitting thousands of children and adults through tennis, education and health programs as well as college scholarships—with the hope of awarding millions more in the years to come. S R D E R Y O A C L E P R

42 US OPEN COURT OF CHAMPIONS The US Open Court of Champions honors and celebrates the achievements of the event’s T greatest champions with a permanent individual monument that stands as part of a 9,000-square O U R I

foot outdoor pavilion—bounded by the South Entry Gate and the Arthur Ashe Commemorative N N F A

Garden and Sculpture—and features a complete listing of all U.S. singles champions since the O M

competition began in 1881. The monument serves as a lasting tribute to the legendary singles E N

champions in the 133-year history of the event whose talents have helped build the US Open into T one of the world’s top sporting events. To be eligible for the US Open Court of Champions, players must have won at least one singles title at the U.S. Championships and have been retired from singles at the US Open for at least five years. In 2003, the inaugural class of inductees consisted of , Chris F G

Evert, Billie Jean King, , and . The 2004 class, consisting of Jack A R C O

Kramer, , John McEnroe and , was the last to include four inductees. I L U I T Two players—one man and one woman—were inducted in 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2010. Lone N Y D

& inductees are (2007), Arthur Ashe (2009), Pancho Gonzalez (2011), Andre Agassi S (2012), (2013), and this year’s honoree, . s e g a m I y t t e A G E C V T E I N V T I T S I

E & S H I S T O R Y

Unveiled in 2003, the US Open Court of Champions honors the greatest players in US Open history. Their accomplishments are commemorated with plaques that serve as a lasting tribute to the event's legendary champions. C H A P M Induction Year Men Women A P S I T O

2003 Bill Tilden Helen Wills N

Rod Laver Billie Jean King S Jimmy Connors Chris Evert 2004 Margaret Court John McEnroe Steffi Graf R

2005 Ivan Lendl S E T C A O T

2006 Martina Navratilova I R S D T I S 2007 —— Althea Gibson C

S & 2008 Pete Sampras Molla B. Mallory 2009 Arthur Ashe —— 2010 Margaret Osborne duPont

2011 Pancho Gonzalez —— R P E L C A O

2012 Andre Agassi —— Y R E D R 2013 —— Monica Seles S

2014 Tony Trabert ——

43 SOUTH PLAZA FOUNTAIN The USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center’s South Plaza was redesigned as a vibrant T meeting place for the 2005 US Open. At the heart of the plaza is a fountain designed by WET N E Enterprises, the internationally recognized designers of the groundbreaking water feature at the M O A F Bellagio in Las Vegas. Architecturally, the two pools of the fountain reinforce the strong axis between N N I R the historic from the 1964 World’s Fair and Arthur Ashe Stadium. The underground U

O vault housing the pumps could hold more than one million tennis balls, and the entire fountain T contains more than half a mile of piping. Clad in black Masabi granite, the fountain basins provide a waterside seat for the uniquely choreographed water jets embedded in each basin. Computers control the level of each water jet, allowing them to work in a variety of animated ways—from a low bubble to soaring streams of water more than 20 feet high. The fountain basins are also able to S

& “play,” as the animation controls are able to create a variety of water shows, movement and sound.

D Y N T s I e U L g I a O C m R I

A y G F t t e G S & E

I S T I T V N I E T V C E A Y R O T S I H

The dancing waters of the South Plaza Fountain create a link between Arthur Ashe Stadium and the historic Unisphere from the 1964 World’s Fair. S N O T I S P A

M INTERNATIONAL TENNIS HALL OF FAME & MUSEUM P A H

C The International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum Gallery at the US Open has hosted a new display each year since 1999. This year’s exhibit is themed “Tennis Evolves: Racquets and Fashion.”

2013 – Forty Years Later: The Battle of the Sexes & S This exhibit explores one of the most well-known and culturally significant tennis matches in

C S I T D history, the 1973 match between Billie Jean King and , and also examines women’s S R I tennis history, Riggs’ and King’s careers, and the match's effects on tennis and women’s sports today. T O A C T E S R 2012 – Tennis and the Olympics The 2012 International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum Gallery at the US Open explores the in the Olympic Games, showcases some of the most successful and interesting tennis Olympians in history and highlights the appeal of tennis as one of the world’s most inter - national sports. S R D E R 2011 – Serving Their Countries: Tennis and War Y O A C L The 2011 gallery featured an exhibit showcasing how the tennis community has rallied to E P

R support wars and global conflict in terms of service, charity matches and support. The exhibit also addresses how war has affected the sport.

44 2010 – Tennis Twosomes: Doubles Teams Across the Eras The 2010 gallery featured an exhibit showcasing some of the most successful doubles partner - ships in the game’s history. T O U R I N 2009 – The Grand Slam: Tennis’ Ultimate Achievement N F A O The 2009 gallery featured an exhibit chronicling the achievement of the calendar-year Grand M E

Slam, as 2009 marked the 40th anniversary of Rod Laver's 1969 singles Slam and the 25th N anniversary of Martina Navratilova and ’s 1984 doubles Slam. T

2008 – Home Court: The Family Draw The 2008 gallery featured an exhibit on the important role families have played in the development of future champions. F G A R C O I L U

2007 – Breaking the Barriers: The ATA and Black Tennis Pioneers I T N Y

The exhibit described the origins and history of the American Tennis Association (ATA), D

& established in 1916 to promote the sport of tennis and to help blacks gain access to tournament S tennis, in addition to featuring the unheralded champions of early black tennis.

2006 – ¡Vive el Tenis! ¡Vive el Tenis! explored the journey of tennis from its English and European roots throughout A the vast expanse of North, South and Central America and the Caribbean. E C V T E I N V T 2005 – Passing Shots: Tennis Photographers' Perspectives on Tennis I T S I

E This exhibit explored the way in which tennis and photography have evolved together—or at & S least in tandem—as changes in the game and its culture accompanied changes in photographic technology and our way of seeing.

2004 – Courting Favor: Tennis Posters from the Golden Age and A Passion for Tennis: Selections from the Albert & Madeleine Ritzenberg Tennis Collection

The golden age of posters spanned the 1890s through the 1930s, a significant time in the H I S development of tennis as well. T O R 2003 – In the Zone: The Best at Their Best Y “In the Zone” celebrated 65 years since the first “Grand Slam,” starting in 1938, creating an engaging and potent experience for visitors of all ages and interests.

2002 – Face To Face: Tennis’ Great Rivalries

“Face to Face: Tennis’ Great Rivalries” focused on the many great rivalries in the history of the C H sport. A P M A P S I T O

2001 – Dynamic Doubles N

“Dynamic Doubles” exhibit paid tribute to the game’s greatest doubles champions and cele - S brated the evolution and dynamics of the doubles game, spotlighting 30 of its greatest pairs— men, women and mixed.

2000 – The Lady Is A Champ R S

This exhibit celebrated 35 American women who have won the U.S. Championship, from E T C A O 1887, when Ellen Hansell was first crowned, to the 1999 US Open champion, Serena Williams. T I R S D T I S C

1999 – Their Eyes On The Prize: Historic Trophies & Players from the U.S. Championships S “Their Eyes On The Prize” took a look back at the rewards of victory and the victors who & seized it all the way back to the original U.S. Championships—1881 for men, 1887 for women. R P E L C A O Y R E D R S

45 DRAWBOARD The excitement of each win in the five major events during the US Open will be played out on T the courts and on the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center drawboard. Attached to the N E side of Louis Armstrong Stadium by more than 42 tons of steel, the manually operated, Fenway M O A F Park-style drawboard is decidedly “analog.” Manned by NTC Personnel and four ladders weighing N N I R nearly 500 lbs. each, the results are posted by hand as every match concludes. The board itself U

O covers close to 4,000 square feet of area and uses the latest architectural and printing technologies T to resist the elements so that the results can remain posted throughout the year. s e g a m I

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D Y N T I U L I O C R A G F S & E

I S T I T V N I E T V C E A The drawboard on Louis Armstrong Stadium keeps fans up to date on all the latest results.

US OPEN GREEN INITIATIVE Each year since 2008, the USTA evaluates its approach toward lessen - ing the US Open’s impact on the environment. This focus has contributed Y

R to entertaining more than 2.4 million fans arriving via mass transit and to O

T more than 1,300 tons of waste being recycled or composted. S I

H The USTA continues to collaborate with industry experts eco evolu - tions llc and the Natural Resources Defense Council, both of which have helped poise the 2014 US Open to be the most environmentally friendly US Open in history. The USTA anticipates more than 400 tons of waste will be diverted from landfills through the USTA’s recycling and composting efforts—that includes collecting more than 700,000 bottles and cans and 400,000 pounds of organic waste. This will help save more S

N than 450 tons of harmful greenhouse gas emissions—these are the gases that trap heat in the O T I

S atmosphere and are responsible for changes in the earth’s energy balance. P A M

P The NRDC has supplied offsets for the carbon emissions generated from player travel to the A

H event as well as from the fuel consumed onsite to run the 2014 US Open. GDF Suez, the US Open’s C energy provider, will supply Green-e certified wind renewable energy certificates to match the electricity consumption generated during the event. Behind the stadium, the US Open will continue to enforce its no idling policy for all vendor deliveries, and throughout the site all of the courts are painted with DecoColor by DecoTurf, the only sports surfacing product that is certified by Green Wise and meets strict VOC requirements. & S

C S I The USTA will continue to collect all of the tennis balls used during the matches and players’ T D S R

I practices at the US Open so they can be reused in USTA tennis programs and donated to various T O A C community and youth organizations throughout the United States. From the kitchens at the T E S R US Open, fans will enjoy cuisine made with local and organic ingredients, with more than nine tons of food being donated to the local community. In addition, more than 12,000 gallons of kitchen grease will be collected and converted into biodiesel to be used to reduce diesel engine emissions. Since 2012, the USTA has been a proud member of the Green Sports Alliance, an organization of sports teams, venues and leagues aimed to enhance the environmental evolution of

S professional and collegiate sports. Most recently, the USTA became a member of the U.S. R D E

R Green Building Council, a diverse group of organizations and individuals all sharing the same Y O A vision of building a sustainable future. The USTA hopes to inspire everyone—players and fans C L E P alike—to make environmentally responsible decisions. R

46 MORE THAN JUST THE HOME OF THE US OPEN: T

YEAR-ROUND NTC TENNIS PROGRAMS O U R I N N F The USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center (NTC) in Flushing, N.Y., home of the US Open, A O M

is one of the world’s largest and busiest public tennis facilities. The facility offers 29 outdoor and 12 E N

indoor courts with a staff of more than 20 USPTA and/or PTR-certified professionals conducting T programs, clinics, private lessons, leagues and tournaments year-round. The NTC also supports all USTA Community Tennis and Player Development initiatives. The USTA pays the City of New York more than $2.4 million per year in rent and is permitted to use the NTC for its own events, including the US Open, for no more than 60 days a year, F G ensuring the facility’s use by the public for 10 months. In actuality, the USTA Billie Jean King A R C O

National Tennis Center is open to the public seven days a week, 11 months a year, closing only I L U I T on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. N Y D

& S Community Tennis initiatives include: • 10 and Under Tennis programming for children to learn tennis in a fun and dynamic way • USTA Jr. Team Tennis for youth match play • USTA League for competitive, level-of-play competition • An official Cardio Tennis site for on-court heart pumping fitness A E C • Summer junior camps V T E I N • Summer adult and weekend junior clinics V T I T S I

E &

Player Development initiatives include: S • Home of USTA Training Center – East, and additional Player Development programs for top-ranking juniors residing in the Northeast • Invitational USTA Competition Training Center (CTC) for ranked players • Year-round USTA Tournament Training Program (TTP) for ranked juniors

Key annual tournaments and events include: H I • The US Open National Playoffs Eastern Sectional Qualifying Tournament S T • The USTA Men’s, Women’s, and Mixed National Open Indoor Championships O R • The Jana Hunsaker Memorial Eastern Wheelchair Championships, an ITF event Y • USTA-sanctioned junior tournaments for every age group at the district, regional, sectional and national levels, including the USTA NTC Summer Championships Regional tournaments and events include: • Several USTA Eastern events and activities C

• New York State Public High School State Championships H A P

• New York Junior Tennis League (NYJTL) and New York City Parks Foundation programs for M A P S I

junior and senior players T O

• The annual “Mayor’s Cup” all-scholastic NYC championships for boys and girls, from middle N schools and high schools, in singles, doubles and team competitions S • USTA-sanctioned tournaments for adults and seniors Other noteworthy events held at the NTC include: • WNBA’s first regular season outdoor game: the Liberty Outdoor Classic, July 2008 R S

• 90th Annual American Tennis Association (ATA) National Championships, July 2007 E T C A O • 80th Annual National Public Parks Tennis Championships, July 2006 T I R S D • Invacare World Team Cup (wheelchair equivalent of and Fed Cup), 1999 T I S C

• USTA League Tennis National Championships (5.0 and 2.5 levels), 1997 and 1998 S & • Davis Cup World Group Quarterfinal (United States d. Czechoslovakia, 4-1), 1981 R P E L C A O Y R E D R S

47 BILLIE JEAN KING

T “MOTHER OF MODERN SPORTS” N E

M Frazer Harrison/Getty Images O A F The USTA National Tennis Center was renamed in honor of N N I R Billie Jean King in a ceremony during the opening night of the U

O 2006 US Open. One of her generation’s premier athletes and T agents for social change, King has long been a champion for equality, creating new inroads for women in and out of sports during her legendary career—and she continues to make her mark today. S & One of the most illustrious and celebrated tennis players in

D Y N

T history, King left a lasting and indelible mark on the court. She I U L I won 13 total U.S. Championships/US Open women’s titles, O C R

A including four in singles, and was inducted into the inaugural G F class of the US Open Court of Champions in 2003. In addition, she won a record 20 Wimbledon titles, including six in singles, and won the in 1968 and the in 1972, making her one of only 10 women to win the singles title in each of the four Grand Slam events. She was ranked No. 1 in S & E the world five times between 1966 and 1972 and was in the I S T I T Top 10 a total of 17 years (beginning in 1960). For her career achievements, King was enshrined V N I E T in the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1987. V C E A King, however, was active off the court as well as on it. She empowered women and educated men when she defeated Bobby Riggs in one of the greatest moments in sports history—the Battle of the Sexes in 1973—which was one in a long and impressive career of firsts. In 1970, she was one of nine players who broke away from the tennis establishment and accepted $1 con - tracts from tennis promoter in Houston. That revolt led to the formation of the Virginia Slims Tour and the Women’s Tennis Association. In 1971, King was the first female athlete Y

R to win more than $100,000 in a single season of any sport. And in 1974, she became the first

O woman to coach a professional team with men when she served as player/coach for the T S I Philadelphia Freedoms of World TeamTennis, which she founded the same year. H King, who resides in New York and Chicago, has been heralded as an ardent defender of equal rights throughout her life and career. She founded the Women’s Sports Foundation in 1974 to advance the lives of girls and women through sports and physical activity and, in 1987, established WTT Charities, Inc., to promote health, fitness, education and social change. In 1990, Life magazine named her one of the “100 Most Important Americans of the 20th Century,” and in S 1994 she ranked No. 5 on Sports Illustrated’s “Top 40 Athletes” list for significantly altering or N O T I elevating sports during the last four decades. S P A

M To this day, King remains active in a number of important causes. She serves as a director on P A several boards, including the AIDS Foundation and the Women’s Sports Foundation. H

C And although her place in tennis has certainly been secured as one of the all-time greats, King has remained active in the sport she loves. King coached the U.S. Olympic women’s tennis teams in 1996 and 2000 and the U.S. Fed Cup team for 10 years, leading the United States to four Olympic gold medals and the 1976, 1996, 1999 and 2000 Fed Cup titles. For her efforts on and off the court, in 2003 she received the prestigious & S

C Award, the International Tennis Federation’s highest honor, recognizing individuals for their S I T D

S contribution to tennis. And in addition to her place in the US Open Court of Champions and the R I T O International Tennis Hall of Fame, King is enshrined in the National Women’s Hall of Fame. In A C T E

S 1998, she became the first athlete to receive the prestigious Elizabeth Blackwell Award, which is R given by Hobart and William Smith College to a woman whose life exemplifies outstanding serv - ice to humanity, and in February 1999, King won the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage for her fight to bring equality to women’s sports. In 2009, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, in a ceremony at the White House. S R D E R Y O A C L E P R

48 BILLIE JEAN KING—CLOSE UP Current Activities: T • Co-founder and majority owner, World TeamTennis O U R I

• Founder, GreenSlam, to inspire sports fans, players and the industry to create positive N N F A

environmental change O M

• Chair of the USTA Tennis in the Public Parks Committee E N

• Member of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition T • Authored a number of books, including “Pressure is a Privilege: Lessons I’ve Learned from Life and the Battle of the Sexes” • Board member of the Elton John AIDS Foundation, National AIDS Fund and Women’s Sports Foundation F G A R C O

Career Highlights: I L U I T • Won 71 singles titles, including 12 Grand Slam tournament singles titles N Y D

& • Won 39 Grand Slam singles, doubles and mixed doubles titles, including a record 20 S Wimbledon titles • First female athlete to win more than $100,000 in a single season in any sport • Won battle-of-the-sexes match against Bobby Riggs (Sept. 20, 1973 in Houston) • Highest singles ranking: 1 (five times between 1966 and 1972) A E C Founded: V T E I N • Women’s Tennis Association, 1973 V T I T S I

• Professional World TeamTennis, 1974 E & • Women’s Sports Foundation, 1974 S • Women’s Sports Magazine , 1974 • World TeamTennis Professional League, 1981 • World TeamTennis Recreational League, 1985 • World TeamTennis Charities, 1987 • Founding member, Women’s Sports Legends, 1995 H I

• Donnelly Awards (scholarships given to tennis players who have Type I Diabetes), 1997 S T

• GreenSlam (an environmental initiative for the sports industry), 2007 O R Y Honors: • Inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, 1987 • Inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame, 1990 • Named one of the 100 Most Important Americans of the 20th century by Life magazine, 1990 • USTA National Tennis Center renamed in her honor, 2006 C

• Billie Jean King International Women’s Sports Center opened at the Sports Museum of H A P M

America, 2008 A P S I • Received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, 2009 T O

N S

“As a product of the public parks, I am so honored, and I am very honored to R S E T C be next to Arthur Ashe and to Louis Armstrong, and of course that means a A O T I R S D lot to me. This means so much to me, and I hope it will be a beacon of hope. T I S C

S I hope that people will think about dreaming big and going for it throughout & the world.” – Billie Jean King R P E L C A O Y R E D R S

49 ARTHUR ASHE—A HERO AND ICON

T 1943-1993 N E

M Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe O A F The mere mention of Arthur Ashe elicits feelings of reverence N N I R and reflection from tennis fans and players around the world. His U

O name, synonymous with integrity, dignity and class, graces the T main stadium at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y.—Arthur Ashe Stadium, the largest tennis stadium in the world, opened in 1997 as the centerpiece of the redesigned USTA National Tennis Center—and Arthur Ashe Kids’ S & Day Presented by Hess has evolved into an annual star-studded

D Y

N kickoff to the US Open. T I U L I Ashe was one of tennis’ greatest ambassadors, both on and O C R

A off the court. In 1968, he became the first African-American man G F to win the US Open, and he also reached the doubles final in 1968 and the singles final in 1972. Overall, he reached the quar - terfinals or better at the US Open on six occasions. In 2009, Ashe was inducted into the US Open Court of Champions in recogni - tion of his performance on the court. S & E In all, Ashe would win 33 titles in his career, including the I S T I T Australian Open in 1970 and Wimbledon in 1975. Prior to that, he was the first African-American V N I E T to win the NCAA singles title (for UCLA in 1965), and he went on to represent the United States V C E A in the Davis Cup every year from 1965 to 1970, helping his country to the title from 1968 to 1970. Ashe would later add two more Davis Cup titles, in 1981 and 1982, as the team’s captain, a position he served from 1981 to 1985. Off the court, Ashe worked tirelessly to eliminate racism and poverty around the world. In 1973, after being turned down for a visa three previous times, he traveled to South Africa for the first time and became the first black man to compete in the South African Open. After he won the

Y doubles title with , South African poet Don Mattera told Ashe, “You have shown our R

O black youth that they can compete with whites and win.” The black South Africans gave Ashe a T S I nickname during his trip to South Africa, “Sipho,” which means “a gift from God” in Zulu. H Ashe also devoted countless time and effort to creating tennis opportunities for youngsters from all backgrounds. In 1969, he co-founded the National Junior Tennis League (now the National Junior Tennis and Learning network) with and Sheridan Snyder. Ashe envisioned NJTL “as a way to gain and hold the attention of young people in the inner cities and other poor environments so that we can teach them about matters more important than tennis.” S Since then, NJTL has grown to more than 600 chapters serving more than 250,000 youths each N O T I year, making it one of USTA’s largest community-based offerings. S P A

M “There are a lot of tennis players who won more majors than Arthur, but I can’t think of a P A single player who has impacted the world community as much as he did and still does,” said H

C Malivai Washington, a Wimbledon finalist in 1996 and one of three African-Americans to play Davis Cup for the United States. “Whether it was his dedication to youth, fighting AIDS or fight - ing for human rights, he realized his purpose on earth went far beyond hitting a tennis ball. That to me is inspirational.” After brain surgery in 1985, Ashe learned that he was HIV positive, having likely been infected & S

C during either of two heart surgeries he underwent in 1979 or 1983. The diagnosis, however, only S I T D steeled Ashe’s resolve. He addressed the United Nations General Assembly in 1992, urging S R I T O increased funding for AIDS research, and also started the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health, A C T E

S an organization that brings programs to the inner city to educate and promote better health care. R Also in 1992, Ashe was named Sports Illustrated’s “Sportsman of the Year,” only one year before his death at age 49 due to AIDS-related pneumonia. In 2000, the USTA dedicated the Arthur Ashe Commemorative Garden at the USTA National Tennis Center. The garden features the statue “Soul in Flight” as well as an engraving of Ashe’s quote, “From what we get, we make a living; what we give, however, makes a life.” S R D E R Y O A C L E P R

50 ARTHUR ASHE—CLOSE UP Career Highlights: T • First African-American to win the NCAA singles title, 1965 O U R I

• First African-American male US Open champion, 1968 N N F A

• Australian Open men’s singles champion, 1970 O M

• Wimbledon men’s singles champion, 1975 E N

• Won 33 career singles titles and 18 doubles titles T • Achieved a career-best ranking of No. 2 in the world, 1976 • Member of five U.S. Davis Cup champion squads, 1968-70 as player, 1981-82 as captain

Founded: F G

• USTA National Junior Tennis and Learning, 1969 A R C O

• Athlete Career Connection, an association to assist athletes after they finish college, 1990 I L U I T N Y D

& Named: S • Board member for Aetna Life and Casualty Company, where he represented minority concerns, the causes of the sick and better health care for American citizens, 1982 • National campaign chairman for the American Heart Association, 1983

Honors: A E C • Inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, 1985 V T E I N • Named Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year, 1992 V T I T S I

• City of Richmond erects The Arthur Ashe Monument on , 1996 E & • USTA dedicates Arthur Ashe Stadium, the main stadium for the US Open Tennis S Championships, 1997 • USTA dedicates the Arthur Ashe Commemorative Garden at the USTA National Tennis Center, 2000 • Inducted into the US Open Court of Champions, 2009 H I S T O R Y

“(Arthur is) such a role model and impressive to me. His tennis is unbelievable, but there are a lot of great tennis players. There aren’t many people who did C

what he did off the court. He used every bit of his fame and success to help H A P M others to make a difference socially. “ – on Arthur Ashe A P S I T O

N S R S E T C A O T I R S D T I S C

S & R P E L C A O Y R E D R S

51 LOUIS ARMSTONG 1901-1971 T N E

M Bradley Smith/Corbis O On July 4, 1973, the Singer Bowl, a temporary stadium A F N N

I from the 1939 World’s Fair donated by the Singer Sewing R

U Machine Company, was renamed the Louis Armstrong O

T Memorial Stadium during a jazz jamboree concert. Armstrong lived a few blocks from the site before his death two years earlier. Louis Armstrong Stadium (pronounced Lewis Armstrong Stadium) was the original centerpiece of the USTA National S &

D Tennis Center when it opened in 1978 and remained so for 19 Y N T I

U years, until the expansion of the facility and the opening of L I O C

R Arthur Ashe Stadium in 1997. Steffi Graf defeated Monica A G F Seles and Pete Sampras defeated in the 1996 US Open finals, the last singles title matches played in Louis Armstrong Stadium. Louis Armstrong’s musical career had quite an unusual start: an arrest. An 11-year-old Armstrong fired a pistol into the sky

S on New Year’s Eve 1912 and a judge subsequently placed him & E

I S

T in the Colored Waif’s Home for Boys. His first musical instruc - I T V N I tion came from the Home’s band director, Peter Davis. A young Armstrong rapidly made a name for E T V C himself locally as an up-and-coming jazz coronet and trumpet player. In 1924, Armstrong and his E A new wife, Lillian Hardin, moved from his native New Orleans to New York City in hopes of advanc - ing his career as a jazz musician. After he joined the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra, he was on the path to national renown. By the time he had moved to Corona, “Satchmo” (short for “satchel mouth,” an apparent play on his breath capacity when playing his instruments) had become an international celebrity. He played with such legends as Bessie Smith (1894-1937), Glenn Miller (1904-1944) and Bing Crosby Y R (1903-1977). Cutting records, performing for royalty, filming movies and playing in bands small O T

S and large, Armstrong traveled an average of 300 days out of the year. At the end of a series of I

H appearances on “The Dick Cavett Show,” “The Tonight Show” and two weeks of performances in the Empire Room at the Waldorf Astoria, Louis Armstrong died on July 6, 1971. S N O T I S P A M P A H C “I never tried to prove nothing, just wanted to give a good show. My life has always been my music, it’s always come first, but the music ain’t worth nothing if you can’t lay it on the public. The main thing is to live for that & S

C S I T D audience, ‘cause what you’re there for is to please the people.“ S R I T O A C

T – Louis Armstrong E S R S R D E R Y O A C L E P R

52