This year’s edition of the US Open grand slam tennis tournament will go ahead at full capacity, organisers have confirmed today (Thursday).
New York’s USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center will operate without crowd restrictions for the duration of the tournament, which takes place from August 30 to September 12.
The US Open will continue to follow CDC COVID-19 guidelines that are in effect. Tickets for the event will go on sale to the general public on July 15, with all ticket categories for the 25 tournament sessions to be made available.
The US Open will be the only tennis grand slam this year to go ahead at full capacity for the duration of the event. The Australian Open and French Open both went ahead with limited crowd attendance, and it was confirmed yesterday (Wednesday) that Wimbledon will initially open at 50% capacity before moving to full capacity for the semi-finals and finals.
This year will see fans return to the US Open after last year’s tournament was held behind closed doors due to the pandemic.
Mike Dowse, chief executive of the United States Tennis Association (USTA), said: “We are extremely excited to be able to welcome our incredible fans back to the US Open this year. While we were proud that we were able to hold the event in 2020, we missed having our fans on-site, because we know that they are a large part of what makes the US Open experience unlike any other.
“Indeed, the challenges presented by the pandemic were tough on us all, but our sport came together like never before and tackled each challenge head on. Interest in tennis has accelerated, with four million new and returning players taking to the court last year. Our sport surged in the toughest of times, and this year’s US Open promises to be an unforgettable celebration of the game, those who play it, and those who revel in it.”
Sporting events in New York are already returning to full capacity, with Major League Baseball’s Yankees set to resume normal seating capacity at Yankee Stadium from tomorrow.
The Yankees’ announcement came after New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that COVID-19 restrictions would be lifted immediately as 70% of New Yorkers aged 18 or older have received the first dose of their vaccination.
Image: Sudan Ouyang on Unsplash
