U.S. Open Qualifying Week Closed to the Public

August 16, 2021 | By Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
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Photo courtesy of USTA/Garrett Ellwood

 

The U.S. Open Qualifying Tournament will not be open for the public to attend this year, the USTA announced last week.

“For 2021, the U.S. Open Qualifying Tournament will not be open for fans to attend,” the USTA said in its press release. “This was a particularly tough decision for the USTA to make, given the immense popularity of U.S. Open Qualifying among fans, but after consulting with local health authorities and the U.S. Open medical team, it was determined that it was the right decision to ensure the health and safety of all.”

The Qualifying week plays host to more than 256 players competing for spots in the main draw in both singles and doubles.

“With 256 qualifiers sharing space with the hundreds of main draw singles and doubles players, as well as all of those players’ respective teams, more than 2,500 people need to be accessing the site during this week,” the USTA statement read. “And this year, because indoor capacity at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center has been greatly reduced due to COVID protocols, many of the player facilities, including dining, training, and recreation facilities, have been moved outdoors onto the grounds of the NTC into public areas for the week of Qualifying. With that, there is not enough room to allow fans to access the site while still ensuring player and fan safety—which remains our top priority.”

The tournament will be available to watch on ESPN+, as well as coverage of matches, practices and interviews on ESPN News from Tuesday, August 24-Friday, August 27.

 


Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
Century
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