It's a summer of love for tennis fans with the return of the Olympus U.S. Open Series, the six-week summer tennis season that links 10 North American tournaments to the U.S. Open.
Now in its sixth year, the Series showcases the top tennis players in the world as they battle it out on the hard courts of North America for more than $30 million in prize money. Best of all, with the action beginning in July and continuing every week into mid-September, there's lots to love all summer long.
Additionally, through the Olympus U.S. Open Series Bonus Challenge, players will be competing for more than $2.6 million in potential bonus prize money based on their overall performance through the Series and the U.S. Open.
"I think creating the Olympus U.S. Open Series was great as it puts the summer tennis season under one roof and makes it cohesive," said Andy Roddick, who won back-to-back Olympus U.S. Open Series titles in 2005 and 2006. "I've done well at a lot of the tournaments, and have a history with these lead-up events. It is one of the parts of the year that I look forward to most."
Over the years, the Olympus U.S. Open Series has served as a platform for the very best in tennis. Along with Roger Federer, the Series' first-place finishers have included U.S. Open champions Kim Clijsters, Lindsay Davenport, Lleyton Hewitt, Andy Roddick and Maria Sharapova, as well as this year's top-ranked players Rafael Nadal and Dinara Safina.
The Series has also introduced a new wave of tennis talent, such as the 2006 Series women's champion Ana Ivanovic, an up-and-comer at the time. And the only two-tournament winner on the men's side last year was Juan Martin Del Potro, who started that summer ranked No. 64 and is now a fixture in the world's Top 10.
U.S. Open Series at a Glance
National Television Broadcasts
Click here for the Olympus U.S. Open Series complete TV schedule for ESPN, CBS and Tennis Channel coverage.Over 400 hours of the Olympus U.S. Open Series and the U.S. Open are being broadcast on ESPN2, CBS and Tennis Channel this summer. In addition to ESPN now covering all four of tennis' Grand Slam events—something no U.S. network has ever done—the new partnership with ESPN marks the first time the Series and the US Open are being carried by the same cable broadcast partner, creating a more consistent television package for the sport.
IBM
Last year, the USTA and IBM introduced several new features to USOpen.org, including enhancements to the customizable myUSOpen.org, building the USOpen.org widget, and creating avenues for interactive content including the U.S. Open Fanbook. In 2009, IBM will partner with the USTA to introduce an assortment of new enhancements, including an iPhone application, a new dynamic media console, more comprehensive interactive tools and mobile features.USOpenSeries.com
OlympusUSOpenSeries.com will feature an all-new design and enhanced video player and increased content covering all Olympus U.S. Open Series tournaments. The site will link to U.S. Open-branded areas on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Sling. By following the Series via Twitter (www.twitter.com/usopen) or becoming a fan via the official Olympus U.S. Open Series Facebook Fan page, fans will receive news updates, ticket information, TV schedules and more. Additionally, OlympusUSOpenSeries.com will aggregate Twitter content from tennis fans around the globe through Twackle – a service provided in conjunction with Octagon.