USTA Introduces 2009 US Open Bracket Challenge

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., August 20, 2009 – The USTA announced today the launch of the 2009 US Open Bracket Challenge, which will allow fans to fill out the US Open men’s and women’s singles brackets and compete for prizes – including trips to the 2010 US Open.  This will mark the first year of the US Open Bracket Challenge, which will be housed at USOpen.org – the official website of the US Open – and feature separate competitions for the men’s and women’s singles draws.  The US Open Bracket Challenge will go live following the US Open Draw Show on ESPNews, the exclusive first look at the men’s and women’s singles draws, Thursday, August 27 from 12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m. ET. 

“We are very excited about hosting this inaugural US Open Bracket Challenge,” said Phil Green, Senior Director, Advanced Media, USTA.  “This is a wonderful opportunity to allow tennis fans to become even more involved with the premier tennis event in the world. The US Open Bracket Challenge provides an interactive way to generate interest in every match of the US Open and lets fans follow their favorite players all the way to Finals Weekend.” 

Once the brackets go live on USOpen.org, contestants may make unlimited changes until Monday, August 31, at 11:00 a.m. ET, when play begins at the 2009 US Open.  The contest will be free to play, and will include a quick and seamless sign-up and bracket layout. Contestants will choose the winners of all 127 matches in each draw, and each correct choice will earn points that increase incrementally by round.  Contestants have the option of picking the men’s bracket, the women’s bracket or both brackets, and the individuals who earn the most points in either the men’s or women’s brackets will each receive a trip for two to the 2010 US Open.  In addition to the grand prize winner, there are prizes awarded to the next 10 finishers in both the men’s and women’s draws. Complete rules are available at www.USOpen.org/bracketchallenge.

The US Open Bracket Challenge will be run by Fanball.com, which offers more than 80 fantasy sports products and games and has operated fantasy games on behalf of major brands including USA Today, The Sporting News and Best Buy. 

USOpen.org – built and hosted by IBM – is the premier source and destination for multi-media coverage of the US Open, delivering a personalized online experience for each tennis fan.  In addition to the Bracket Challenge, the website offers the most comprehensive coverage of the tournament, from exclusive live scoring to featured matches of the day to player interviews, video highlights, mobile applications, official merchandise and more.

The 2009 US Open will be held Monday, August 31 through Sunday, September 13.  The tournament will be broadcast by CBS, ESPN and Tennis Channel. 

The 2009 US Open will mark the culmination of the Olympus US Open Series, the six-week summer tennis season linking all major ATP World Tour and Sony Ericsson WTA Tour tournaments in North America to the US Open.  Last year, more than 70 million viewers watched the US Open in the United States, while international broadcasts reached 180 countries.  In 2008, Roger Federer defeated Andy Murray to win his fifth consecutive US Open singles title, while in the women’s singles final, Serena Williams defeated Jelena Jankovic to win her third US Open title.  

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The USTA is the national governing body for the sport of tennis in the U.S. and the leader in promoting and developing the growth of tennis at every level – from local communities to the highest level of the professional game.  A not-for-profit organization with 730,000 members, it invests 100% of its proceeds in growing the game. It owns and operates the US Open, the highest attended annual sporting event in the world, and launched the Olympus US Open Series linking 10 summer tournaments to the US Open. In addition, it owns the 94 Pro Circuit events throughout the U.S., is a minority owner and promotional partner of World TeamTennis, and selects the teams for the Davis Cup, Fed Cup, Olympic and Paralympic Games. The USTA philanthropic entity, USTA Serves, provides grants and scholarships and through tennis, helps underserved youth and people with disabilities to improve academics, build character and strive for excellence. For more information on the USTA, log on to usta.com.