You are reading

Free US Open Events Takes Place in Flushing All Week

Arthur Ashe Kids Day Photo: USTA

Aug. 21, 2019 By Shane O’Brien

Dozens of free events are taking place at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing this week ahead of the start of the 2019 US Open on Monday.

The events are happening as part of the US Open Fan Week ahead of the final major in the tennis calendar.

Fan Week events include free concerts, a kids day, legends matches and tours of Arthur Ashe Stadium, along with a US Open qualifying tournament for the men’s and women’s main draw which is the centerpiece of the week.

US Open Fan Week runs from Monday, Aug. 19 until Sunday, Aug. 25 in the iconic tennis facility in Queens.

Fan Week began on Monday morning with the start of the qualifying tournaments. A total of 128 men and 128 women are currently battling it out for a place in the US Open proper, with 16 spots in both the men’s and women’s US Open afforded to wildcards from the tournament.

Notable names playing in the qualifying tournament include 37-year-old Spaniard Tommy Robredo, who beat Roger Federer on route to a quarter-final appearance in 2013, and Belgian Kirsten Flipkens who made a Wimbledon women’s semi-final in 2013.

The qualifying tournament runs until Friday and admission is free. Legends matches also take place daily from 4:30 p.m. until 6 p.m. at the Grandstand.

The legends matches feature a variety of household icons including John McEnroe, Andy Roddick and Martina Navratilova among many others. The exhibition matches also feature a live DJ.

Like the qualifying tournament, the legends matches conclude on Friday.

A three-day free concert series kicks off on Wednesday at 8 p.m. on the Chase Sound Check platform. American indie-pop band LANY kick off the series on Wednesday night, followed by singer-songwriter Brett Eldredge on Thursday and Leon Bridges on Friday.

US Open Fan Week will also celebrate the borough of Queens on Wednesday, with free entertainment from local performers and exhibitions from cultural institutions in Queens. Queens Day runs from 10 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

The tennis center will also celebrate pride on Thursday from 6:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. with fans invited to attend “Love All – An Open Conversation.” The event is a panel discussion featuring former NBA star Jason Collins, former MLB player Billie Bean and tennis legend Billie Jean King among others.

Fan Week concludes this weekend with Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day on Saturday and a Doubles Showdown on Sunday. Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day brings together some of the biggest names in pop music and tennis to celebrate the life of one of the most famous players in the history of the sport.

The kids’ day includes a ticketed stadium event inside Arthur Ashe Stadium and a kid’s festival at the USTA Billie Jean King Tennis Center.

The week of festivities concludes on Sunday when a host of top doubles players take to the courts with kids from local tennis schools. The US Open begins on Monday, Aug. 26 in Flushing Meadows.

US Open Fan Week 2019

email the author: news@queenspost.com
No comments yet

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

Rego Park sex offender pleads guilty to charges of sexually exploiting young girls on Long Island: Feds

A convicted sex offender from Rego Park pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a child and admitted to soliciting and receiving sexually explicit images and videos from four young girls during a plea hearing in the federal courthouse in Central Islip on Friday. Anthony Pangallo, 41, faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years’ imprisonment and up to 50 years in prison.

According to court filings and statements during the plea proceeding, Pangallo was initially arrested on May 20, 2021, at his Rego Park residence, on state charges filed in Westport, Connecticut. Those charges, which remain pending, involved a 15-year-old victim whom Pangallo met online and manipulated into sending him sexually explicit images of herself.

Queens Together launches ‘Unofficial US Open Dining Guide’ encouraging fans to sample restaurants along the 7 line

Aug. 20, 2025 By Shane O’Brien

The US Open returns to Flushing Meadows Corona Park this Sunday, with more than 1 million attendees anticipated to take mass transit to the iconic annual tennis event. With hundreds of thousands of fans set to take the 7 out to the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, there is a world of delicious local eateries lying beneath the elevated train tracks should any fan wish to stop en-route to the US Open.

Can Queens’ food scene thrive with both trucks and restaurants?

Aug. 19, 2025 By Jessica Militello

In Jackson Heights at 4 p.m. on a Thursday afternoon, Roosevelt Avenue is buzzing with energy as commuters file in and out of subway cars and onto the street and cars and trucks grapple to get down the busy road. The street is filled with rows of shops and restaurants, along with food carts, street vendors and food trucks along the avenue. The almost-but-not-quite the weekend lag leaves hungry commuters faced with another choice to make throughout their day and the array of food truck options in busy areas like Jackson Heights offers customers convenience and delicious food without breaking the bank, two features that can feel vital, particularly with rising costs of living and pressure from inflation.