Where Is The US Open Being Held?

Tradition continues as the US Open kicks off.

Much like Wimbledon, the US Open is a critical part of the yearly calendar for tennis fans. It’s a chance for the sport’s top contenders to add some much-needed silverware to their careers. The latest tournament will kick off on Sunday, the 23rd of August.

These days, the US Open always takes place in the same location. It is held at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre, in Flushing Meadows, New York. The sporting venue has become absolutely iconic and has acted as the permanent home of the competition since 1978. So, we wanted to look further into the landmark’s construction and the tournament’s history. 

Prior Venues

While the Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre might now act as the US Open’s home, that wasn’t always the case. From 1915 until 1977, it was the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, New York, that hosted the competition. The private tennis club is rich with history, defined by its Tudor-style clubhouse, which was built back in 1913. With 38 tennis courts, it is still a powerhouse of the scene. 

If we head back even further, we’ll find the Newport Casino in Newport, Rhode Island, which hosted the tournament from 1881 to 1914. Although the venue has never actually been used for gambling, its role within tennis has ensured its spot in the Tennis Hall of Fame. Now a protected landmark, its 13 grass courts, classy Bellevue Avenue façade and multi-purpose Casino Theatre are critical parts of the build. 

The Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre 

It was the Singer Bowl that was repurposed in 1978 to accommodate the US Open. Designed to cater to 22 tennis courts, it wasn’t long before major renovations were needed to keep up with the growing competition. Between 1995 and 1999, around $285 million was put into expanding the site with Arthur Ashe Stadium. Designed by Rossetti, it became the largest tennis arena in the world, seating over 23,000. 

Between 2013 and 2018, an additional $600,000 was put into the project, with the campus receiving a new, retractable roof as part of plans to make it weatherproof. AECOM Hunt helped to put together the 6,500-ton roof, while the contemporary Grandstand Stadium and Louis Armstrong Stadium were established. 

Between 2025 and 2027, the US Open's famous site will receive yet another $800 million as construction teams work tirelessly to modernise the facilities once more. With stadium upgrades and the development of a new player performance centre, it seems that the job is never finished.