US Open Tennis Facts

Ana Ivanovic

The biggest tennis tournament in the America is just around the corner. Find out more about the US Open!

History

The US Open originated in 1881 in Newport, RI. Back then it was named the US National Singles Championship for men. The women's side of the tournament was help in Philadelphia, PA and started six years after the men's tournament. The event entered a new era in 1968 when both the men's and women's tournaments merged and was renamed the US Open. That year the Open also moved to the West Side Tennis Club in Queens, NY. In 1978, the event moved from the West Side Tennis Club to its current location at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens.

Fast Courts

In 1997, the Arthur Ashe Stadium was built, and now serves as the premier court of the US Open. Prior to the Arthur Ashe Stadium, the Louis Armstrong Stadium was the primary venue. There are 42 courts in all at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, but only 15 are used for competition during the US Open. They use DecoTurf surfaces, which are considered fast surfaces that produce a relatively low bounce. In 2005, the courts switched colors from green to blue in an effort to make seeing the ball easier.

2008 Top Seeds

For the first time in four years, superstar Roger Federer doesn't have the top seed in a Grand Slam tournament. His arch nenisis, Rafael Nadal now holds the title as the US Open's mens division top seed. Federer, who has the second seed, is hoping to edge out Nadal so that he can get his fifth straight US Open title. It won't be easy now that Nadal won the last Grand Slam at Wimbledon. But Nadal defeated Federer at the French Open back in June 2007. Novak Djokovic of Serbia holds the third seed, while David Ferrer of Spain is ranked fourth. Andy Roddick will be seeded eighth.

On the ladies side, there will be a new champion, now that '07 winner Justine Henin is retired. Up-and-coming star, Ana Ivanovic is the top seed. Ana, who won this year's French Open, is followed by second seed Jelena Jankovic and third seed Svetlana Kuznetsova. Serena Williams, fresh off of winning a gold medal at Beijing, is seeded as the seventh seed.