Anyone Can Now Play at the US Open Tennis; FSU to Host Florida Qualifying Event

You can play in the US Open. Or at least say you played in the pre-qualifying event.

For the sixth year, tennis players across the U.S. will get a chance to compete on the road to the US Open at the 2015 US Open National Playoffs. Winners of the USTA sectional tournaments will advance to the national tournament, where the winners in men’s and women’s singles, mixed doubles, and new for this year, men’s and women’s doubles, will earn spots in the qualifying (singles winners) or main draw (doubles winners) for the 2015 US Open.

The US Open remains the only of the four Grand Slam tournaments, along with the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the French Open, to offer the opportunity for any player to qualify.

“This year, by adding men’s and women’s doubles, the US Open National Playoffs are giving competitors the opportunity to earn their way into the US Open in every possible way,” said USTA Chairman of the Board, CEO and President Katrina Adams. “We look forward to another year of great tennis and watching top juniors, collegians, aspiring pros, and weekend warriors compete for the chance to play on tennis’ grandest stage.”

Any player age 14 or older can compete. More than 1,200 players competed in the 2014 US Open National Playoffs, which marked the largest increase in entries in the program’s five-year history. Players ranged from seasoned pros to junior players and current or former college standouts, to league recreational players and weekend warriors of all playing abilities and walks of life.

Registration for the 2015 sectional qualifying tournaments opens on Sunday, March 15, at www.USOpen.org/NationalPlayoffs.

Notable past participants include Olympic skier Bode Miller; musician Redfoo of the group LMFAO; ESPN’s Mike Greenberg, who teamed with six-time US Open champion Chris Evert in mixed doubles; and LuAnn De Lesseps and Jill Zarin of “The Real Housewives of New York City.”

For more info or complete rules go to www.USOpen.org/NationalPlayoffs.