For the second year in a row, the USTA is expected to hold an exhibition event at the US Open, featuring players across the ATP and WTA tours for Ukraine relief efforts.
The mixed-gender event called 'Stars of the Open' will be played on the eve of Ukraine's independence day on August 23rd, as a way to raise awareness and humanitarian aid in the midst of the current conflict and war ravaging Ukraine.
The exhibition event features a star-studded lineup with ATP world number Carlos Alcaraz returning to the scene for his first major title. Alcaraz is joined by Frances Tiafoe, Christopher Eubanks, Matteo Berrettini, Ukraine's Elina Svitolina, and Bianca Andreescu.
ESPN commentator John McEnroe is also a participant but is widely expected to host festivities rather than taking up a playing role. As confirmed by the USTA, all proceeds from ticket sales will go towards supporting Ukrainian Relief Efforts through GlobalGiving’s Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund.
Last year, the USTA raised a realized target of $2 million through the Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund, in which $1 million was raised during the exhibition 'Tennis Plays for Peace' where Rafael Nadal, Iga Swiatek, and Coco Gauff all took part. The rest of the funds were generated at the US Open event.
The ticketed exhibition will be held at Louis Armstrong Stadium, which has a capacity crowd of 14,000 seats, with tickets going on sale at Ticketmaster. It will be interesting to see the projected figures for this year's event, but the tremendous generosity of the USTA and the participation of all parties is something that cannot be overstated enough.
In addition to the fundraising event, the US Open also announced a record $65 million in prize money for the 2023 edition - an all-time high for the tournament, with the winner for men's and women's singles champions walking away with a $3 million paycheck.
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