The BB&T Atlanta Open will have weeklong ticket packages and a limited number of individual session tickets on sale starting March 5 to coincide with a national campaign and on-sale date for the entire Emirates Airline US Open Series.
“The USTA has been very supportive of the events in the Emirates Airline US Open Series,” said Tournament Director Bob Bryant, “The use of Tennis Night in America and a national broadcast platform to launch ticket sales for all of the series tournaments is a significant and valuable tool to engage our tennis community.”
The tournament also announced additions to the player field including brothers Ryan and Christian Harrison who will play doubles together. At the end of last year, the Harrison’s played together professionally for the first time at the US Open and had a great run into the quarterfinals. Additionally, Ryan is committed to play singles in the main draw and Christian will also play singles. Ryan, 20, is one of the top young American men and his hit world No. 43 in the Emirates ATP Rankings. He is the defending tournament doubles champion, won a doubles crown in Newport in 2011 and reached three singles semifinals last year. Christian, 18, has quickly shot up to No. 387 in the world and won an ITF pro tournament in England this year, his first pro title.
Also committing for his fourth appearance in a row is Kevin Anderson. A native South African who played for the University of Illinois, Kevin has had a great start to the year reaching the finals in Sydney and a top-30 ATP World Tour ranking.
The Harrison brothers and Anderson join a strong field that already includes the ATP World Tour No. 1 doubles team, the Bryan brothers; top-ranked American and world No. 15 John Isner and two-time BB&T Atlanta Open champion Mardy Fish.
“We could not be more pleased to add early commitments from such world-class players who are also world-class individuals,” stated Bryant, “Kevin has participated in every Atlanta tournament since professional tennis returned to the city in 2010 and his style of play is exciting to watch. The addition of another set of brothers to the doubles field is also a unique and exciting element that will be well received by the numerous Atlanta doubles players and fans.”
The BB&T Atlanta Open will once again be staged at Atlantic Station in the heart of the city from July 20-28. The tournament made international headlines for its innovative and unique build-out at the mixed-use retail, residential and office development in the middle of Atlanta which prompted Andy Roddick to call it “welcome, out-of-the-box thinking” and former player and TV commentator Brad Gilbert to proclaim it “the best venue on the ATP World Tour.”
-TPR