ATLANTA, GA, December 17, 2009 – The ATP today formally awarded an ATP 250 sanction to the USTA Southern Section at a press event hosted jointly by the ATP, the USTA and USTA Southern Section. The tournament will be held from July 17-25, 2010. The Atlanta event will serve as the kick-off to the 2010 Olympus US Open Series.
Last month, the ATP board voted to buy the Indianapolis sanction under rules which allowed the ATP to match any offer made for the event. The board made this decision with a view to the long-term ATP calendar and to maintain its ability to address issues relating to the length of the season in the future. After positive discussions between the ATP and USTA, the ATP board became comfortable that it could meet this goal, while at the same time awarding the tournament to Atlanta and USTA Southern Section under mutually acceptable terms.
“This is a great win for the parties involved and is a wonderful example of cooperation and understanding between different authorities in tennis coming together to achieve the common goal of promoting and developing tennis in the United States,” said Mark Young, the ATP Chief Executive Officer for the Americas. “We at the ATP wish the tournament every success and are delighted we could find a way to work with the USTA to achieve this outcome.”
“USTA Southern is thrilled to be bringing professional tennis back to Atlanta,” said Rex Maynard, President, USTA Southern Section. “When the sport works together in a collaborative fashion, great things happen. With our vibrant member base, and the overall appeal of tennis throughout this great region, we are convinced this event will be a great success.”
“We are very pleased with the ATP board’s decision to award this event to Atlanta,” said Lucy S. Garvin, USTA Chairman of the Board and President. “A healthy professional tennis schedule in the U.S. sparks interest in the game and helps us to fulfill our mission of growing the sport on every level.”
Having completed its sixth season, the Olympus US Open Series has established itself as a true regular season of hard court tennis, linking 10 summer tournaments to the US Open. In 2008, Olympus became the first title sponsor of the Series. The 2009 Olympus US Open Series set a new record with nearly 47 million viewers across the six-week season – the largest TV audience in Series history. In addition, the Olympus US Open Series received unprecedented television exposure with over 100 hours on ESPN2, more than 250 hours on Tennis Channel and two tournament finals on CBS Sports.