Each year, the gates of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center typically welcome hundreds of thousands of fans and other visitors from around the world who enjoy the vast array of amenities that the US Open has to offer. In this year like no other with no fans on site, however, these fan areas will now be used for a different purpose. Around the grounds, these locations have been transformed into innovative player hospitality areas, giving them and their teams opportunities to unwind and have fun, while keeping safe, on site.

For more on this, click https://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/articles/2020-08-19/in_memoriam_angela_buxton_a_pioneer_against_prejudice_in_tennis.html

With offerings like mini-golf, a putting green and even ‘soccer ball billiards,’ players including three-time US Open champion Kim Clijsters (pictured above) were among those getting a first look at the new offerings around the grounds this week.

Sabrina Santamaria, Ellen Perez, and Storm Sanders play mini-golf in the player area on the South Plaza Prior to the 2020 US Open.

American Sabrina Santamaria and Aussies Ellen Perez and Storm Sanders played a rousing round of mini-golf in the South Plaza on Wednesday.

Honing his golf skills (of the full-sized variety), Austria’s Jurgen Melzer took the time to practice on a freshly-laid putting green…

Jurgen Melzer practices putting on a green in the player area on the South Plaza Prior to the 2020 US Open.
(Photo by Mike Lawrence / USTA)

…and later played some billards soccer with fellow Austrian Dennis Novak.

Dennis Novak and Jurgen Meltzer play soccer ball billiards in the player area on the South Plaza prior to the 2020 US Open.