The 2024 Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day at the US Open wrapped up and broke records on Saturday with more than 47,000 people in attendance. Kids, families and tennis enthusiasts of all ages came together in Queens to enjoy the annual celebration. From star-player practices to a festival of music and entertainment, the grounds of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center came to life with excitement for this year’s matches.
Tennis dreams took flight as sports heroes and celebrity guests held live practices and meet-and-greets with their fans.
“Watching Sloane [Stephens] on the practice court was pretty cool, we saw Naomi Osaka a second ago and now we are gonna go get temporary tattoos!” said Brian, a father from Maryland who brought his daughter Skylar to Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day.
Tennis legends like Ben Shelton, Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic also made appearances. Young fans eagerly waited by the courts’ exits at the end of each event for a chance to have their favorite player sign their giant Wilson tennis ball.
YouTube sports and comedy group Dude Perfect held a special show at Kids’ Day showcasing insane trick shots and unique spins on tennis. The cheers were endless as some of tennis’ biggest stars teamed up with one of social media’s biggest sports content creators. Carlos Alcaraz joined the crew for an intense game of soccer tennis while Novak Djokovic faced off against different youth players while wielding a frying pan and giant tennis racket. Zheng Qinwen, Lorenzo Musetti and Andre Agassi took turns serving at everything from baby pools to targets in the crowd from across the stadium.
Future tennis stars, some still in their strollers, had the chance to take to the courts and practice with top coaches from the US Open to sharpen their skills and learn the fundamentals of tennis.
When asked what his favorite part of Kids’ Day was, Elijah from West Chester said it was “when we got to play tennis.”
Another aspiring tennis player, Eloise, had fun off the court at the carnival-themed entertainment events found all over the venue.
“My favorite thing I’ve done so far is juggling,” said Eloise, who could not decide which airbrush tattoo she wanted to get next.
Face painting, giant tennis players on stilts, magic shows, storytime readings and so much more fun covered the streets of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The main stage at Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day was full of electricity and excitement with performances all day by young, aspiring singers and performers.
Marvel and the USTA’s collaboration saw 15,000 unique, free tennis-themed comic books distributed with familiar faces like Blank Panther, Spiderman and Black Widow ready for a photo op.
Kimberly, a mother from Long Island, said that she and her son Todd “come every year … he’s obsessed with graphic novels, so he was like really psyched to see that.” Being a tennis player himself, Todd and his mom love seeing the new partnerships, practices and activities that are offered each year.
Celebrating its 46th year with the US Open, Wilson donated 10,000 youth rackets for kids to practice with and take home. For most of these kids, this racket will be their gateway into a life of loving, playing and appreciating tennis.
The US Open is running now until September 8, so do not miss your chance to catch the country’s biggest tennis event of the year. A full schedule of events and more information on the US Open can be found on their official website.
