On Tuesday evening, pingroof.com had the opportunity to attend Day 2 of the US Open thanks to US Open partner American Express. This particular evening was buzzworthy because Serena Williams and last year’s US Open winner Novak Djokovic played back to back.
American Express prides itself in its lifestyle services and this year at the US Open, AMEX introduced a suite of innovative digital and on-site benefits, designed to serve tennis fans the best of the US Open, both on and off the courts at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
We took a tour of the American Express Fan Experience, located just inside the East Gate. It is located in a sophisticated 20,000 square feet tent. It is so chic, you forget you are even in a tent. There are some fun tennis activities to participate in including Swing Analysis, where all tennis fans can receive a personalized analysis and tips on how to improve their swing. American Express Cardmembers can also receive a more in-depth lesson with a tennis professional. We had our swing compared with a pro-tennis player via advanced video technology.
There is also a game center where kids and adults alike can play tennis on the XBox Kinect. The Fan Experience also boasts a full-sized tennis court. The fan court features live programming including 10-and-Under tennis, match previews and player meet-and-greets. Grand Slam winner Victoria Azarenka came and played tennis with card members this week and rising star Ryan Harrison also greeted fans on Tuesday. Sloane Stephens also visited the lounge.
On the second floor of the space there is a small cafe, where guests can buy snacks and relax. Ryan Harrison came to greet us upstairs and he said he had a blast at Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day. We also met with IBM executives who partnered with American Express and the US Open this year. IBM curated American Express’ popular Court Curator digital concierge app. IBM also designed a Game Changer Interactive Wall.
After our tour, we took our complementary American Express radio and headed to see Novak Djokovic easily defeat Paolo Lorenzi 6-1 6-0 6-1. Next, Serena Williams played 20 year old Coco Vandeweghe. Serena dominated with a 6-1, 6-1 score. Commentators predicted that Coco would give Serena a hard time with her serve, but that wasn’t the case. Ultimately, the cool breeze turned out to be a factor on the courts because the wind affected both players’ serves. In the post-match interview Serena gave follow gold medalist Carmelo Anthony a shout out. He was in the audience with his wife La La. Other celebrities that we spotted included Amanda Seyfried. During her post-match interview Serena said, “I’m so happy to be playing here…this is really unbelievable.”
Overall, it was an unforgettable evening.
