DUBAI, UAE, 20 August 2024: The USTA and Emirates today announced a transformative partnership renewal that will extend Emirates’ long-standing support of the US Open Tennis Championships.
Now in its 13th consecutive year, Emirates is back as the Official Airline Partner of the US Open, which is set to impact local communities within the US. The US Open Tennis Championship started on 19 August and continues until the final on 9 September.
The extended multi-year partnership will see Emirates and the USTA Foundation launch the Emirates “Force for Good” court refurbishment initiative across US cities. The programme will launch during the 2024 US Open at Brooklyn’s De Hostos Playground courts, with the refurbishment of three courts to be unveiled on 7 September.
Over the new multi-year term, the programme will uplift and support tens of thousands of under-resourced youth with life-changing access to tennis and education. De Hostos Playground is the home of the Kings County Tennis League, which serves hundreds of youth across Brooklyn as one of the USTA Foundation’s 250-plus National Junior Tennis & Learning (NJTL) chapters nationwide.
Emirates’ “Force For Good” court refurbishment initiative will donate annually to the USTA Foundation, partnering to resurface courts at underserved parks, schools, and community centres across the cities Emirates serves in America. Emirates’ funding will support tennis and education programming on those rejuvenated courts and uplift local youth and their families served by the USTA Foundation in those cities.
On Emirates’ new “Force for Good” community initiative, Emirates’ Executive Vice President of Corporate Communications, Marketing and Brand Boutros Boutros said: “Emirates is delighted to be back as the Official Airline of the US Open where we share the passion for tennis and sports with our global fans. This is our 13th year of partnering with the USTA. We are especially proud to be celebrating our renewed commitment to the prestigious event by introducing a new community initiative that will touch youth’s lives in US communities.
“Emirates operates to 12 cities in the country, and it’s rewarding to give back to the communities we serve. The refurbishment of tennis courts and support of training programmes are meaningful ways to inspire young tennis lovers and future stars, and we are glad to be playing a role in nurturing talent amongst the youth. We look forward to unveiling the first three refurbished courts in Brooklyn in New York, where our US operations began 20 years ago.”
In addition to “Force for Good”, the airline’s partnership with the USTA includes prominent brand visibility at the US Open, with the fan favourite post-match Emirates Ball Flight, on-site activations like handing out caps on Emirates Day, sponsorship of Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day and more. Customers onboard flights can join Live TV to watch US Open matches.
The airline has unveiled its revamped hospitality suite at the Arthur Ashe Stadium. Besides sporting a refreshed new look, the massive 1,358-square-foot luxury suite is amongst the largest at the two-week event. It offers premium dining and exclusive beverages, entertains tennis enthusiasts and guests, and delivers on its #FlyBetter promise.
Emirates’ ongoing partnership with the United States Tennis Association (USTA) and the high-profile annual sporting event goes back to 2012. The US Open was Emirates’ first Grand Slam tournament partnership. Since then, the airline’s portfolio of tennis sponsorships has grown to include all four Grand Slam® tournaments in addition to 60 other tournaments throughout the year in partnership with the ATP, including the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati, Miami Open, and BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells in the US. For more information on the airline and to book flights, visit emirates.com, the Emirates App, or via both online and offline travel agents.
