The balancing act of diversity and inclusion, entertainment, and memorability all came back to one commonality: tennis.
“For years, I had the mentality that entertainment was everything and entertainment was paramount,” Fiur said. “Over time, tournament directors tried to drum into me that tennis does come first, so I really integrated that into my thinking over the years and allowed room for tennis amongst the entertainment.”
This year’s US Open was no different. On Opening Night, Alicia Keys performed her signature song from her Broadway Musical Hell’s Kitchen, “Kaleidoscope,” which followed a record-breaking Opening Day attendance record—and ultimately contributed to the US Open welcoming one million fans for the first time.
“I think the growth coming out of Covid has been exponential,” Fiur said. “I think people desire to experience live events, be around people again, so the last couple of years have been off the charts.”
