2015 BB&T Atlanta Open
An ATP World Tour 250 event
Defending champions: John Isner in singles and Vasek Pospisil and Jack Sock in doubles
Dates: qualifying draw, July 25-26; main draw, July 27-Aug. 2
Site: Atlantic Station, 1380 Atlantic Drive N.W., Atlanta
Parking: On-site at Atlantic Station for $10 or shuttles run from the Arts Center MARTA Station. Parking is free for Lexus owners in the 20th Avenue lot. Note: Market Street inbound from 17th Street will be closed at 17th ½ Street.
Tickets: $15-$95. Check for availability of flex, weeklong and Champions Day packages at bbtatlantaopen.com.
TV coverage: ESPN2 and ESPN3 will cover starting at 4 p.m. July 31 and running through the singles final Aug. 2.
Tournament director Eddie Gonzalez takes a page from Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” with this year’s BB&T Atlanta Open at Atlantic Station, with visits from the past, present and future of the tennis tournament.
It’s Atlanta’s annual Association of Tennis Professionals World Tour 250 men’s tennis tournament. Play starts July 25 and runs through the singles and doubles finals, which will take place Aug. 2.
Organizers call it a “celebration” of tennis, which is a big deal in Atlanta.
“We have 347,000 people that played tennis last year in Atlanta, the most of any city in the world,” said Gonzalez, who once again is mixing world class tennis with events off the court. More than 30,000 fans annually attend the matches.
Now in its sixth year, the Atlanta Open kicks off the U.S. Open Series leading to the final major championship of the year, the U.S. Open in New York.
Here’s a rundown of what fans can expect:
Past, present and future
Andy Roddick won his 32nd and final ATP World Tour singles title in Atlanta in 2012, and he will come out of retirement to play doubles this year with good friend Mardy Fish. Roddick also will play an exhibition singles match July 27 against rising American Frances Tiafoe from Maryland.
Representing the present day, former Georgia Bulldog All-American and ATP World Tour Top 20 player John Isner will be attempting an unprecedented three-peat against a stellar field that includes another Top 20 player in Kevin Anderson of South Africa, Wimbledon quarterfinalist Vasek Pospisil of Canada and 2014 Atlanta Open semifinalist Jack Sock.
The future is now, as 17-year-old Tiafoe was granted a spot in the singles main draw after playing qualifying last year.
Kids weekend, family zone
Young tennis players can hit balls and learn about the game from U.S. Tennis Association staff members on 10-and-under courts in Atlantic Station’s Central Park. They also can get in to watch the matches for free on the opening weekend.
“Kids weekend allows an adult to buy a ticket and up to four kids 18 years of age and younger to get in free,” Gonzalez said.
The Family Zone will be open to kids the entire week.
Commodores in concert
Talk about a blast from the past, the Commodores haven’t played the Atlanta area in more than 10 years, but the 1970s R&B legends will perform “Sail On,” “Night Shift” “Brick House” and more at a July 25 concert on Stadium Court. Reserved seats start at $65.
Original Commodores member William King is an Atlanta resident and plays Atlanta Lawn Tennis Association and USTA League tennis locally.
Military night
July 27 at the Atlanta Open brings a special night to honor the U.S. military, with a video montage, the national anthem and a uniformed color guard. The Roddick-Tiafoe match will follow. Also, anyone with a military ID gets two free tickets to the semifinal day session Aug. 1, and a buy one, get one free deal for additional tickets to that session.
College night
On July 28, any student with a current college ID gets a BOGO ticket deal. Georgia Tech tennis player Christopher Eubanks will be in action. Fans are encouraged to wear their school’s colors at Stadium Court.
Midweek concert
Country music duo LoCash (“I Love This Life”) will play a free post-match concert July 29.
Ladies day
Women can buy a special ticket for a July 30 brunch with the world’s No. 1 doubles team, the Bryan brothers.
Friday fireworks
Stay for the post-match fireworks display July 31.
Champions day
Singles and doubles champions of the 2015 Atlanta Open will be crowned Aug. 2.
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