One of the most difficult decisions USTA faced in organizing the US Open during a pandemic was to ban Billie Jean King from the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
King, the pioneering tennis legend who had the Flushing Meadows facility named after her in 2006, did not receive Open credentials. King is 76 years old but the USTA’s decision stemmed from strictly following New York state COVID-19 guidelines to organize this event.
“Health and safety protocols require us to reduce our on-site numbers to only players, player entourages and essential tournament staff,” USTA spokesman Chris Widmaier told The Post. “Nothing in the protocols was specific to Billie.”
King, who has made films about his life, has in some way participated in the US Open every year since 1959.
“You know it’s a very tough year when Billie Jean King isn’t joining us at the US Open,” said Widmaier. “We needed to abide by health and safety protocols, no matter how strict they might seem. Billie may not have been here in person, but we’ve all brought her spirit with us. I can’t tell you how many times we channeled his ‘Champions Adjust’ urge when we were planning this event in an environment that seemed to change on us on a daily basis. ”
King is an ambassador to the USTA recently and has worked remotely to help out. His spokesperson, Tip Nunn, said he did not discuss the call.
“He’s still making the most of his US Open experience,” Nunn said. “Once the USTA made the decision, it adapted and kept moving.”
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