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HBCU Live Returns to the US Open

Following the success of last year’s debut HBCU Live at the US Open, an expanded version of the program will return in 2022 to celebrate the culture, history and pride of Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

To honor these schools and their impact, this year’s HBCU Live at the US Open—slated for Wednesday, Aug. 31—will present an experience reflective of these campuses. This starts with the space itself: HBCUs traditionally feature communal hubs called “yards,” and the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center will capture the spirit of these area’s with the day’s music, food and other entertainment.

Tickets for HBCU Live at the US Open and all other sessions of the 2022 US Open are on sale now at Ticketmaster.

Speaking of music: HBCU alumni will DJ during both Fan Week and the main draw. On Thursday, Aug. 25, DJ C. DeVone of Howard University will command the speakers, while A Fly Guy (Florida A&M University), Miss Robinson (South Carolina State University) and DJ Envy (Hampton University), host of The Breakfast Club, will headline on Aug. 31.

A new addition for 2022 will recognize the “Divine Nine” Black Greek-letter organizations with a companion event during Fan Week. HBCUs provided the foundation for several Divine Nine fraternities and sororities, and tennis legends Althea Gibson and Arthur Ashe were members of Alpha Kappa Alpha and Kappa Alpha Psi, respectively. The “Divine Nine” event will also take place on the 25th—fittingly, Gibson’s birthday.

HBCUs have long contributed to the growth and diversity of tennis, helping both casual players and professional athletes improve their skills and spread the sport. More than 40 of the 107 federally-recognized HBCUs now offer varsity tennis programs. Notable HBCU alumni like Florida A&M’s Gibson and Howard University’s David Dinkins championed progress in the sport: Gibson became the first Black tennis player to win a Grand Slam title at Roland Garros in 1956, and former New York City Mayor Dinkins served as a USTA Board member and helped bring the US Open to its current home in Flushing Meadows.

In 2021, the USTA established a grant program in Dinkins’ name to support HBCU tennis programs and student-athletes with the long-term goal of increasing the number of coaches of color.

HBCU Live at the US Open aims to reconnect the schools’ alumni, family and friends, while also illustrating the relationship between HBCUs and tennis. The events will allow US Open fans to learn more about these great institutions, their history and their impact on both tennis and the Black community.


A cornerstone of the USTA’s Diversity and Inclusion strategic platform to truly make tennis open to all in every aspect and at every level, HBCU Live at the US Open is one of two signature celebrations scheduled for the first week of the championships. Open Pride Day, celebrating the LGBTQ+ community, will also return for its second year on Thursday, Sept. 1.

The 2022 US Open main draw will be played from Aug. 29 through Sept. 11, while US Open Fan Week, which includes free fun and entertainment for all ages plus the US Open Qualifying Tournament, begins the week prior on Aug. 23.

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