Tennis has been pulling out all the stops to attract fans of all ages, and one of the standout initiatives is “Kid’s Day.” Designed to captivate young talents and give them a chance to engage with their tennis heroes, this event has become a vital part of the sport’s future. The buzz around its importance keeps growing, and now, veteran US Open producer Michael Fiur has chimed in, voicing his strong support for the initiative.
Fiur engaged in an interview with Andy Roddick for the latter’s latest episode of Served with Andy Roddick podcast, which was aired on September 27. The veteran producer highlighted various aspects of his experience as a producer of the Grand Slam and discussed several topics, including the importance of events like Kid’s Day. Fiur emphasized how these activities help engage children and draw the audience’s attention to the sport.
Speaking in the interview, Fiur recalled an incident from the 2012 US Open. “Probably one of my favorites was 2012 Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe” flash mob on the court where Novak played and the entire camp came out, it was crazy,” Fiur said. Continuing further, he shed light on the importance of such events on the young talents present at the stadium, relating it to Coco Gauff. “A year ago, Coco Gauff posted a video of her dancing as a kid.”
Remember, the 2023 US Open winner recalled a video of herself as a kid during the interview after clinching her maiden and the only Grand Slam title. In the video, 8-year-old Gauff was seen dancing her heart out to Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe.” Talking about the video, Coco Gauff shared shared some deep insights, and said, “As a kid, you have so many dreams. You know, as you get older sometimes it can fiddle away. I would tell her don’t lose that dream.”
Highlighting this, Fiur underscored in Roddick’s podcast that such events boost the confidence of young and budding players, motivating them to shine. For the uninitiated, the US Open Kid’s Day, also known as Arthur Ashe Kid’s Day, is the annual celebration of the life and legacy of tennis champion and cultural icon Arthur Ashe. It has seen a growing influx of attendees and continues to set records.
Arthur Ashe Kid’s Day set new record in 2024
The annual celebration of the US Open has continued to gain popularity. Families from various walks of life and age groups have been attending the event, taking a break from their regular schedules. Through a wide range of activities and entertainment, the organizers aim to inspire young people with a single aspiration: to encourage more youngsters to pick up racquets. These efforts have been largely successful, which is likely why the event witnessed its highest attendance ever in 2024.
Arthur Ashe Kid’s Day set an all-time attendance record, welcoming 47,875 people at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The previous record, set in 2023, saw 40,868 attendees. The 2024 Kid’s Day also featured iconic tennis players like Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Qinwen Zheng, Lorenzo Musetti, and Andre Agassi, adding to the excitement
As the sport evolves, it will be interesting to see if more tournaments adopt the idea of such celebrations and whether Kid’s Day will be featured in more events across the tennis world.
Leave a Reply