The road to the US Open will begin on Newport's historic grass next year.

The 2020 US Open Series will launch at the Hall of Fame Open, an ATP 250 grass-court tournament contested on the lawn courts of the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I. the USTA and Hall of Fame announced. 

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The addition increases the number of ATP events on the Series to six and reconnects the US Open with its original home in Newport, R.I.

Scheduled for July 12-19th, 2020, the Hall of Fame Open will launch the 17th year of the US Open Series.

The tournament will now receive the same level of on-site, broadcast, digital and grassroots support from the USTA provided to all US Open Series tournaments.

The Hall of Fame Open is the only ATP grass-court event played outside of Europe.

As the first stop of the summer season in the States, the event generally draws a strong group of Americans among the diverse international player field.

Recent champions have included No. 1 American John Isner, who has won the title a record four times, including 2019, and fellow American Steve Johnson, who won last year’s title.

“It is wonderful to be able to connect our present-day tournament with the venue’s great history as the birthplace of the US Open," International Tennis Hall of Fame CEO Todd Martin said. "Additionally, we are excited to partner with the USTA and the US Open Series tournaments to kick off the summer season and to collectively shine a broader spotlight on tennis in the U.S.

“In our historic setting, the Hall of Fame Open already offers a special experience for the players and fans and we look forward to enhancing this experience with the USTA’s partnership.”

The tournament has been an annual ATP stop since 1976, but the venue boasts a rich tennis history that dates back much farther. In 1881, it was the site of the first U.S. National Lawn Tennis Championships. The tournament was contested in Newport annually until 1914. It moved to New York in 1915, where it evolved and thrives today as the US Open.

In a nod to its original home, the perpetual US Open trophies are displayed in Newport for museum visitors to see year round, and are transported to New York every August for the tournament.

“The addition of the Hall of Fame Open to the US Open Series simply makes the North American summer tennis season stronger,” said Stacey Allaster, Chief Executive, Professional Tennis, USTA. “The rich history of the tournament, combined with the power and equity of the US Open brand and a mutual focus on building new generations of audiences and tennis players, will serve both the Hall of Fame Open and the Series as a whole in showcasing a world-class tennis event and growing the game.”

Photo credit: International Tennis Hall of Fame