Pickleball

Flushing Meadows to Host Its First-Ever APP Tour Event

Flushing Meadows to Host Its First-Ever APP Tour Event

The Franklin New York City Open to be held at the US’s most iconic tennis venue, with RIA athletes set to compete!

In a boost to pickleball’s visibility across the country, New York's premier tennis venue - the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows - will be home to the 2022 APP Franklin New York City Open from May 25th to the 29th. Pickleball's growth in popularity, as well as the growth of multiple pro pickleball tours including the APP, has been nothing short of tremendous. Having the event at the site of the US Open is the next impressive milestone for the sport in that growth.

Ken Herrman, CEO of the APP Tour and a good friend of ours at RIA, had this to say about the milestone event:

My vision for The APP Tour has always been to grow the sport and in doing so, perhaps build a bridge between pickleball and tennis. It is with excitement and humbleness that this bridge has started as we announce the APP-New York City Open to be held in Flushing Meadows at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center May 25-29, 2022 (Memorial Day Weekend). This tournament will be played on 44 courts and will have a $125,000 purse. It will be the largest prize money tournament in 2022 where 100% of the purse is given to the player with no paid appearance fees hidden.” 

pickleball

Rob Cassidy, pro pickleball player and Team RIA Athlete

We are personally thrilled to have three of our pro athletes competing in the tournament - Michelle Esquivel, Rob Cassidy, and Hall-of-Fame tennis player turned pickleballer, Gigi Fernandez. The action begins for these three on Thursday, and you can catch them on the court sporting Model One and Reflex on Facebook Live, YouTube Live, or ESPN+.

In addition to our pro athletes, we are proud to support pickleball players across the country as the Official Eyewear of USA Pickleball. Our lenses and frames are engineered for the unique needs of the pickleball environment - we don’t just slap “pickleball” as a label on our sunglasses. Specifically, our attention to tint color, non-polarized lenses, anti-fog coatings, UV protection, and impact resistance has made an enormous improvement in visual performance for pickleball players of all skill levels. Be on the lookout for our pros and amateurs alike sporting RIA on the courts this week at the Franklin NYC Open!

Event Details:

  • Tournament Dates
  • Starts: 05/25/22
  • Ends: 05/29/22

Location:

  • USTA Billie Jean King USTA National Tennis Center
  • Corona Park
  • Flushing Meadows, NY 11368

Details:

  • USA Pickleball Sanctioned Event
  • Pros and Amateurs
  • Tournament Sanctioning: National Qualifier
  • 44 courts
  • $125,000 Purse