Tennis Bubbles: A Grand Slam Victory Over the Elements

Trying to figure out a way to maintain your tennis training momentum throughout the offseason? Indoor tennis is a lot more viable than you might think. New York’s harsh winters make outdoor tennis strictly a seasonal sport—unless you can move it indoors. And while indoor tennis may seem like an expensive luxury, The Farley Group keeps the game going year-round by manufacturing, installing and maintaining tennis bubbles. Bubbles are the ideal solution for indoor tennis— both economically and practically.

Tennis has always been a big deal in New York, which has driven the demand for indoor playing spaces for several decades now. With more than 20 bubbles in New York City and the Long Island area, Farley tennis bubbles have helped solidify New York as one of the top places to train and develop tennis talent. By providing a way to train throughout the winter, tennis becomes much more accessible to those that don’t have the means or desire to travel south for the winter.

Compared to other construction methods, bubbles have a relatively short history. Bubbles first made appearances in North America in the early 1970s, and have since evolved into a top solution for sports like tennis. Ralph Farley, founder of The Farley Group, saw how well the concept worked in Europe, and brought it back with him more than 40 years ago. Since then, The Farley Group has built dozens

of tennis bubbles around the world.

Stepping into a tennis bubble for the first time can be awe-inspiring. No other structure can provide as much space without any support beams or walls. It’s almost counter-intuitive at first sight: “What’s holding up the roof?” Intriguingly, bubbles require nothing but air to do that. Fresh, filtered and conditioned air flows in, giving the bubble its rounded shape, protecting the playing surface and players underneath.

A wonderful added benefit is that tennis bubbles can be either seasonal or permanent. Permanent bubbles have the advantage of full protection from the weather throughout the year—cold and snow during the winter, and rain or high winds in the summer—while seasonal domes can go up in the fall and come down in the spring. They represent the perfect solution for outdoor courts.

And best of all? Tennis bubbles can be installed for a fraction of what other indoor tennis courts cost.

To learn more about how Farley tennis bubbles can help your club members practice their swing 365 days a year, visit or call (888) 445-3223.

It’s cliché and has been said countless times already, but 2020 has been a year unlike any other. The world finds itself in unprecedented times due to the global pandemic caused by the COVID-19 virus, the effects of which can be felt in every aspect of our daily lives. From a basic trip to the grocery store to visiting family, there is hardly anything normal about the “new normal”, which is why this year’s U.S. Open will be different than all the rest.

While the tennis tours were put on hold beginning with Indian Wells back in March, the USTA began planning a way to hold the event ontime starting in late-August, examining an array of creative solutions to make it work. In the end, the USTA announced that the tournament would be played, but without fans, and the Western & Southern Open, normally held in Cincinnati, would also be played at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in the week prior to the start of the U.S. Open.

“We are incredibly excited that Governor Cuomo and New York State have today approved our plan to host the 2020 U.S. Open and 2020 Western & Southern Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center,” said USTA CEO & Executive Director Mike Dowse. “We recognize the tremendous responsibility of hosting one of the first global sporting events in these challenging times, and we will do so in the safest manner possible, mitigating all potential risks. We now can give fans around the world the chance to watch tennis’ top athletes compete for a U.S. Open title, and we can showcase tennis as the ideal social distancing sport. Being able to hold these events in 2020 is a boost for the City of New York and the entire tennis landscape.”

It was welcome news for both the local tennis community, and the tennis world as a whole. There have been numerous exhibition events

held around the globe, but there is a strong appetite for top-flight competition on the biggest stage.

“Of course, holding the 2020 U.S. Open will be good for our sport at every level of the game,” said USTA Immediate Past President Katrina Adams. “Playing the Open will once again shine a spotlight on tennis, and get people excited about playing our safe and healthy sport for themselves. It will also allow the USTA to generate important income to invest in growing the game’s grassroots efforts in local communities all across the U.S.

For all those reasons, we are thrilled that the U.S. Open in 2020 will be happening. That’s fantastic news.”

At the press conference to officially announce the event would be happening, Adams and Dowse, along with new tournament director Stacey Allaster and NCAA chief medical officer Dr. Brian Hainline, the panel discussed the many steps and factors it considered when deciding on if, and how, to host this year’s U.S. Open.

They laid out three guiding principles, the first of which was can the tournament be played safely, both for the players and all the staff involved. The second principle was whether or not hosting the tournament would be in the best interest of tennis.

And the third, as Adams said:

“Our third guiding principle has been: Does this make financial sense both for the players and for the USTA. I can say that our team looked at a dozen different options on how do we best address these three guiding principles. I can say, and I’m excited to say, the combination of the Western & Southern Open and the U.S. Open here in New York checked all three of those boxes unequivocally.”

Dr. Hainline discussed the safety protocols that will be in place, and emphasized that tennis may be the most ideal social distancing sport.

“It’s also good for society because sport is an essential aspect of who we are as human beings. Sport does bring us health and well-being. Even to watch sport, it brings us so much pleasure,” said Hainline. “The particulars of bringing back sport for the Western & Southern Open and for the U.S. Open, we really conceptualized that we have different bubbles, we call them tiers. Tier I are the Photo credit: USTA/Jennifer Pottheiser players, and all of those who have very close contact with Open champion. “I feel like the USTA is the players. They will stay in a protected going to do a really good job of ensuring bubble. Upon arrival they will all be everything is amazing and evening is tested, this is with the preliminary chain perfect and everyone is safe. It’s going to reaction test. That testing will be be exciting. It’s been over six months repeated at regular intervals, and there since a lot of us have played professional are strategies in place.” tennis.

So the stage is set for the 2020 U.S. I’ll certainly miss the fans, don’t get me Open, and it will certainly be like no other wrong. Just being out there in the New tournament before. And while that stage York crowd, hearing everyone cheer, I’ll will be without an in-person audience, miss that, getting me through some of there will be a worldwide one watching on those tough matches. [But] this is crazy. their televisions, tablets and computers. I’m excited.”

There were questions from many top There remains some skepticism from players in both men’s and women’s some of Europe and Australia’s top tennis that raised concerns about the players, a list that includes Novak procedures, especially when the United Djokovic, Dominic Thiem, Simona Halep States is seeing another rise in COVID-19 and Nick Kyrgios. There is hope that all the cases across the country. But the world’s best will be in attendance for the tournament got arguably the biggest US Open, but the player field will be endorsement it could when American finalized as we move closer to the Serena Williams announced via video tournament’s start. that she is committed to playing in “We know and we respect that all Queens. athletes are going to need to make this

“This announcement has been on my decision on their own,” said Allaster. mind all day. Ultimately I really cannot “There are a lot of questions…there will be wait to return to New York and play the ongoing conversations with athletes to 2020 U.S. Open,” said the six-time US help them understand the plan, and then

some will ultimately make their own decision, just as they always do. We are confident that we have a lot of players who want to compete.”

While the full player field remains to be seen, the sports world and local community here in New York are thrilled that the U.S. Open will be played on time. It’s disappointing not to have fans, as the energetic nature of the New York crowd creates an environment not seen anywhere else in the tennis world, but it’s exciting nonetheless, and will hopefully bring an added sense of normalcy to a year that has been anything but.

The action inside the National Tennis Center bubble begins with the Western & Southern Open running from August 20- 28, leading into the 2020 U.S. Open which begins on August 31.

Brian Coleman is the Senior Editor for Long Island Tennis Magazine. He may be reached at brianc@usptennis.com.