Late August into early September: The perfect time to watch tennis, and also an ideal period to start a fantasy football league ahead of the NFL season. But why not combine the two?
Before (and during) the 2022 US Open's main draw on Aug. 29, build and track your own player roster through Play Fantasy Tennis. Here are some things to know about the platform if you want to add an extra layer of fun to your US Open experience this year – and possibly win some killer prizes.
It’s free
Before the singles main draws are revealed on Thursday, Aug. 25, register for a free account. When the bracket becomes available, build your roster! Fans can choose eight singles players – four men and four women – from each quadrant of the draw, including one Top 16 seed from each competition.
Scoring works as follows: Fans earn points each time a player wins a game, set or match, with more points awarded depending on performance. (Winning 6-1, 6-2 will provide a bigger boost, for example, than squeaking out a three-set victory.) A live leaderboard will track your results and help you know where you and your roster stand.
Tip: You can tweak or even reset your roster between rounds two and three, so don’t worry about any major upsets. Check the ATP and WTA rankings and results to select the best possible players, and make sure your picks aren’t on an early-round collision course!
See “detailed game rules” for more information (and examples).
Insights with Watson can provide guidance
You’ve got a lot of players to choose from – and a lot of information to sort through – but not much room for error when selecting your roster. Insights with Watson can help you make the tough calls. The application provides a brief biography of each player, snippets from news articles and an IBM Power Index to give context beyond seedings and results.
Tip: Rankings aren’t everything. Some of the best players may have dipped out of the Top 25 or even Top 100 after prolonged recoveries from nagging injuries. On the flip side, some seeds might prefer certain surfaces – grass courts compared to hard courts, for example.
Win a trip to the US Open
United States-based registrants are automatically entered to win big prizes, including a trip to the 2023 US Open.
Tip: Make your picks ahead of main draw competition to earn as many points as possible. During the first two rounds, pay close attention to who’s performing well – you might want to make some smart swaps ahead of Round 3!
Challenge friends, or make an office pool
Play Fantasy Tennis doesn’t have to be “singles.” You can play against your friends or co-workers. Create a pool and invite others to compete. Regardless of how many pools you select, your roster is still eligible for a prize.
Tip: If you’re having trouble choosing a player (or want to throw caution to the wind), an autofill can help you complete your bracket.
Win seven figures through the US Open Million-Dollar Bracket Challenge
Want more? In addition to Fantasy Tennis, there’s the US Open Million-Dollar Bracket Challenge. Fill out the perfect men’s and women’s singles brackets, and you could win one million dollars. Terms and conditions apply.
Tip: One million dollars will improve your bank account.
Visit Play Fantasy Tennis here and keep an eye out for the draws when they’re announced on Aug. 25.
