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Tennis Channel's Only At the Open to Showcase US Open Champions Sundays Leading up to 2008 Tournament

LOS ANGELES –- Tennis Channel, the only 24-hour, television-based multimedia destination dedicated to tennis and the surrounding lifestyle, will highlight several of the most dramatic champions and championship moments in US Open history this summer with new, original series Only at the Open. The weekly half-hour program premieres Sunday, July 20, at 7:30 p.m. ET, with a look at the US Open triumphs of mercurial Hall of Fame-star John McEnroe.

The network will introduce a US Open champion each successive Sunday at 7:30 p.m. ET leading up to this year’s event, reliving victorious points and key match moments as seen through the players’ eyes. Created with the use of the US Open-owning United States Tennis Association’s (USTA) extensive film library, each episode features a combination of clips and images interspersed with interviews from players, coaches, contemporaries, past tennis greats and members of the media. Tennis Channel veteran on-air personality Bill Macatee, a longtime broadcaster of the tournament, narrates each edition of Only at the Open.

“The US Open is more than just America’s largest and most popular tennis event, it is the stage of many of the game’s greatest battles and most exhilarating performances,” said Victoria Quoss, executive vice president, programming and network strategy. “We will capture these moments, as well as the passions and personalities of the players, in Only at the Open.”

The first installment of Only at the Open highlights McEnroe, one of the most popular players to ever take center court in New York. The program includes images from his epic clashes with titans Jimmy Connors and Bjorn Borg, and showcases how his style of play, determination and fiery personality led to his embrace by a previously hostile New York crowd.

Following McEnroe’s edition of Only at the Open will be episodes devoted to five-time winner Steffi Graf, two-time winners Arthur Ashe and Monica Seles, and one-time winner Tracy Austin. The series concludes prior to this year’s US Open, Aug. 25-Sept. 7.

Repeats of Only at the Open can be found on Tennis Channel’s Web site, www.tennischannel.com.

Posted on July 16, 2008
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