The US Open is the fourth and final Grand Slam, or major, of the tennis season. The other three are the Australian Open, the French Open and Wimbledon. Grand Slams offer the most prize money, ranking points and esteem. To be involved with the US Open, you must be a world-class tennis player, member of a player's team or working for the US Tennis Association, which manages the US Open, in a slam-specific position.
Main Draw
The top-ranked professional players in the world are the ones who get to participate in the US Open. The US Open allows 128 players to compete in both the men and women's singles competition and 64 doubles teams to compete in both the men and women's doubles competition. The top 100 ranked men on the ATP, or Association of Tennis Professionals, Tour, the governing body of men's professional tennis, and the top 100 ranked women on the WTA -- Women's Tennis Association -- Tour, the governing body of women's professional tennis, are automatically entered into the singles competition.
Wildcards
Wildcards determine a portion of the remaining 28 spots in both the men and women's singles competition. Wildcards are special admission to the main draw despite lacking the appropriate ranking and are subject to the tournament's decision; the directors of the US Open are permitted to offer a wildcard to any player for any reason. The majority of wildcards for the US Open are offered to upcoming and promising American players, allowing them the opportunity to experience playing with top-ranked players on a big stage.
Qualification Rounds
Qualification rounds determine the rest of the spots in the singles draws. The qualification rounds are a smaller tournament before the main tournament, with the winners being allowed to compete in the main singles draw. Qualification rounds take place for both men and women. To participate in the qualification rounds, you must be a ranked player on either the ATP or WTA Tour, but your ranking would be outside of the top 100.
Non-Player Participants
Non-players who get to participate in the US Open include officials and ball boys and girls. Becoming a USTA official entails passing a written test and going through an extensive training program, usually executed in your own region. You then start to calling matches locally and can work your way up to the US Open. Ball boys and girls feed balls to the players, pick up balls on the court and help with duties such as providing towels to players between points. You must be at least 14 years old to try out, and the position requires that you be athletically inclined and available during the summer months for training. Both types of participants must have a thorough understanding of tennis.
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