RTA's US OPEN RAFFLE WINNER-- "Trip of a Lifetime Travelogue"
When Hugh Waters called to anounce that I had won the raffle for two to the US Open, my first comment was
" Is this a joke? I've never won anything in my life." I recalled it had been a long time since I had sponsored the
first Virginia Slims Ladies tournament in Richmond.
What a pleasant surprise for Nancy and me. We both looked forward to traveling to New York City to enjoy this
memorable experience. Sheri Crowell made all the travel and transportation arrangements as well as helping with
reservations at Grand Hyatt (where some of the tennis players were staying).
Our special passes allowed us to enter the Billie Jean Tennis Center at the front of the long line waiting for the evening's
matches on Friday evening. We promenaded the open areas around the stadiums where there were many food venders
as well as the Open Club for a sit-down buffet. Several famous brand clothiers were selling shoes, sweaters, tennis
gear, etc. Our seats in the Arthur Ash Stadium allowed an excellent opportunity to watch some great matches --
Nadal and Kiefer, Frederer and Hewitt, Venus Williams and Rybarikova. We joined the cheers for Melanie Oudin's
success.
On Saturday, we were fortunate to be guest of Shima and Joe Grover (Vice President of USTA). Our view was unobstructed from the Presidential box seats. The Presidential suite was a large air-conditioned lounge with several
TVs in the event we did not want to sit outside to watch the matches. Refreshments were available throughout the
day and evening sessions. Following a gourment lunch in the President's dining room, Shima Grover conducted a tour of the Stadium. Her intimate knowledge gave us insights into the tremendous planning and personnel needed to conduct the Open.
After the matches, Nancy and I used our voucher to dine at the Capitol Grille near our hotel. We also explored other
wonderful restaurants in the city, where it's difficult to get a bad meal. We felt especially fortunate to have special
transportation to and from the Center as well as to and from the hotel and airport.
Nancy and I are grateful to the RTA for their gracious and generous arrangements. We are fans of all their incentives, especially the Quick Start Programs for youngsters.
- John Baronian
- A.Nancy Avakian