All around the grounds of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center are oversized, colorful tennis balls.

While they make for a fun photo opportunity, they are actually part of the tournament's theme this year: celebrating the power of tennis. Designer Chelsey Farris is the artist behind the official U.S. Open theme art this year.

What You Need To Know

  • The main design featured on U.S. Open advertising, merchandise and other branding displays a can of four tennis balls against the blue backdrop of the U.S. Open courts

  • The tournament's theme this year is celebrating the power of tennis

  • Each tennis ball in the design represents a different pillar of the tournament, including New York City

“It can mean so many different things for so many people,” Farris said. “Having all the different tennis balls and having different pictures and them to mean and represent different things.”

The main design featured on U.S. Open advertising, merchandise and other branding displays a can of four tennis balls against the blue backdrop of the U.S. Open courts. Each ball has a unique design representing an element of either the U.S. Open or tennis as a whole.

Fans can take a photo with the main design when entering the main gate of the U.S. Open.

“I think that is probably one of the most exciting things is when you are a designer artist, people interacting with your art. I feel like I have kind of been sneaking photos of other people because I am like this is so cool,” Farris said.

The red ball at the top, with a heart, represents health and wellness. The bottom two balls represent diversity and inclusion and tradition. The second ball, which resembles the MTA subway map, symbolizes New York City, highlighting the connection between the U.S. Open and New York.

“It brings communities together from all over the globe. It brings people right here to the U.S. Open,” Farris said.

While the tennis balls on the main design represent the four most impactful pillars of the tournament, the design features a total of 16 tennis balls, each placed in and around different corners of the U.S. Open. Some design concepts are more obvious, while others are more abstract.

“Some of these are very, very literal, like community looks kind of like people. It's a head and the body, whereas this one's kind of like a target,” Farris explained. “It's showing focus. So, some of them are very abstract, some are very literal. This one's supposed to be, you know, fans in a stadium—that's the different stadium rows. And then obviously that one's a little bit more literal with tradition.”

Farris developed the idea and mockup of the design in just ten days. U.S. Open officials said her execution of the theme, “Celebrating the Power of Tennis,” aligns with the tournament's commitment to highlighting the positive effects of the sport on the biggest stage.