U.S. SQUASH is pleased to announce the 2009 U.S. Open Championship will take place Aug. 31-Sep. 6, outdoors at Pioneer Court, in front of 401 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL.
Following on the success of the first-year 2008 Sweet Home Chicago Open, which hosted the first-ever major outdoor professional squash tournament in North America at the same venue, the U.S. Open will increase the prize fund to $52,500, ensuring many of the top men in the world will compete.
With squash and Chicago both being candidates for 2016 Olympic glory, squash being one of seven sports being considered for addition to the 2016 Games, and Chicago one of four cities being considered to host the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, the U.S. Open presents a unique opportunity to showcase the sport and the city in one of the most publicly accessible venues in the country.
The U.S. Open Women’s Championships will remain a separate event for this year and will be awarded to the winner of the Carol Weymuller U.S. Open Women’s Squash Championship to be played at the Heights Casino in Brooklyn, NY Nov. 3-8, 2009. This partnership with the Carol Weymuller Open has been in place since 2000 and will likely continue until U.S. SQUASH successfully combines the Men’s and Women’s U.S. Open Championships into one event, a stated goal of the organization.