NEW YORK, NEW YORK – AUGUST 22: Detail of Wilson tennis balls with the US Open logo during a practice session prior to the start of the 2024 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 22, 2024 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
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Love is in the air. And, on the courts of the U.S. Open.
The upcoming Grand Slam tournament will host its own reality TV dating show, which will be shot on the grounds of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, New York.
Titled “Game, Set, Matchmaker”, the eight-part YouTube series will feature New York native Ilana Sedaka as the “tennis-savvy bachelorette”.
A former figure skater and Pilates instructor, the Miami-based 24-year-old will be matched with seven male participants and go on dates which include playing games and exploring the tennis center.
The one-of-a-kind show, in which a contestant will be sent home at the end of each episode, will be filmed a week before the U.S. Open and stream on YouTube during the August 24 to September 7 tournament.
The tournament organizers said the show “fuses the emotional rollercoaster of a dating show with the electric energy of one of the world’s biggest sporting events”.
“The U.S. Open has always been one of the most iconic sporting events in the country, and growing up just 30 minutes from Arthur Ashe Stadium, it was something I looked forward to every summer,” Sedaka said in a press release.
“To now be stepping into this experience at such a legendary venue feels surreal and incredibly special.”
“I’m coming in open to connection, ready to compete, and excited to be part of something bigger. My hope is to bring a little joy, a little chaos, and a whole lot of realness to the court.”
The seven prospective suitors at the show include influencers, tennis super fans and social media personalities, who will participate in “intimate dates” and games onsite, as Sedaka looks for her real-life doubles partner.
With this show’s concept, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) is trying to reach a wider audience, beyond the realm of tennis.
“We are trying to attract an entirely new audience, reaching fans at the intersection of tennis, pop culture and entertainment,” a spokesman for the association said in an emailed statement to The New York Times.
The U.S. Open’s new show follows in the footsteps of wildly popular reality dating shows like Love Island USA, Love Is Blind, and The Bachelor.