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The U.S. Open Tennis Championship returned to Queens on August 18th, 2025, at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, Queens The historic annual event began with U.S. Open Fan Week, a free event for tennis lovers and their families to celebrate the love of tennis and enjoy activities and watch practice matches with emerging talent like Novak Djokavic, Mexican-import Renata Zarazua, 2017 U.S. Open runner-up Madison Keys, and rising star Cori Dionne “Coco” Gauff, who is number one in doubles by the Women’s Tennis Association.

Throughout Fan Week, many activities were sponsored by prestigious brands, including Tiffany & Co., Grey Goose, Moët & Chandon Champagne, Evian water, French Beauty brand La Roche-Posay, Wilson Sporting Goods, and Cadillac. One highlight during the week was a celebration on the Fan Week Fountain Plaza Stage honoring iconic tennis champion Althea Gibson. She broke color barriers in tennis 75 years ago with her appearance at the U.S. National Championship in Forest Hills in 1956, becoming the first female Black player to win a Grand Slam event.

In honor of Gibson’s historic accomplishments, the U.S. Open dedicated a segment during Fan Week to her legacy, including an epic step show from the Divine Nine of the HBCU colleges. Gibson attended Florida A&M (FAMU) University on a sports scholarship that launched her tennis career, and was also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority (AKA).

The step show hosted by media personality, actress, and AKA member since 1995, Rashan Ali (IG@rashanali) from BET Her Presents’ The Waiting Room and BET Plus’s Tyler Perry’s hit show “All The Queens Men.”

Ali and Live DJ Radio Champ (IG@RadioChamp) introduced the Divine Nine (D9). The Divine Nine refers to the nine historically Black Greek-letter organizations that are part of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC). These organizations are focused on community services and the development of the African-American communities.

“I am super excited to host the Divine 9 Live!” said Ali. “This is a powerful celebration of legacy, unity, and cultural is something that I truly align with!” she said.

The high-energy show started with the first fraternity to take the stage was the Omega Psi Phi (ΩΨΦ), the first black Greek fraternity to be founded on the campus of Howard University. The brothers of Omega Psi Phi came out in their fraternity colors of purple and gold, representing the fraternity’s regal heritage, and barked like a bulldog, which is the fraternity’s symbol which highlighting the traits of being strong, determined, and loyal.

The next fraternity to take the stage was Alpha Phi Alpha (ΑΦΑ), dressed in their signature colors of gold and black, and is the first Greek intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity founded in 1906. The brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha stomped and gave a history lesson in stepping that stems from African roots.

The show championed on with the ladies of Delta Sigma Theta (ΔΣΘ) wearing their sorority’s colors of crimson and cream, founded at Howard University in 1913. They graced the stage and performed the acrobatic routine, and they flipped on stage.

The next to take the stage was the Phi Beta Sigma (ΦΒΣ) Fraternity dressed in their fraternity colors of royal blue and white in tennis leisure and told the audience they needed no introduction and immediately started their routine, formed a cross, and flawlessly performed the routine, and the crowd roared.

The ladies of Sigma Gamma Rho (ΣΓΡ) took the stage and were founded at Butler University in 1922. They performed an original routine for the U.S. Open stage and told the audience, “Oh! You like that!” Sporting red lipstick, they performed their original routine and danced to Kendrick Lamar’s “Squabble Up”.

The brothers of Iota Phi Theta (ΙΦΘ) sporting their colors of charcoal brown and gilded gold, and is the fifth largest predominantly African-American social fraternity in the U.S., and performed their step routine and had the audience clapping along and cheering.

The first Sorority of the Divine Nine, Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) dressed in their signature colors of pink and green tennis dresses and visors.

They gave the most heartfelt performance, danced to Kendrick Lamar’ Not Like Us”. At the end, Host Ali joined in with her sisters and danced in the line and showed her Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority pride, and sent the crowd into a frenzy.

The show came to a close with the five fraternities and four sororities joined together and rep their pride and joined in together and all danced together celebrating Althea Gibson and the celebration of Black pride and barking boundaries not only in tennis, but in American Sports.

This year’s U.S. Open Fan Week smashed records, welcoming over 240,000 fans to the USTA over the six-day run, with over 50,000 fans attending the U.S. Open Mixed Doubles Championship. The week ended with the Arthur Ashe Kids Day breaking last year’s record with over 54,000 fans. The U.S. Open will run until September 7th, 2025.