It’s the beginning of the racquetball season, and that’s when serious tournament competition begins! The US OPEN in early October is the unofficial opener on the tournament calendar, and many players are expected to attend this year’s event, which is being held in Minneapolis from October 6-10 at Life Time Target Center. With the year off in 2020 due to the pandemic, and with this year’s tournament being the 25th edition, the 2021 OPEN is certain to make history.

The US OPEN is expecting a tremendous turnout. If you haven’t entered this year’s event already, there is still time! Please enter online directly from the US OPEN website.

From a player preparation point of view, the next month is critical. You should be well on your way now to achieving tournament form by early October. Regular drilling on your strokes and logging plenty of court time with practice matches are so important to building up your physical stamina and confidence for the many challenging matches you will play in Minneapolis. Take time to plan out your pre-tournament schedule to ensure that both your physical and mental approach to competition is as sharp as it can be.

On the equipment side, thoughtful, deliberate preparation is vital as well. It’s time to start assembling your “tournament bag” that will accompany you to Minnesota. How many racquets will you bring? How many racquets will you restring before you leave home? How many extra sets of string will you throw in your bag? How many extra grips?

Most successful tournament players have a system of identifying their racquets so they know which frames have “broken-in” string, which frames have completely new string, and which frames are due for restringing soon. This is made possible by a conscious rotation of the frames, both during practice time before leaving for the tournament as well as during the event competition itself. Confidence in and knowledge about your equipment allows you to be able to focus solely on the ball so you can play YOUR game. Most major tournaments have on-site, same-day stringing and gripping services for the inevitable and unexpected emergencies that arise due to broken racquets, unplayable strings, or worn-out grips.

So, get ready to have an exciting and successful experience at this year’s Open. Making certain you are well prepared mentally, physically, and equipment wise will help to ensure that your investment in the tournament will be rewarded by the best possible results. Wishing you all the best on the court!

Preparing for the 2021 US OPEN - A Message from Ashaway

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