US Open launching dating show during grand slam tournament
The U.S. Open announced Thursday that it would be filming, producing and releasing its own YouTube series called 'Game, Set, Matchmaker,' which 'fuses the emotional rollercoaster of a dating show with the electric energy of one of the world's biggest sporting events,' according to the announcement.
The eight-episode show will be filmed during the U.S. Open Fan Week at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, following one single — dubbed 'The Champion' — as she attempts to find love with one of her seven matches.
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Long Island native Ilana Sedaka, a 24-year-old former figure skater turned pilates instructor who lives in Miami, will be the show's bachelorette, with the eligible bachelors consisting of influencers, tennis superfans and social personalities.
No specific men were named.
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'We're excited to break new ground with 'Game, Set, Matchmaker,' at the US Open and across our channels this year,' Jonathan Zipper, senior director of social media at the USTA, said in a statement. 'It's the perfect time for us to launch a fun, social-forward concept that meets the moment, engaging fans at the intersection of tennis, pop culture and entertainment.'
4 Ilana Sedaka will take part in the game show.
Instagram / Ilana Rae Sedaka
4 Ilana Sedaka
Instagram / Ilana Rae Sedaka
The first episode will be posted on the first official day of the U.S. Open — Aug. 24. The finale will be available on the same day as the women's final.
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4 Ilana Sedaka
Instagram / Ilana Rae Sedaka
4 The U.S. Open is set to begin at the end of August.
vacant – stock.adobe.com
The project is a collaboration between the USTA and Fresh Tape Media, and is attempting to capitalize on the tournament's cultural impact beyond the play on the court.
'The US Open is more than a tournament; it's a cultural stage,' said Alana Glenn Moritz, creative director for Fresh Tape Media, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
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'We built this series to capture that energy in its purest form. It's unexpected, it's current, and it taps into the drama and connection that makes this event unlike anything else.'
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