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Volume 47 · Megan SandmannMeaning of 'Open' in sports
Megan Sandmann asks: Your episode on tennis left me with a question. Why do multiple sports use the word “Open” in their competitions? I know that at the basic level, the tournaments are open to all players. Those players must go through multiple rounds to prove they have the skills to play in the finals. So technically the actual final tournament is not “open” to everyone. Any insight?
The term “open” originally meant that it was open to both amateur and professional players. It doesn’t necessarily mean that it is open to anyone.In a tournament like the US Open in tennis, you have to be ranked to be invited. Because everything is match play, the number of spots is limited.
In the US Open in golf, qualifying tournaments allow amateurs to qualify. In theory, someone could come out of nowhere and win the US Open as an amateur, although that never happens.
The term ‘open’ doesn’t have the same meaning it did in decades past when there was a greater distinction between professional and amateur.
Based on available episode transcripts. Answers are attributed to their original episodes and may contain transcription errors or later-outdated information. Some older volumes have missing source material.