Fun for kids (and adults) at the tournament

A day of fun for kids and a salute to “America’s Heroes” are among the special activities taking place during the New Haven Open at Yale, taking place Aug. 16-24 at the Connecticut Tennis Center on Derby Avenue. Here’s a look at just some of the events.

Aetna Kids Day: The annual Aetna Kids Day will be held during the first session of the New Haven Open on Sunday, Aug. 18. Youngsters can join WTA professionals for a day of tennis clinics, autographs, and prizes. Tickets start at just $12 and include admission to all New Haven Open matches on that day as well.

Saluting “America’s Heroes”: Monday night, Aug. 19, is Military & Hero Appreciation Night. Active duty military personnel, veterans, and their families are invited to take part in a tennis clinic at the Aetna FitZone at 5:30 p.m. There will also be a ceremony honoring those in the service after the first match of the night session. All active duty military personnel and veterans will receive one free ticket with the purchase of another full-price ticket. Military & Hero Appreciation Night is presented by Budweiser.

At the ESPN Desk: Beginning on Thursday, Aug. 22, fans will have the opportunity to take photos where the coverage of the New Haven Open is hosted – the ESPN Desk. Guests can sit where tennis pros and TV personalities break down the on-court action and host the national broadcast.

Fitness and fun: The Aetna Fitness Zone, open all week to fans of all ages, offers fans a chance to stay fit and win prizes at interactive fitness stations. These include 10-and-under tennis sport courts, an inflatable obstacle course, “Shoot for Hoops,” mini-golf, ping pong, the fas-serve cage, arts and crafts, and face painting.

Talks and tunes: The tournament’s entertainment stage will feature afternoon interviews with WTA players and special guests, as well as live music nightly.

Meet the players: Fans can get up close and personal with their favorite WTA players at the daily autograph sessions.

Dine alongside the players: Two dozen local eateries are taking part this year in the Mayor’s Passport to Downtown Dining, where fans may find themselves sitting close to players in the main draw. The tournament’s free Downtown Shuttle makes it easy to travel to and from the Connecticut Tennis Center at Yale.

Sponsor booth giveaways: Many of the tournament sponsors offer fans a chance to win prizes, including trips and tickets.

Food and libation: There are a wide variety of options at the Food Court, where hungry fans will find the Caseus Grilled Cheese Truck La Petite France Crepe Truck, burgers, hot dogs, salads, seafood, salads, and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. For those who would like to imbibe — responsibly — there is the Svedka Vodka Lounge and the Ooh La La Wine Bar.

For more information about the above and for a schedule of the week’s activities, visit the New Haven Open website.

Discount for Yale affiliates

University affiliates receive 25% off of tickets for all New Haven Open sessions from Sunday to Saturday, Aug. 18-24. The tickets can be purchased online or by phone. To receive the exclusive discount online, visit the tournament’s ticket website and enter promotion code NHO13YALE. To purchase tickets by phone, call 855-464-8366 and reference “Yale University.”

About the New Haven Open

A women’s-only WTA event, the New Haven Open at Yale presented by First Niagara is part of the Emirates Airline US Open Series. The tournament is aired on ESPN2 and Tennis Channel and also broadcast around the world. For more information about the tournament and tickets, visit www.newhavenopen.com or call 1-855-464-8366.