50 Years of Influence, US Open: Bill Talbert

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The US Open’s evolution has been aided by having hundreds of people in the right place at the right time. But the event got doubly lucky with Talbert: He was in the right place two times.

The first came when he made his initial run as tournament director in the early 1970s. Despite his history as an amateur-era player, Talbert understood what would drive the Open era: television, star players and ticket-buyers.

In 1970, with television schedules in mind, Talbert instituted the use of the tiebreaker. The following year, he put a 16-year-old rookie named Chris Evert in Forest Hills’ main stadium, and never took her out.

“Everybody wants to see Chrissie,” Talbert said, presciently.

In 1975, Talbert’s last year at Forest Hills, night sessions were introduced. Three years later, when the US Open moved to Flushing Meadows and the lights grew brighter, Talbert reclaimed the reins as tournament director.

When Talbert retired from the job for a second time, in 1987, the US Open was the world’s most lucrative and well-attended tennis event. It still is.