The US Open's Arthur Ashe Stadium is getting an overhaul as part of an $800 million project

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. Open's Arthur Ashe Stadium will get an overhaul as part of an $800 million project announced Monday that the U.S. Tennis Association is touting as the “largest single investment” in the history of its Grand Slam tournament.

The USTA said it is funding the improvements at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, with no help from the city government.

According to a class-action antitrust lawsuit filed in federal court in New York in March by a players' group co-founded by Novak Djokovic, the four major tennis tournaments — the U.S. Open, Wimbledon, French Open and Australian Open — “generated over $1.5 billion collectively in 2024, while only paying between (10% to 20%) of revenue to players.”

Separately, in April, Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff were among 20 leading tennis players who signed a letter sent to the heads of the Grand Slam tournaments seeking more prize money and a greater say in what they called “decisions that directly impact us.”

The USTA said there will not be interruption to scheduled play or fan access for the next two editions of the U.S. Open. Play in the main draw this year begins on Aug. 24 — shifting to a Sunday start for the first time in the Open era, which began in 1968, and adding a 15th day of competition.

The USTA's work, which is expected to be done in time for the 2027 U.S. Open, includes constructing a $250 million player performance center.

The new player area will be next to the practice courts and include additional courts, locker rooms, lounges and an open-air warmup area so players be acclimated to the conditions before they go to the court for their matches.

USTA executives did not say if ticket prices would increase as a result of the project.

Ashe's courtside-level seating capacity will increase from 3,000 to 5,000, while some seats in other sections will be removed, leaving the arena's total similar to what it is now — around 23,000 to 24,000, the biggest in Grand Slam tennis. The stadium, which first opened in 1997 and has had a retractable roof since 2016, also will get a new “grand entrance,” two new luxury suite levels, more club and restaurant areas, larger and updated concourses and restrooms, and more escalators and elevators.

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Lew Sherr, CEO and Executive Director of USTA speaks at a news conference announcing the redevelopment of Arthur Ashe Stadium and the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Monday, May 19, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)

Danny Zausner, Chief Operating Officer of USTA speaks at a news conference announcing the redevelopment of Arthur Ashe Stadium and the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Monday, May 19, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)

Danny Zausner, Chief Operating Officer of USTA speaks at a news conference announcing the redevelopment of Arthur Ashe Stadium and the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Monday, May 19, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)

From left to right, Stacey Allaster, chief executive professional tennis USTA and US Open Tournament director, Kim Clijsters and John McEnroe speak at a news conference announcing the redevelopment of Arthur Ashe Stadium and the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Monday, May 19, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)

Brian Vahaly, Chairman of the Board and President of USTA speaks at a news conference announcing the redevelopment of Arthur Ashe Stadium and the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Monday, May 19, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)

FILE - Court workers dry the playing surface at Arthur Ashe Stadium after a sudden downpour with the retractable roof open caused play to be delayed between Petra Kvitova, of the Czech Republic, and Jessica Pegula, of the United States, during the fourth round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Monday, Sept. 5, 2022, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson, file)

FILE- Fans enter Arthur Ashe Stadium during the second round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, file)

JERUSALEM (AP) — A former close aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that immediately following the October 2023 Hamas attack that triggered Israel’s two-year war in Gaza, the Israeli leader instructed him to figure out how the premier could evade responsibility for the security breach.

Former Netanyahu spokesperson Eli Feldstein, who faces trial for allegedly leaking classified information to the press, made the explosive accusation during an extensive interview with Israel’s Kan news channel Monday night.

Critics have repeatedly accused Netanyahu of refusing to accept blame for the deadliest attack in Israel’s history. But little is known about Netanyahu’s behavior in the days immediately following the attack, while the premier has consistently resisted an independent state inquiry.

Speaking to Kan, Feldstein said “the first task” he received from Netanyahu after Oct. 7, 2023, was to stifle calls for accountability.

“He asked me, ‘What are they talking about in the news? Are they still talking about responsibility?’” Feldstein said. “He wanted me to think of something that could be said that would offset the media storm surrounding the question of whether the prime minister had taken responsibility or not.”

He added that Netanyahu looked “panicked” when he made the request. Feldstein said he was later told by people in Netanyahu's close circle to omit the word “responsibility” from all statements.

On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people in southern Israel and took 251 hostages back to Gaza. Israel then launched a devastating war in Gaza that has killed nearly 71,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants but says around half the deaths were women and children.

Netanyahu’s office called the interview a “long series of mendacious and recycled allegations made by a man with clear personal interests who is trying to deflect responsibility from himself,” Hebrew media reported.

Feldstein’s statements come after his indictment in a case where he is accused of leaking classified military information to a German tabloid to improve public perception of the prime minister following the killing of six hostages in Gaza in August of last year.

Feldstein is also a suspect in the “Qatargate” scandal, one of two close aides to Netanyahu accused of accepting money from Qatar while also working for the prime minister.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a joint press conference after a trilateral meeting with Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at the Citadel of David Hotel in Jerusalem, Monday Dec. 22, 2025. (Abir Sultan/Pool Photo via AP)