With the final tennis Grand Slam of 2023, the US Open, in full swing, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) has launched an immersive experience on Roblox that enables fans to take part in a series of quests and challenges.

‘Champions of the Court’ gives fans the chance to play matches and take part in treasure hunts with avatars of rising star Coco Gauff and legend Billie Jean King, as well as earn and spend tokens to buy in-experience items such as tennis rackets and balls. The campaign was developed in collaboration with Doppelgänger, a strategic and creative consultancy building metaverse products.

In the experience, competitors can take to the court to face off against a playable avatar of Coco Gauff in an exciting challenge, and embark on a treasure hunt led by Billie Jean King, seeking specific items for rewards. By championing legendary female players in ‘Champions of the Court’, the USTA hopes to shine a spotlight on the fact that 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of the US Open becoming the first sporting event to offer equal prize money to men’s and women’s competitors.

The virtual world has been created by seamlessly blending visuals from the iconic USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. It brings together the best elements of other tennis experiences on Roblox, including ‘WimbleWorld’ – which was built by Doppelgänger’s sister company, The Gang, last year - and ‘AO Adventure’, which launched on 11 January, and has since received more than 11.5m visits.

The US Open’s long-term official partners, Emirates Airline and Ralph Lauren, are also joining the ‘Champions of the Court’ experience to offer players the chance to win branded digital fashion items and rewards by taking part in a variety of challenges.

“Utilising new platforms to bring the US Open experience to new generations of fans is always a priority for us,” said Brian Ryerson, Senior Director, Digital Strategy at the United States Tennis Association. “Roblox has provided a great platform for us to do that, as we hope to engage as many new fans with an incredible, authentic experience that serves as an entry point to both the US Open and the sport of tennis."