430 Volunteers Power Winston-Salem Open for 10th Year

When 430 people show up to work for free, something special is happening.

The Winston-Salem Open welcomed nearly 430 volunteers this week to help run one of North Carolina's biggest tennis tournaments. From ushering fans to setting up courts to organizing coin tosses, these dedicated community members make the event possible.

For Judy Osbourne, this marks her 10th year volunteering. She works with the operations and special events team, handling everything from youth clinics to anthem singers. But the tennis is only part of why she comes back.

"We come back each year and get to see the people that we might not have seen for a year and get to reacquaint," Osbourne said. It's her annual reunion.

Tournament organizers say volunteers can choose from nine different areas to help. Transportation, ticketing, hospitality, court maintenance—there's never a shortage of work. Michael Hendricks is in his fourth year and loves the variety.

"There's so much that needs to be done. There is never a dull moment," Hendricks said.

The Ripple Effect

The volunteer spirit creates its own momentum. Tournament Services Manager Jessie Carter started as a volunteer herself before joining the staff. She says the 88% return rate speaks volumes.

"We don't actually have to actively go out and recruit volunteers because our volunteers do it for us," Carter explained. Friends bring friends. Family members join family members. Coworkers convince coworkers.

The tournament generates more than $10 million in economic impact for Winston-Salem. Organizers donate a portion of proceeds to develop young tennis players who might one day compete on these same courts.

Tournament Director Jeff Ryan said the dedication shows. "We've put our heart and soul into this for the better part of all 51 weeks and we're seeing it in our numbers."

The tournament runs through Saturday with singles and doubles finals, and organizers are already building their volunteer list for 2027.