USTA Faces Lawsuit from Hester Family Over Legacy Issues

The United States Tennis Association (USTA) is under fire from the heirs of William “Slew” Hester, who was instrumental in establishing the National Tennis Center. Allegations suggest that the USTA has essentially tried to erase his contributions and has even taken nearly $500,000 from his family.

Hester’s children, Bill and Kathryn, argue that the USTA breached a long-standing settlement by tearing down the box at Arthur Ashe Stadium and offering them what they describe as “inferior” seating options for the U.S. Open—unless they fork over a staggering $460,000.

This exorbitant cost has pushed them to take legal action against the organization that their father once led, as they mentioned in discussions with the Post.

Bill Hester expressed disappointment, saying, “It’s unfortunate that the current USTA Board of Directors doesn’t fully understand who Slew Hester is and what he has done for the USTA and the U.S. Open.”

Slew Hester, an oilman from Mississippi and former USTA president, traveled to New York in the 1970s to advocate for the preservation of a facility previously used for the 1964 World’s Fair, which was in poor condition at the time. He met with city officials and successfully pushed for the construction of what is now known as Louis Armstrong Stadium, relocating the U.S. Open from the West Side Tennis Club, where it had been for many years.

This project was completed quickly, in just ten months, prior to the 1978 U.S. Open.

The USTA expressed gratitude by granting Hester and his successor lifetime box seats. His family has mentioned in a federal lawsuit that there was a restaurant named after him and a commemorative plaque displayed at the entrance.

The Hester family cherished their box, which they described as the best seats available, attending the tournament annually until Hester’s death in 1993. However, according to the family, the USTA’s attitude toward them shifted posthumously.

As the complaint details, when Arthur Ashe Stadium was established as the main venue for the U.S. Open, the USTA demanded significant membership fees and assigned seats in locations with obstructed views.

In 1998, the Hesters reached a settlement that provided them with improved seating arrangements and regular access to the event, so long as they paid the associated fees.

However, in the years that followed, the family asserts that the USTA has repeatedly violated that agreement. The lawsuit claims that the price for their seats skyrocketed to $215,416 by 2025, and key seating areas were removed during a substantial renovation of the tennis center.

As of December, the USTA informed them that their sole option for the 2026 tournament would be to select a regular seat for $460,000—a figure anticipated to rise to $560,000 by 2030.

“The USTA’s choice to eliminate the Hester Family’s permanent box while offering subpar seating at a premium price is just another instance of their efforts to diminish Slew’s legacy,” the lawsuit alleges.

Additionally, the family claims that a memorial plaque dedicated to Slew Hester has vanished without explanation. Bill Hester, now 78, remarked, “We’ve never had any explanation as to why the plaque was removed.”

Although the USTA remains tight-lipped about ongoing litigation, a spokesperson mentioned that the USTA still offers the Hester family the opportunity to buy seats under the same terms as other customers in locations analogous to their previous arrangements.