Semis on Arthur Ashe Stadium Source: RG
The last month of summer is exciting for NY-based tennis fans as the tour hits its North American leg. There are important tournaments in DC, Cincinnati, Toronto, and Montreal before the tennis community converges on New York for the final grand slam of the year—The US Open.
THE WHAT, WHERE, WHEN
A grand slam is the most important tournament in tennis and happens 4 times per year (Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open). It boasts the largest field of players, offers the highest number of ranking points, and the most prize money.
A grand slam is the hardest and most prestigious tournament to win (very hard to get into the Hall of Fame without one); it attracts every top tennis player on tour. Women play best of 3 sets and men play best of 5, and they have to win 7 matches over the two weeks in order to hold up that all-important trophy!
The first week is usually a flurry of matches and excitement, whereas the second week, often termed the business end, sees the best players face each other in (often) epic battles. Whether you're a die-hard tennis fan or want to ogle Matteo Berrettini, going to a grand slam at least once should be on everyone's bucket list!
People travel far and wide to attend a grand slam, so consider yourself very lucky that there is one on your doorstep!
Entering Arthur Ashe at the US Open Source: RG
This year, the US Open goes from August 28th to September 10th, and some of the big names to watch out for include Novak Djokovic (back after missing last year due to his vaccination status), Carlos Alcaraz (who broke through at this tournament in 2021 before winning it last year) and Iga Swiatek (the women's defending champion).
The tournament takes place at the Billy Jean King Tennis Center in Flushing, Queens. While there is some parking onsite, the best way to get there is by subway on the 7 train. We recommend avoiding taxis/Uber (especially when leaving the center) as the taxi line gets very long, and Ubers' surge pricing is at its highest.
Transparently, f you plan on attending the US Open in person, you will have to spend some hard-earned cash. Gone are the days when you could get a cheap grounds pass for a fun day of hopping from court to court. More than any other tournament, the US Open knows how to get as much money from fans as possible—and especially since Covid—it does not hesitate to do so. A perfect example—you used to be able to see both men's semi-finals with one ticket; now, for each semi, you have to purchase a separate ticket!
With that said, it is still 100% worth going to, and here are our tips from AWNY tennis fans who have been going for many years so that you can maximize your fun and (hopefully) maximize your time and money spent!
TICKETS
There are so many ticket options that understanding what to purchase can be overwhelming. Tickets can be purchased on Ticketmaster, and below are the three main options for seeing a match:
- Grounds Pass: This pass will give you access to every court except for the main court, Arthur Ashe Stadium (aka their version of Rod Laver Arena). This is a great option for the mega fan who wants to get up close to the players or for the casual observer who just wants to be onsite to experience the atmosphere.
We recommend grounds passes in week 1 of the tournament only, as most singles matches move to Arthur Ashe Stadium starting on the second Monday (as the number of players in the field gets smaller).
- Louis Armstrong and Grandstand: It's not worth purchasing seats for these courts. You can access both courts with a grounds pass; what's being sold are the courtside seats only. Both courts are much smaller than Ashe, so even with a grounds pass, you will get a spot with a great view of the match and players.
- Arthur Ashe Stadium: Purchasing a ticket to Ashe gives you full access to the grounds and every other court. Quite often, this can be the best-value ticket. Even if you are not planning to see the games on center court, purchasing a nosebleed seat on Ashe can be cheaper than a grounds pass, especially on Labor Day weekend.
INSIDER TIP: It's important to note Ashe has two daily sessions—a day and a night session. With a day ticket, you have to leave Ashe after the end of your session but can stay on the grounds and go watch matches on other courts. You can only enter the grounds starting around 5-6 pm with a night session ticket. If you want to watch matches before then, you would need to either purchase a grounds pass or a day session ticket.
Louis Armstrong Stadium Source; RG
BEST COURTS TO WATCH MATCHES:
Most people going to the US Open will only plan to go to Arthur Ashe Stadium, rookie mistake! Arthur Ashe is the largest tennis stadium in the world, so unless you spend quite a lot to be Courtside or in the Loge, you will basically be seeing two ants hitting a ball!
Arthur Ashe is also reserved for the biggest stars of the game, which means (especially in Week 1), you are very likely seeing a lot of one-sided matches. Fine if you're just going for the selfie or happy to say you saw a big name live, but not so worthwhile if you want to see some great tennis.
Arthur Ashe is where you want to go in Week 2 of the tournament once the 16/Quarter Finals round starts and the matches become more exciting and competitive.
Week 1, you want to be on the outside courts. Louis Armstrong and Grandstand, the second and third main courts, often play host to some truly epic matches, and because you are sitting on a smaller court with true fans of the game, the atmosphere can be absolutely electric!
Until you get to the semifinals, the best matches of the tournament are often played on these courts, so even if you have a ticket for Ashe, spend some time on the outside courts—we guarantee it will be worth it!
If you have a grounds pass and it looks like rain is coming, make a beeline for Louis Armstrong Stadium. Ashe and Louis are the only two courts with a roof, so once the rain starts, play will be suspended on all courts except for these two. As play stops on the other courts, everyone with a grounds pass will try to get it into Louis, and as you can imagine, craziness ensues.
A little insider tip, if you have the time, make a point to stop by Court 17. It is tucked away to the side of the grounds but often has seeded players scheduled on it, so definitely worth a detour.
Seating on Grandstand Source: RG
FOOD/DRINK OPTIONS
As with most major sporting grounds, the food at the US Open is average at best and terribly expensive. It's your usual mix of burgers, fried chicken, and pizza, with a couple of healthier options near the back courts.
The main food court in the center of the grounds often has long wait times. If you want something a bit faster, there are some additional food options near the entrance of Arthur Ashe Stadium and inside Louis Armstrong.
If you're only going once and want the full experience, the food there is adequate; however, for those of you going more than once or who don't love the idea of eating a burger while sitting in the blazing sun, you are allowed to bring your own food. Very helpful for families and to help mitigate the cost of that ticket!
Source: RG
THE AUSSIES TO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR THIS YEAR
- Nick Kyrgios: the bad boy but also the entertainer of Aussie tennis. Love or hate him, you're in for a show when you see him play! He is extremely popular with the NY crowd; last year, his first-round doubles match got scheduled on Louis Armstrong (seeing it garnered that much interest!) Kyrgios is currently in the US but has pulled out of the last 2 tournaments due to an injury—so still TBC if he will play this year.
- Alex de Minaur: our highest-ranked Aussie (currently #17); he tends to do well during the US swing. He is not the biggest player out there, but he is very exciting to watch as he gives it his all every time he's on the court!
- Ajla Tomljanovic: the woman who ended Serena Williams' career in a stunning win at last year's US Open. The match lasted 3 hours, and Tomljanovic showed nerves of steel going up against Serena and the NY crowd! She is capable of beating anyone, so really hoping she can have another great run this year!
- Thannasi Kokkinakis: An emotional favorite for many tennis fans as injuries and illness have long hampered his career. At his best, he has a really strong game but sadly doesn't have much luck with draws, e.g., last year had to face Kyrgios in round 1.
Some more Aussies to watch out for—Alexei Popyrin, Daria Saville, Jordan Thompson, and Jason Kubler!
Get up close to your Aussie faves Source: RG
AWNY'S TIPS FOR GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR TIME THERE
- Have a game plan: schedules for the day's play generally come out early afternoon the day before. Go through the matches, and pick the ones you want to watch so you know where to go once you arrive on site.
- Get there early: Day sessions start at 11am, and all courts except for Arthur Ashe (and the paying section of Louis and Grandstand) are free seating meaning the earlier you get there, the better seat you can get.
- Avoid court hopping too much: It can be a bit overwhelming, especially in week 1, with so many matches and names playing, to know where to go, and it is very tempting to want to run from one court to the next. Why shouldn't you do that? The grounds are packed, so it can take a while to get around, and on most courts, you cannot enter during play, only during changeovers. This means it can easily take up to 30min to go from one match to another. Additionally, courts can get packed, especially when there is a big-name playing, so there can be times when you have to wait in line until enough people leave so you can get a seat. On busy days, your best bet is to pick the main matches you want to watch and get there early to secure a spot!
- Leave your shopping to the end: there are a number of stores around the grounds, and during the day, you often have to wait in line just to get inside, wasting precious tennis-watching time! Pretty much all the stores stay open until 30min-1hr after the end of the day's last match. By then, you can walk straight in and leisurely browse what they offer. So go enjoy the tennis and shop on your way out!
- Avoid Labor Day weekend: or at least Saturday and Sunday if possible. The tournament attracts many out-of-towners, given the holiday weekend. These are the busiest days of the two weeks and the most expensive.
- Go on consecutive days: rounds are played over two days, meaning players are on the court every second day. If you plan to go more than once and want to see the most players, then go on two consecutive days (vs. skipping a day).
- Slip, Slop, Slap!: we shouldn't need to tell Aussies this, but that sun can be strong during the day! Ashe and Louis have a fair bit of shade, but the other courts are very open, so you will spend time in the sun. Don't forget to bring a cover-up, hat, sunnies and sunscreen!
- Don't forget the Doubles!: a number of big names also play in doubles and mixed doubles (think Coco Gauff, Nick Kyrgios, or Francis Tiafoe), and for the most part, these matches are played on outside courts. So if you can't see them on Ashe, check out when they might be playing doubles.
- Combine it with a Mets game: if you're more of a sports fan than a tennis fan, why not combine a day of tennis with a Mets game. Citi Field is next door; all you have to do is cross a bridge to make it from one stadium to another.
See some of your faves in doubles- Kyrgios/Kokkinakis Source: RG
WHERE ELSE TO ENJOY THE TENNIS
- Every sports bar in the city will be showing games at some point, especially the big ones. With so many tennis fans in NY during this time, this is a great option to catch some tennis fever if you cannot make it to the grounds.
- Keep your eyes open for tennis events happening around the city. They are usually free and are a fun way to stay in the tennis vibe while not onsite. These events will generally be announced closer to the tournament start date, but some examples of events in years past: Nike and Adidas have hosted player meet and greets in their flagship stores to promote the current tennis collection. These are always free and feature megastars of the game (think Nadal, Sharapova, or even Serena Williams!)
- Outdoor screens have been set up downtown and in Brooklyn over the labor day long weekend so people can relax and watch the games on a big screen
- Brookfield Place often sets up a number of activities for fans during the tournament as well as hosting some fun exhibit matches between tour players (John Isner and Lucas Pouille have played in the past)
- Tip for the mega fans: feel free to wander around the tennis courts in Central Park (up on 93rd St) as if you're lucky, you may see some players training. Given that most players stay in the city, they don't always want to trek out to Flushing on their days off to train, so they look for closer options. Many go to John McEnroe's tennis academy on Randall's Island, but some players have been known to use the courts in Central Park. A certain Roger Federer caused a stir a few years ago when he was seen training there.
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