A Serious Tennis Fan’s Top 10 Tips for the 2024 US Open (Tickets and More)


By P.J. Simmons


WHAT IS A GOOD DEAL? I created this new chart “2024 US Open Ticket Prices: How to Spot a Good Deal” based on average resale pricing information with shortcuts to the Ticketmaster links for specific dates/sessions/stadiums. Hope you find it helpful!
NEW “EVENING” GROUNDS ADMISSION TICKETS: For the first time, the US Open is selling separate EVENING Grounds Passes for “7pm” on the official Ticketmaster site (presumably allowing access at 7pm and NOT at 6pm, when evening session reserved ticketholders will be able to access the grounds). Note: these passes will not allow access to Ashe (where every seat is reserved) — and more night fans will add more pressure to the first-come unreserved seating in Armstrong, Grandstand and outer courts. I have not updated various charts in my post to reflect this yet.
As a serious tennis player and fan living in New York City, I feel so lucky that the US Open is in my backyard. I absolutely love the tournament, and find nothing more educational and inspiring for my own game than seeing world-class live tennis. I can’t wait to return to the 2024 US Open tennis tournament, which will take place at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Monday August 26- Sunday September 8, 2024!
2024 will mark my 16th consecutive US Open, and I’ve learned a ton over the years through trial and error about how to maximize the opportunity, find the best tickets and seats on the Official US Open ticket site on Ticketmaster and other reseller sites, and generally get the biggest bang for the buck. Likewise, I’ve learned so much thanks to fellow fans around the world who have shared their own insights since I wrote the first version of this post over a decade ago.
Below are my top 10 recommendations for serious tennis fans like me.
In a rush and need quick answers?
I recommend reading/skimming the entire post in order if you can, but if you’re rushed here are shortcuts to my answers to the most common questions I’ve received over the years:
- Which ticket sites are best? Note: always check Ticketmaster first and click on the “map” view to get the best initial birdseye view of what’s available (standard and resale tix), then compare with other reseller sites like Stubhub.
- Should I buy tickets now or wait? Will ticket prices go up or down?
- What are average ticket prices? What should I expect to pay??
- How can I be guaranteed to see Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Coco Gauff, Arena Sabalenka or any other favorite player? Note: Rafael Nadal announced on August 8 he will not play in the 2024 US Open.
- Can you explain the ticket options, I’m overwhelmed!
- What time can I enter grounds with a Day or Night Session ticket?
- What kind of matches (and how many) can I expect to see on certain days (in Ashe, Armstrong, Grandstand, etc)?
- Which seats have the best view?
- Which seats get the most shade?
- How should I get there (subway, LIRR, car, parking?)
Tip #1: Do whatever you can to see world-class players and great matches up really close— which if you’re on a budget may mean bypassing Arthur Ashe stadium in favor of the sixteen other courts where matches are played.

Me spotted on Netflix “Break Point” series cheering on Taylor Fritz and Brandon Holt (yes, I was rooting for both) at the 2022 US Open – front row during awesome match at GRANDSTAND Stadium (not Ashe!)
For my first US Open, I spent about $250 per ticket for a decent seat during early rounds in the famous Arthur Ashe stadium (1/2 way up in the Loge section) so I’d be guaranteed to see at least one Top 10 player live. While it was certainly thrilling to experience the electricity of an evening at Ashe stadium, I still felt somewhat distant from the action (it’s a mammoth 23,700-seat venue) and spent much of the time watching the match on the huge video screen. Moreover, because the tournament prioritizes putting the biggest stars on Ashe over the best match-ups, the matches I saw weren’t terribly exciting.
Since then, I’ve become addicted to the unparalleled thrill of seeing many world-class competitors from a few feet away in epic duels on several of the smaller non-Ashe courts (Louis Armstrong Stadium, Grandstand Stadium (behind courts 4-6), the very cool Court #17, and other courts #4-#16). Once you have this experience you’ll be addicted too. While it’s rare that you’ll see the Top 5 players on those courts, you WILL see other awe-inspiring players in very competitive matches.
A collateral benefit: you’ll be ahead of the curve in seeing rising stars the likes of Coco Gauff before they become household names, and feel the excitement of “discovering” new talent to cheer for. I’ll never forget the first time I saw Milos Raonic blast a tournament record 145 MPH serve from the first row of the old Grandstand. Or, in more recent years, when I saw then “next-gen” players up very close for the first time before they were super famous — like Sloane Stephens, Madison Keys, Dominic Thiem, Sasha Zverev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Karen Khachanov, Borna Ćorić. In 2019, I had the thrill of watching the young Felix Auger-Aliassime v. fellow Canadian Denis Shapovalov from the front row in Grandstand. In 2021, I was blown away watching Lloyd Harris for the first time from the second row of Armstrong and know tons of fellow fanatics who had the once-in-a-lifetime experience of seeing rising superstars Jenson Brooksby, Leylah Fernandez and Carlos Alcaraz up close on the outer courts.
Tip for serious players: After watching a ton of pro matches, I started challenging myself to watch more deliberately from the perspective of a player who wants to improve. I wrote down ten ideas for watching a pro match that may resonate with fellow fanatics who not only want to enjoy the drama of the match but also learn from it.
(Adapted from photo in “US Open Transformation Update”)
Tip #2: If you’re on a tight budget, try to attend during the tournament’s first week (Monday August 26- Friday August 30) and purchase relatively inexpensive Ashe DAY session tickets.
An Ashe day session ticket will get you access to all the courts on the grounds in addition to Ashe during the day, then enable you to stay on the grounds to watch matches on all courts except Ashe in the evening (Ashe day/night sessions are sold separately). You’ll get hours and hours of tennis watching for your money, as many matches on the outer courts will go well into the evening. And if you can take a day off from work and go during these first 5 days, you won’t have to battle hordes of fans for access to the non-Ashe venues– whereas things get very crowded Labor Day weekend.
Tip #3: Do NOT buy a “Grounds Admission” pass to save money until you’ve explored whether reserved day session seats in Ashe or Armstrong are also available for around the same price!
Grounds admission tickets (cheaper tickets sold on the tourney’s first 8 days that give access to all the courts except Ashe) can be a good deal, but there are often reserved Ashe Promenade-level tickets (and, occasionally, Armstrong courtside seats) available for nearly identical prices– making them far better deals. Ashe and Armstrong Day Session tickets gives you all the privileges of a “Grounds” pass with added bonuses. In particular, buying an Ashe or Armstrong reserved seat gives you rain insurance, because these stadiums both have roofs so matches cannot be rained out.
Tip #4: Go for quality over quantity.
As a general rule, I encourage fellow fans to budget their time and money in ways that maximize the possibility of a few magical experiences versus a ton of forgettable ones. For instance, if you’re opting between multiple days of cheap nosebleed seats in Ashe’s Upper Promenade versus appying the same budget towards excellent seats for a couple sessions, I generally recommend the latter. (Note: if you’re wondering whether it’s worth it to spend a bit more to sit in the Loge level of Ashe versus the Promenade level, my answer is always yes).
BOX #1: UNDERSTANDING YOUR TICKET OPTIONS & HOW THE SCHEDULE WORKS
See US Open Official Ticket Site for all sessions above organized by stadium.
See Daily Schedule of Play for day-by-day schedule
FAQ: What Matches Can I Expect on Each Court?
To get a sense of what types of matches are played on which courts for specific dates, I recommend reviewing the recent year’s schedules for the specific day(s) you’re considering attending:
–> See Full 2023 US Open Daily Schedules (All Days, All Courts)
–> 2022 Daily Schedule of Play
The US Open will likely release the 2024 Tournament’s Day 1 and Day 2 Schedule on its Daily Schedule of Play page and the US Open app on Friday August 23 (start checking mid-day, usually released late afternoon/early evening).
CLICK HERE FOR A DETAILED DAY-BY-DAY BREAKDOWN OF THE US OPEN SCHEDULE
2024 US OPEN SCHEDULE
“FAN WEEK” (FREE – See Tip #10 for details)
- Aug 20-23 (Tuesday-Friday): Qualifying Tournament. 128 male and female players compete for the final 32 spots (16 each for men and women) in the singles draws.
- Aug 24 (Saturday): Kid’s Day
- Aug 25 (Sunday): Grounds open, practice day
MAIN TOURNAMENT
- Aug 26-27 (Monday-Tuesday): Men’s & Women’s 1st Round * Separate Day (11am) & Night (7pm) sessions on Ashe & Armstrong * Monday Aug 26 Ashe Evening session features short Opening Night Ceremony prior to regular matches
- Aug 28-29 (Wed-Thursday): Men’s & Women’s 2nd Round * Separate Day (11am) & Night (7pm) sessions on Ashe & Armstrong + Doubles 1st Round (outer courts)
- Aug 30-31 (Friday-Saturday): Men’s & Women’s 3rd Round * Separate Day (11am) & Night (7pm) sessions on Ashe & Armstrong + Doubles 2nd Round, Juniors (outer courts)
- Sep 1 (Sunday): Men’s & Women’s 4th Round (“Round of 16″) * Separate Day (11am) & Night (7pm) sessions on Ashe * Day session ONLY on Armstrong (11am) * Note: In 2019, Armstrong and Grandstand both featured one men’s singles R16 match (others on Ashe) + Doubles 3rd Round, Juniors (outer courts)
- Sep 2 (Monday): Men’s & Women’s 4th Round (“Round of 16″) Note: Men’s Round of 16 Singles matches on this day will be played exclusively on Ashe and Armstrong, not Grandstand! * Separate Day (11am) & Night (7pm) sessions on Ashe * Day session ONLY on Armstrong (11am) + Doubles 3rd Round, Juniors (outer courts)
- Sep 3 (Tuesday): Men’s & Women’s Quarterfinals (Ashe Stadium only) * Separate Day (11am) & Night (7pm) sessions on Ashe + Men’s Doubles Quarterfinals (Armstrong) * Armstrong and Grandstand only feature Doubles matches from this point on, so don’t purchase Armstrong reserved tickets for September 7 unless you want to see Doubles.
- Sep 4 (Wednesday): Men’s & Women’s Quarterfinals (Ashe Stadium) * Separate Day (11am) & Night (7pm) sessions on Ashe + Women’s Doubles Quarterfinals (Armstrong)
- Sep 5 DAY (Thursday): FREE DAY SESSION ENTRY (Community Day) ** Free grounds access to watch Juniors, WC, and Men’s Doubles Semifinals (in 2024 was on Armstrong at 4pm) plus Mixed Doubles Final (in 2024 was on Ashe at 3pm). Gates open 11:00am, matches start at Noon.
- + Wheelchair and Junior matches
- Sep 5 EVENING (Thursday at 7pm): Women’s Semifinals (Ashe Stadium) * Ashe Evening Session ticket gets access to both women’s Semifinal matches
- Sep 6 DAY (Friday): Men’s Semifinal #1 (Ashe Stadium 3:00pm), preceded by Women’s Doubles Final (Noon). Note: The Men’s Semis take place over two separate sessions (1 Day, 1 Night)– so if you want to see both matches, you need to purchase tickets for both the Day and Evening sessions. Wheelchair and Junior matches (outer courts). Gates open 11:00am.
- Sep 6 EVENING (Friday 7pm): Men’s Semifinal #2 (Ashe Stadium)
- Sep 7 DAY ONLY (Saturday): Women’s Final (4:00pm) * Preceded by Men’s Doubles Final (Noon) (There is only one Ashe Day ticket option and it covers BOTH matches, and you can enter grounds at 11:00am). + Junior and Wheelchair finals beginning at Noon.
- Sep 8 DAY ONLY (Sunday): Men’s Final (2:00pm). Gates open at 11:00am.
Here is the ESPN Broadcast schedule (updated link to come)
Entry and re-entry rules:
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- Any DAY session stadium reserved ticket for Ashe, Armstrong, or Grandstand gives you the same exact privileges as a Grounds Pass: You can enter the grounds as early as 9:30am (or 11am on Finals weekend) and stay on the grounds as late into the evening as you want. However, your Day session reserved seat in Ashe, Armstrong, or Grandstand only entitles you to those reserved seats for the Day session matches (then you have to exit your seats) — after which you can stay on the US Open grounds as late as you want and access general unreserved seating on every court (except Ashe, which has no unreserved seating).
- To enter the US Open grounds, you must pass through security then have your ticket scanned at either the EAST GATE or SOUTH GATE (see map above).
- If you have a reserved seat in a stadium, you’ll have your ticket re-checked upon entering that stadium.
- If you have tickets for Day and Evening sessions (Ashe or Armstrong) on the same day, you will NOT need to exit the US Open grounds and re-enter again. Your ticket will be checked as you enter the stadium.
- If you are in Armstrong for the Day session (either Courtside reserved or GA seating), you’ll need to leave your seat between Day and Evening sessions as they clean up. However, you may stay inside the concourse area of Armstrong (the inner-stadium areas with food stands).
** I took the photo above at the 2016 US Open from a corner courtside seat in Ashe watching the Nadal-Pouille round of 16 match on Labor Day.
Tip #5: If your budget can swing it, I strongly recommend getting a courtside reserved seat in Louis Armstrong stadium (especially between Aug 28 – Sep 2) and/or in Grandstand (especially on Aug 30 or Aug 31).
Louis Armstrong (14,053 seats) and Grandstand (8,125 seats) are the other two main show courts after Ashe Stadium – and they offer a much more intimate experience. A reserved courtside ticket for either can give you access to thrilling matches and players up close that you’ll never forget.
The first time I did this in 2010 I saw an unforgettable marathon slugfest between David Ferrer and Fernando Verdasco from the FIRST ROW BASELINE! I had arrived that morning at 11am and left around 11:30pm at night, leaving my seat only twice for a total of about 9 minutes for rapid-fire bathroom breaks and to grab snacks so I wouldn’t want to miss a second of the action. Ever since, I’ve made it an annual tradition to go with friends to Armstrong during the 3d Round or Round of 16. In 2019, I got to see 2021 Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini crushing balls in the Round of 16 on Armstrong from the second row (and my phone exploded with texts when my friends and I were spotted on ESPN frequently cheering for him). I’ve had similar transporting experiences in Grandstand over the years – most recently when I sat first row behind-the-server for a match between Auger-Aliassime and his Canadian buddy Denis Shapovalov.
Both stadiums also feature general admission seating on a first-come basis, but getting good GA seats can be tough and involve long lines for the higher-profile matches — so having a reserved courtside ticket gives you the dual benefit of skipping long lines plus plus incredible proximity to the players.
BOX 2: WHERE TO GET THE BEST DEAL ON US OPEN TICKETS? SHOULD I BUY NOW OR LATER?
Individual ticket sales are now available on the official US Open Ticketmaster site, as well as on reseller sites like Stubhub. My most important advice: DO NOT PANIC and rush into a decision!
The frustrating reality is that the ticket availability you see today may be different tomorrow — and the ticket situation will continue to evolve over the summer because (1) USTA/Ticketmaster use “dynamic pricing” on face-value “standard” tickets in response to fluctuations in supply and demand; 2) the tournament holds back on releasing all the tickets initially, and tends to trickle more out in the weeks/months that follow (however frustrating, I’ve learned this is fairly common practice for event ticketing); (3) more and more people put tickets up for resale on Ticketmaster and elsewhere, which can sometimes drive down average resale prices as sellers compete to unload their tickets. Without knowing better, too many first-time buyers panic without knowing that a little research and patience can yield better options.
THE GOOD NEWS IS: if you’re willing to exercise patience and do a little work, there are almost always good deals to be found throughout the summer – right up until the actual day of matches! This is because:
- (1) Increasing numbers of sellers post their tickets for resale throughout the summer, and sellers competing for buyers often lower prices as we get closer to the start of the US Open;
- (2) USTA ends up releasing more standard price tickets as the summer goes on (inexplicably, at random times). I have on many (many!) occasions found better seats on the resale market for around the same price (sometimes even less) as standard no-fee seats. For example: in 2022 on Ticketmaster for the Day 1 Ashe DAY session there was a FRONT ROW Loge Resale ticket available for $281 ($327 with fees), while a Standard ticket in the third row of the adjacent section was going for $347 ($372 with fees) – see this screenshot (from August 17 2022).
Before buying, I recommend reading this entire post carefully to understand all the available options, explore the resale market to get a sense of average for sessions/seats that interest you, and prioritize what’s most important to you… THEN you’ll be in the best position to get the best seats and experience for your budget.
Below are the sites that will give you access to the BEST INVENTORY of available tickets (both face-value and resale). Before buying, be sure to compare options and prices.When searching, try sorting by price, section, row… Take your time, get a good sense of what the prevailing price for what you want, and when you spot a good deal, grab it!
1. ALWAYS (!) first check the official Ticketmaster US Open tennis tournament site. I strongly recommend looking on a computer/web browser for fastest navigation and the best options for viewing availability (be sure to use the “map view” of individual seats by clicking on any individual section, try sorting lists in different ways, and use multiple browser tabs to compare across various sessions).
- This site features both (1) any standard tickets (non-resale, face value) that may be available (shown as “blue dots” on the detailed seat map for each session – most often only in Promenade, but occasionally pop up in Loge and Courtside sections throughout the summer); and (2) resale tickets (shows as “red dots” on the detailed seat map for each session).
- Surprisingly, resale tickets (red dots) can often be the best value: resellers often lower their prices to around or below face value as they compete with other resellers to attract buyers.
- Tickets remain on sale for 59 minutes after a session begins as long as tickets remain (e.g., if an Ashe Day session begins at Noon, tickets remain on sale until 12:59pm). For Men’s Semi’s in 2019, Ticketmaster kept sales open for standard seats only another 3 hours beyond that (which were in most cases about double the cost of what was available on the resale market).
- Both Ticketmaster and Stubhub make it very easy to put your tickets back up for sale if your plans change or you decide you want to switch days or tickets later.
- You must have a US bank account to put your tickets up for resale on Ticketmaster.
2. Scan my NEW 2024 chart outlining my best guesses for what is a “good deal” (including fees) for every session/ticket type at the 2024 US Open.
3. In addition to Ticketmaster, it often pays to check StubHub or other reseller sites like those below to see if you can find an even better deal for comparable seats. If you search on both the official US Open Ticketmaster site PLUS one of the sites below to compare, you’ll get tremendous visibility into what’s available and the range of prices on the resale market. Many of these sites also keep selling tickets after a session begins for several hours (versus Ticketmaster, which stops selling 59 minutes after the session begins).
CAUTION: Only purchase resale tickets that are clearly labeled with SECTION, ROW, and SEAT numbers that match up with the Stadium Maps I include in this post; if something appears questionable or too good to be true, it probably is. Also only buy tickets available for MOBILE TRANSFER. You should receive them promptly, and be sure to double-check the tickets you receive correspond to what was advertised. If you don’t, contact the reseller and ask for a refund. While rare, there’s always a handful of unscrupulous sellers who label tickets inaccurately to make them more appealing. Stubhub and other reputable resellers will refund your purchase if you purchase a ticket that has been misrepresented (e.g. the seller delivers a ticket in a different section than advertised) – but then it will be up to you to find another ticket.
- Beyond Ticketmaster, Stubhub is my main source to check for any other deals, as it usually has the largest inventory of resale tickets.
- Other sites I’ve never had an issue with include TicketCity, VividSeats, Viagogo, SeatGeek, or Ticket Liquidator.
- WARNING: DO NOT PURCHASE FROM TickPick. I personally have had two awful experiences: sellers reneged on promised tickets, Tickpick customer service was abysmal, and they were unable to produce replacement tickets.
4. Check out the exact location of individual seats for tickets in each stadium before buying them. Learn how and see seating charts and shade maps here.
5. Do not buy off Craigslist or classified sites!
I’ve heard tons of stories over the years of folks who got scammed or had to go through considerable hassle to obtain tickets. Not worth the risk. Also know that NYC law prohibits reselling “scalping” 1500 feet away from the venue (which is effectively everywhere off the subway at the US Open), and they have undercover police on site cracking down on both sellers and buyers.
6. If you’re going with a friend(s), consider buying a combination of cheap and amazing seats.
This way, you can split the cost and trade off time in the great seat. E.g., you could trade time in seats in Promenade vs Courtside, or between stadiums (in Ashe vs a reserved seat in Armstrong or Grandstand). I do this every year with my best friends. This is a bit more challenging given evolving e-ticket technologies, and may require meeting up and trading phones – but it can be worth it.
Note: all tickets (including through Ticketmaster) are offered as MOBILE ONLY tickets (i.e., “Your Phone is Your Ticket”) – which requires having a smart phone with internet/wifi capability or downloading into your electronic wallet.
- If you do not have a smart phone (either iPhone or Android) and you purchase through Ticketmaster, they WILL help you – but you’ll have to contact their customer service directly and have them make an exception and transfer your tickets to “Will Call” pick up location on site. If you don’t own a smart phone and are purchasing resale tickets during the tournament, I’d recommend buying exclusively through Ticketmaster and not taking chances with other resellers.
- Questions? See US Open’s detailed instructions (with screenshots) on how to access and manage your mobile tickets.
Finally, if you want to explore package deals (combining tickets with optional hotel, transportation, VIP perks, etc), there are several trusted options including Championship Tennis Tours, Grand Slam Tennis Tours, and Steve Furgal’s International Tennis Tours.
Tip #6: If you’ve never done it, consider splurging once on a courtside Ashe seat — if possible after the 2nd round of play when matches start getting more competitive.
After dreaming for years of the possibility, I finally bit the bullet to invest in courtside seats in 2011 for the first time. It was bliss. Ever since, I’ve made an annual pilgrimage to experience Courtside with a few close friends at least once. What most people don’t understand about the mammoth Ashe stadium until they’ve been in person is that even Loge seating is fairly high up because (a) the stadium is very vertically oriented (seating is on a sharp incline) and (b) there are two levels of suites above Courtside before the first row of Loge even begins. So when you’re down in Courtside, you feel like you’re in another world. The feeling of being that close to greatness in Ashe’s electric atmosphere is pretty amazing. If going for a courtside seat, keep in mind that Row E is first row in sections 1-6, 31-40, 65-67; and Row F is first row in sections 7,9,11, 26, 29, 30, 60 63, 64, 41, 42. If courtside is out of your budget, aim for lower Loge rows A-C when possible.
Here’s a video I shot of Federer from the front row in 2011, the very first time I sat courtside at Ashe. I found a great deal on a resale ticket (baseline section 58) for Labor Day during the Round of 16 and got to witness Federer perfection from a few feet away. Best money I’ve ever spent.
BOX 3: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are the questions I get most often, along with important stuff I wish I had known myself before buying tickets the first time…
FAQ #1: How can I predict when (and on which court) Nadal, Djokovic, Alcaraz, Medvedev, Gauff, Sabalenka, Swiatek or my other favorite player will play? Will they play Day or Night Sessions?
As of August 22, we now know that players in the BOTTOM HALVES of the men’s and women’s draws will play beginning on Day 1 (then again on Day 3, 5, 7, and 9 if they advance), and players in the TOP HALVES will play beginning on Day 2 (then again on Day 4, 6, 8, and 10 if they advance). See this new chart here summarizing which top-seeded players will play on which days.
HOWEVER, there’s never any sure way to predict whether players will be scheduled for DAY or NIGHT sessions. Officials try to spread the wealth and be fair to players by alternating players between Day and Night sessions. Contrary to popular belief, they do not always schedule the biggest stars at night. The one exception to this is Quarterfinals, when biggest stars (or most anticipated match-ups) are usually scheduled for the night sessions.
One thing you can count on is for the US Open schedulers to defy crowd predictions ever year, with decisions that resist generalizations. Many a fan has been heartbroken after spending a lot of money on expensive seats based on erroneous predictions. Case in point from the 2020 and 2019 US Open tournaments:
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- In 2020, Serena’s 1st Round match (on Day 2) was a DAYsession; 2d Round match (Day 4) NIGHT session; 3d Round match (on Day 6) DAY session; 4th Round match (on Day 8) DAY session again; Quarterfinals (Day 10) — a DAY session yet again!
- In 2019, Serena’s 1st Round match (on Day 1) was a NIGHTsession; 2d Round (Day 3) NIGHT session; 3d Round (Day 5) DAY session; 4th Round (Day 7) DAY session again; Quarterfinals (Day 9) NIGHT session
- Also in 2019, Djokovic was scheduled for 3 consecutive Ashe Night sessionsand Federer for 3 consecutive Ashe Day sessions (Days 3, 5, and 7).
To be absolutely sure you see your favorite player, consider waiting until the schedule is published the day prior (start checking frequently early afternoon, usually out by 5:00pm), then immediately go to the official Ticketmaster US Open page (or other resale sites like Stubhub) to grab a resale ticket. This strategy requires, however, that you monitor the ticket situation closely in the days prior and are prepared to act immediately when the schedule is announced. Also, if you see tickets becoming scarce and prices going up in the days prior, you may conclude it’s worth taking a chance and purchasing based on an educated guess.
One sure way to see your favorite player up close is to watch them when they’re scheduled for practice on the practice courts. See Tip #9
To see real examples of what kinds of matches get scheduled on which courts for specific days, look at previous years’ schedules:
–> Full 2023 US Open Daily Schedules (All Days, All Courts)
–> 2022 Daily Schedule of Play
LEARN HOW TO MAKE EDUCATED GUESSES ABOUT WHO PLAYS WHEN/WHERE
On the THURSDAY before the main tournament begins (August 22, 2024), the “Draw” is revealed: Singles players (128 men and 128 women) are split into two equal “Halves” of a “Men’s Singles Draw” and “Women’s Singles Draw,” each half of which will play on alternating days through quarterfinals (Day 1-10). The #1 and #2 seeds (based on ATP and WTA rankings) are placed in opposite halves of the draw (so they will play on different days). The #3 and #4 seeds are also placed in opposite halves of the draw and in different quarters from the #1 and #2 seeds. Spots for winners of the Qualifier Tournament will be indicated as “Qualifier.”
- Once the US Open announces which halves of the draw will play on Day 1 versus Day 2 (which they do on the Thursday or Friday before the main tournament begins) you CAN then predict the DATES your favorite players will be scheduled through quarterfinals: Players scheduled on Day 1 will play again on Day 3, 5, 7, and 9 if they advance; players scheduled on Day 2 will play again on Day 4, 6, 8, and 10 if they advance.
- Only the biggest superstars (like Serena and Rafa) are sure to be scheduled on Ashe – others might be scheduled on Armstrong, Grandstand, or field courts. Schedulers have been known to put even the #1-ranked player in the world on Armstrong or Grandstand, as they did in 2021 with then #1 Simona Halep during Round 1 (on Grandstand) and then #2 Aryna Sabalenka (Armstrong). See my chart (click to enlarge) for illustrative examples of who has been scheduled on which courts.
- There’s never any sure way to predict whether players will be scheduled for DAY or NIGHT sessions. Officials try to spread the wealth and be fair to players by alternating players between Day and Night sessions. Contrary to popular belief, they do not always schedule the biggest stars at night. The one exception to this is Quarterfinals, when biggest stars are usually scheduled for the night sessions.
FYI: A fun way to get your head around the draw/brackets — and potential match-ups — is to enter the official US Open “Million-Dollar Bracket” contest. Each submission that correctly picks all 127 matches in the men’s singles bracket will share from a prize pool of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000). It’s also a great way to become more familiar with some players you may not have heard of yet but probably will soon.
FAQ #2: How do a see the exact location of seats that I might buy (in Ashe, Armstrong, or Grandstand)?
- Go to Ticketmaster, click on any session for the stadium in question, choose Map View, then mouse over or click on any of the dots to see the exact section, row and seat #.
- See all the seating charts below
- Note that for Ashe Courtside seats, each lettered “row” (e.g. “A” or “H”) actually stands for two rows: e.g., “Row A Seat 5” might actually be in the second row, Row C Seat 6 is probably 6th row). Courtside Sections 48-49, 52-63 and 66-67 go actually have two rows of “AA” seats followed by rows A-H.
- Also take note of where the umpire sits (you’ll see a little chair icon on each map — and avoid courtside tickets very close up in sections right behind or next to the chair (please note: the umpire chair is never a big obstruction, but it might be a minor annoyance to some).
- To make matters more complicated… first row for Behind-the-Server seats Courtside begin with E or F: Row E is first row in sections 1-6, 31-40, 65-67; and Row F is first row in sections 7,9,11, 26, 29, 30, 60 63, 64, 41, 42.
- In short, check out the detailed Seat Map on Ticketmaster view before buying to see the exact location.
KEY SEATING CHARTS AND SHADE MAPS
Arthur Ashe Stadium
- Arthur Ashe Seating Chart (view from above)
- Official Ashe Stadium Seating Chart
- My annotated Ashe Stadium SHADE map
- Ashe “Iteractive Seat Viewer” to give you a sense of what view is like from specific seats – which from my experience tends to make seats look like they’re closer than they actually feel when you’re there, but helpful nonetheless.
Louis Armstrong Stadium
- Louis Armstrong Stadium Seating Chart (Official)
- Louis Armstrong Chart (with my annotations)
- Armstrong Interactive “View from Seat” Map
- My annotated Armstrong Stadium SHADE map
Grandstand
FAQ #3: When should I buy? Will prices go up or down? Will sessions sell out if I wait too long? What are average prices? What’s a “good deal”?
The frustrating reality is: “it depends.” Buying tickets for the US Open can be like investing in the stock market: knowledge and judgment dramatically raises the odds of a good decision, but there are always surprises due to the number of variables involved. Standard (non-resale) Ashe tickets usually sell out fairly quickly (except for Ashe stadium’s “Promenade” section, where there are usually quite a few available throughout the summer). However, there are almost always resale tickets available until the very last moment because thousands of fans post their tickets for resale. You can almost always get tickets closer to the tournament – and you may end up finding a phenomenal deal if you are patient. However, waiting longer to purchase requires you to have a higher risk tolerance than those who’d prefer the certainty around making arrangements sooner. Resale ticket prices can vary significantly, especially closer to the tournament. Prices can plummet when lineups are predicted to be lackluster… or they can skyrocket if fans speculate that certain marquee players (like Federer) will be scheduled. In 2017, after it became clear that both Federer and Nadal would be scheduled on the same days throughout the tournament, prices spiked sharply for the days they’d be scheduled if they advanced and dropped significantly for the opposite days. Then, after Federer got knocked out in quarters, prices for semis and finals declined quite a bit. The best advice I can give is to familiarize yourself with average prices on Ticketmaster for the days/sessions you are considering over the course of several days so you can recognize a good deal when you see one and spot the trends.
This year, prices are shockingly high across the board. Tennis is having a moment, thanks in large part to the massive popularity of the likes of new young players, particularly Carlos Alcaraz and Coco Gauff!
Here’s my NEW chart (updated July 2024) that outlines my best guesses for what I’d consider a “good deal” (including fees) for each session/ticket type. The estimates are based on this year’s average resale market prices and my tracking of the past two years’ pricing trends for both standard and resale tickets. Please use it only as a rough guide – but hopefully it will be a helpful starting point to gauge expectations as you explore and make the right decisions for you.
FAQ #4: Which seats get the most shade?
For Ashe: The roof creates a massive amount of natural shading all day for a large number of seats. The sections that get the most shade are in the South and West sections of the stadium; Next-best for shade are in the North. Sections with the most sun (to avoid for Day sessions) are on the East side. Click on the photo/map below for details. For the new Armstrong: Situation is similar to Ashe, now that there’s a roof. In short, Sections 1-8 are best for shade. West-side sections (Chair Umpire side) get the most shade; and when not in shade, at least the sun is at your back. Rows K and above (approximately) are shaded soonest (by about 12:30pm), then the sun gradually moves down to cover all rows by about 2:00 pm. East-side sections get the least shade and are in direct sun most of the afternoon. However, Rows T and above (approximately) get shading all day. South sections (behind-the-server) get more shade than North sections: South sections start out almost entirely shaded until about 1pm, then the sun starts wrapping around clockwise, such that sections 17-18 end up losing shade mid-afternoon. See photo/map below. For Grandstand: There’s much less shade overall, however South and West sections are similarly better because sun is more at your back. General admission seats that are higher under the overhang, especially Southwest corner, get the most shade.
FAQ #5: What happens if it rains?
The good news: Now that both Arthur Ashe and the new Louis Armstrong stadiums have roofs, now up to 37,771 more fans each day will be able to see matches even if it rains. The bad news: if you invest in great seats for Grandstand or simply buy a Grounds Admission pass, there isn’t much consolation. Keep in mind that weather forecasts are notoriously unreliable and can change on the hour (I have literally been at Flushing Meadows when my iPhone said it was raining and it wasn’t). There’s always hope that showers will pass quickly. In the highly unlikely event of all-day rain out or under 60 minutes of play (which happened to me unforgettably in 2012 on the day I treated 6 friends to pricy Armstrong front row seats), the session may be rescheduled until the next day and your ticket may be honored then — or, you MAY be able to trade in tickets through the US Open for another session this year or next year if (and only if) you purchased directly from Ticketmaster (see the somewhat complicated US Open Inclement Weather Policy). In the worst case scenario, I recommend looking for the silver lining: you’ll be surrounded by a ton of other fans with whom you can grab a US Open specialty cocktail, huddle under a shelter, and watch an Ashe match together on a big screen.
FAQ #6: Should I buy a subscription or multi-session ticket plan?
For most serious fans, I don’t recommend it. Most multi-session plans for Ashe (and first-time subscription plans) for are only for “Promenade” seats — so high up in that huge stadium you’ll end up watching a lot of the match on the Jumbotron or through binoculars. It could take years to get the chance to upgrade your seats to Loge (only available if you purchase the very expensive full-series plan). For the full series ticket plan price (well over $2,000 each) you could buy several amazing seats for multiple sessions over the tournament (or 2 excellent seats for the Men’s final). Finally, there is always a glut of Promenade Ashe seats on the resale market, so if you buy an entire series of Promenade seats you may have a challenge reselling any you don’t need.
FAQ #7: Which are the best sections/seats with the best views?
The vast majority of people would consider “behind the server” seats (i.e., those on North or South ends of the courts) to be preferable — and prices generally reflect this. For first-timers, this area would be my top recommendation.
- This is the vantage point they use for filming for broadcast, because it enables you to follow point construction and see the court from the perspective of the player on your side of the net.
- From these seats, you’ll never have to move your head side-to-side to follow the ball.
- FYI: seats in these sections start several feet higher in these seats than sections on the side (this is why these rows begin with higher letters E instead of AA or A).
- Here’s a photo of the perspective from higher up seats in the new Armstrong. Here’s another photo from Ashe courtside front row.
Corner sections are also widely considered to be highly desirable — and for good reason. They carry many of the same advantages of the above, with the added benefit you can see the player on your side of the net from the front as their hitting the ball not just the back. Here’s a photo from the new Armstrong from that perspective.
As a serious player myself, I personally love sitting courtside as close as possible in lower rows of sections where seats are practically on the court, perpendicular and near to the actual baseline (e.g., section 58 in Ashe) because it gets me physically even closer to the players and more on the same level. Sitting in the lower rows, I feel even more like I’m on the court with them. I feel the speed of the game. In these seats, I personally enjoy watching one player at a time sometimes to see their footwork, how they prepare for the next ball, etc. I took the video of Federer I included in my post from this perspective (from section 58). Here’s a photo from Ashe courtside from that perspective.
When considering Loge or Promenade seats in Ashe, I generally recommend prioritizing seats that are in lower rows regardless of location— simply because Loge (and especially Promenade) are already quite high up to begin with. For Day sessions, I strongly urge folks to factor in potential shade benefits (seats on West side, SouthWest, and Northwest tend to get the most shade relief). See FAQ #4 above. With regard to the umpire chair, it really is never an obstruction but may feel a bit of an annoyance to some if you’re sitting in very low rows on that side — simply because you may not always have a complete view of the player on the other side of the net. See this photo for example. I personally don’t mind this for reasons I mention above, and this is ONLY an issue when courtside in very low rows.
Tip #7: The night before you go
Check the app or click this link for the detailed daily Schedule of Play for the following day’s schedule and make your game plan so you can beeline directly to the court where the match you care about will happen (including, potentially, the practice courts– see Tip #8 below). You should also download the official US Open Everywhere App (search on app stores for “2024 US Open Tennis”) to track the latest schedule, scores and live updates. If someone you really want to see will play on Grandstand or Armstrong, get to the grounds as early as you can so you can be among the first in line when the gates open at 9:30am then speed-walk to those stadiums and grab the best seat you can. Check out the day-to-day coverage at SI.com’s tennis page, which is always terrific.
Tip #8: Check out the practice courts for close sightings of the superstars
Check the practice schedule the night before (and morning of) to see when/where players are practicing (you can also see it on the official US Open App).
Note: the best time to see top players practice without fighting crowds is during the free Qualifier Tournament and week before the main tournament (see my Tip #10 below).
Tip #9: Do not drive unless you really have to. Especially if the Mets have a home game.
Option 1: Take the subway #7 train (see 7 train schedule here, runs 24 hours, PM times in bold, see stops here, which include Grand Central). Note: you no longer need a MetroCards for the NY subway– you can simply TAP YOUR PHONE AT THE TURNSTILE if you are set up for tap-and-pay..
Option 2: (FASTEST, only 15 min from Midtown NYC): Take the LONG ISLAND RAILROAD (LIRR), which departs from Penn Station from the new “Moynihan Train Hall” (entrance on 8th Avenue between West 31st-33rd, directly across from Penn Station). to the “Mets-Willets Point” station (the signage will say either “GREAT NECK” or “PORT WASHINGTON” – double check the train number before boarding). Look for the “Port Washington” train on the monitors to find the right track. IMPORTANT: The LIRR stop at Mets-Willets is NOT accessible for fans with disabilities — so anyone with disabilities should exit the LIRR at Woodside/61st Street Station then transfer to the 7 train (or just take the 7 train to Mets-Willets Point Station).
- To purchase LIRR tickets:
- Download the very easy-to-use NEW MTA TrainTime App. Within the app, click “Trips”, then at the top fill in From “Penn Station” and To “Mets-Willets Point” then see all the upcoming train options. Click the train you want and select “Buy” and it will show options for one-way or R/T. Ticket(s) will then be in your “wallet” in the app for you to use whenever you like; you just have to press “activate” right before you board your train of choice.
- Alternatively, you can also buy a ticket at Penn Station in the Moynihan Hall using an ATM-like ticket machine (or at the window). But the app is way easier.
- For return trips from the Open, you’ll need to show your ticket at the US Open’s LIRR entrance (top of the ramp near the East Gate) — the individuals checking tickets can also sell you a one-way return ticket if you need and you can use a credit card (tip: you do NOT need to line up at the ticket window!!).
- Here is the 2024 LIRR schedule until September 2 (Labor Day)
- Here is the 2024 LIRR schedule from September 3 until the end of the tournament
- If you fly into Laguardia (LGA) you can take the NYC “Q48” public bus from Laguardia to the US Open (the stop is listed on the MTA website as “ROOSEVELT AV/WILLETS PT BL STATION.” LGA is very close to the US Open grounds, but the bus trip could take around 30 minutes.
If you must go by car…
- See the US Open’s driving directions and details on parking lots.
- On any of the dates below when Mets are playing home games, be sure to reserve a parking spot here. I can’t recommend this more strongly.
- Monday, Sep 2 2024
- Tuesday, Sep 3 2024
- Wednesday, Sep 4 2024
- Friday, Sep 6 2024
- Saturday, Sep 7 2024
- Sunday, Sep 8 2024
- Recommend putting in GPS “Citi Field” to get you to the general area – if parking isn’t available at Citi Field, there should be traffic cops around to redirect you
- US Open recommends using “Grand Central Parkway exit 9E or Whitestone Expressway (678) Exit 13D.”
- You’ll see signs and be directed to available public parking ($25 for cars).
- Citi Field will be the primary lot (“Yellow Zone” parking) except when the Mets are playing at Home (see the Mets home schedule). On those dates, according to the US Open you’ll be “directed to guest parking lots 1-6” (which the map confusingly labels as A-H– sorry I can’t provide any more clarification on this!).
- If you must drive on a day the Mets are playing, ARRIVE AS EARLY AS YOU CAN – like around 8:30am if possible – to avoid major hassles.
- The entrance to Citi Field parking is located at 126th Street and Shea Road, Corona, NY. GPS address to that intersection is “126 Roosevelt Ave, Flushing, NY 11368.
- Consider buying a parking pass on Stubhub to lots A, B, or C (which are closest). Here’s the detailed transportation map showing parking lots.
- Fellow fan Harry pointed out: “If you are willing to walk a bit, street parking underneath or south of Highway 495 is a viable option.”
- Uber/Lyft/Taxi TO the Open:
- You can have the driver put in “Billie Jean King National Tennis Center” if you want to have them drop you near the SOUTH GATE. If you’re aiming for the EAST GATE, try putting in “Mets-Willets Point” as the destination – this will take you directly to the spot on Roosevelt Avenue where the 7 train lets people off, then you can just walk up the stars and across the foot bridge to the East Gate. But that option MAY not be available if they are blocking off traffic, which they occasionally do.
- If considering a taxi or Uber/Lyft home after a night session, be prepared for a long wait, hassles, and a very (very) expensive ride with surge pricing. Getting an Uber/Lyft after an evening session when literally thousands of others are trying to do the same can be a nightmare. I tried it in 2016 as an experiment and here’s what happened: (1) Had to go to designated “zone 3” pickup area for cabs and users– a long walk from the South Gate near the globe (trying to meet them by the 7 train at Roosevelt is really tough given heavy traffic); (2) three Uber drivers cancelled on me after accepting before I finally get one; (3) Surge pricing was in effect, with a ride that should have cost $45 being quoted over $120.
- If you must hire a car back home after a night session, you might try the following instead:
- (1) Reserve a car service pickup in advance. I’ve used Riverside and they’re always reliable (and they have an app as well) – but you can find many other car services in NY if you Google.
- (2) Take the LIRR or 7 subway train into Manhattan (or to another local stop like “Junction Blvd”), then call Uber or a hail a cab
- (3) Try to hail a cab on the street just under the 7 train (Roosevelt Ave); or download the “Curb” app for NYC taxis and hail one that way from that location.
- If you’re lucky enough to be driving a Cadillac to the Open, you’ll get complimentary parking (Cadillac replaced Mercedes-Benz in 2022 as a major sponsor)
Alternatively, consider staying in Queens and biking! Fellow fan Mark shared his experience in 2019: “We packed our bikes and stayed at a nice AirB&B on Queens Boulevard, a little over 2 miles from the stadium. Queens has a great network of dedicated bike lanes and a friendly attitude toward bikers, and best of all – the terrain is flat! Once at the grounds, there are bike racks across from the South Gate entrance and in front of the security tent that handles baggage claim. It is a fun and hassle-free way to make the commute for anyone that so inclined!”
Tip #10: Take advantage of these amazing FREE opportunities to see incredible players up close:
- AUG 20-25 FREE “Fan Week“: If you’re a serious fan, don’t miss the FREE qualifying tournament Tuesday August 20- Friday August 23, the week before the main tournament begins. 128 of the world’s best male and female players (whose ATP and WTA rankings were just shy of qualifying automatically for the US Open) will compete for the final 32 spots (16 each for men and women) in the singles draws. Last year’s US Open women’s singles champion Emma Raducanu became the first in history to win a major after playing in the qualifiers – a reminder this is an amazing opportunity to see major rising players! It’s also a great opportunity to see top-seeded players on practice courts.. Read why Fan Week/Qualies are so special in this excellent piece by Steven Kutz.
- Gates open at 10:00am. You must arrive before 5:00pm to enter.
- Qualifier Tournament matches start at 11:00am
- Official practices (of main draw players) start earlier. However, fans won’t have access to any player practices scheduled before 10:00am, For practices on Ashe, you need to register for a Fan Access Pass to access practices in Ashe (which you can do via the app).
- To understand how players qualify to play in the US Open and why qualifiers matter, see this explanation by Laurence Shanet
- Watch top seeds (including Federer) practicing during this entire “Fan Week. Check the practice schedule here (also available on the app) the day before/ morning of to see when your favorites are scheduled to practice.
- Click here to register for a “Fan Access Pass,” which gives you certain perks (including access to special preferred seating for some practice sessions). Note: the Fan Pass check-in is located by the East Gate on the left.
- FRI AUG 23:
- US Open Media Day at 11am ET on Ashe Stadium, with players answering questions. Fans must register for the event via Fan Pass.
- SAT AUG 24: “Arthur Ashe Kid’s Day:” (9:30am – 4:00pm) If you have kids, this is a great day to go– lots of interactive games, music, and activities.
- SAT-SUN AUG 24-25: Go see top players practicing up close by taking advantage of free access to the US Open grounds the day before the main tournament begins to watch practice sessions – it’s one of the best-kept secrets that the grounds are open to the public all day.
Box 4: What to Bring and What NOT to bring (Backpacks not allowed!)
Be sure to review this list of prohibited items before going!
To help clarify some common confusions:
- You CAN bring a drawstring bag (click here for example) but NOT a backpack with two straps
- You CAN bring a digital camera with video capabilities (however they do NOT allow “Video cameras or recording devices”, which includes GoPros)
- You CAN bring a plastic or metal water bottle 24 oz or less to refill on site (but NOT anything glass!)
- You CAN bring a fanny pack: but if you do you’ll still need to go through the “with bag” security line
- You CAN bring sunscreen in lotion form only, NOT aerosol cans
- As of 2022 according to the US Open bot on the website: “Outside food or beverages (excluding alcohol) CAN be brought into the US Open grounds, but must fit into one sized bag. There are no exceptions.”
- There is storage outside both East and South Gate entrances if you need it: $10 per locker, $20 for large items including suitcases). Bag check for American Express cardholders is discounted (1 bag per card).
Be prepared to wait in a potentially long security line if you have any bag at all (i.e. an enclosed object that doesn’t fit in your clothes), whereas you can breeze through a separate express line for those without bags.
Before Leaving, Don’t Forget…
- Download your mobile tickets from to your mobile wallet (e.g. Apple Wallet or something like WalletPasses on Android)
- Sunglasses and sunscreen (lotion not spray)! If you forget, La Roche offers free samples just inside the EAST gate entrance.
- A backup phone charger (e.g. a Mophie) if you have one – although there are Chase-sponsored free chargers on site.
- A lightweight white towel to protect exposed skin from sun or to sit on when in unreserved seats, which can get hot and uncomfortable.
- Reusable plastic water bottle (to refill using any of the many water fountains). Evian is $6 for a small so bring your own!
- If taking subway (7 train), fill up your subway Metrocard in advance for your return trip in advance if taking 7 train so you don’t have to wait in long lines; If taking LIRR (my favorite) you need to get your ticket before boarding
- A small umbrella if rain may be in the forecast
- Dress in layers as it can get hot during the day and occasionally chilly at night
- Contacts wearers: A very small bottle of contact lens solution in case you get something in your eye
- FYI: There are two entrances to the grounds: (1) the main entrance, the “East Gate,” located near the Subway/LIRR; and (2) the “South Gate” entrance near the iconic World’s Fair “Unisphere” (globe) – see map above. While lines tend to be shorter by the South Gate, the wait may end up being about the same because there are fewer attendants and metal detectors.
Box 5: FREE ADMISSION ON SECOND THURSDAY (September 5)!
DOUBLES SEMIFINALS (Men’s & Women’s) Plus the World’s Top Wheelchair, Junior, and Collegiate Players
Gates open at 11:00 AM
One of the best-kept secrets is that you can usually enter the US Open grounds for free on the second Thursday (gates open at noon, must arrive before 5pm) and see the Doubles Semifinals plus all-star wheelchair players, the world’s top juniors, and incredible collegiate players.
If you are a serious tennis fan, particularly if you’re a doubles player, this is a day not to be missed.
Among the world-class wheelchair players to watch for:
- Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid, who in 2021 completed the Grand Slam for the first time in wheelchair tennis history.
- The world’s #1 in the “Quad” (quadriplegic) division (ranked #1 in singles and doubles), American David Wagner. Born in 1974, David became paralyzed from the mid-chest down at age 21 when he was playing frisbee on the beach and a wave tossed him head-first into the sand. With only thirty percent function in his hands, David plays by taping the tennis racket to his hand. And by all accounts he’s a super cool guy besides being an extraordinary athlete .
A FEW MORE RECS
- I agree with every word of “Here’s How to Have the Best Time at the U.S. Open: Tips, Tricks and Transportation“ by the brilliant Sports Illustrated writer Jon Wertheim. Note: if you haven’t yet seen Wertheim’s 2018 Strokes of Genius documentary on the Federer/Nadal rivalry, RENT IT! It’s one of the best documentaries on anything I’ve ever seen, beautifully capturing so many of the unique aspects of tennis that make us so passionate about our sport.
- Bring a backup phone charger if you have one. However, there are several re-charging stations, but after all the photos and video you take with your phone and use of Wi-Fi you’ll run out of juice quickly.
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FOOD: There are a bunch of options on site, but they aren’t cheap! See my chart outlining examples of the food stands by area on the grounds.
- This PDF includes several menus from past Food Village stands. Every year there are some new additions and substitutions, but many of these will still be around in 2025.
- Korilla BBQ is one of my favorites, but lines are usually among the longest.
- Poke Yachty is absolutely delicious and lines move quickly because they’ve nailed their system.
- Oyster Bar behind Grandstand has killer ceviches and lobster rolls.
- Hill Country BBQ, Curry Kitchen, Fish Shack and Fly Fish are also delicious.
- Restaurants in Queens not on the grounds
- Need an affordable hotel room? Fellow tennis fanatic Melissa maintains a great list of hotels appealing to all budgets, starting at $25 per night.
- AMERICAN EXPRESS CARDHOLDERS: Bring your Amex card if you have one! See full Amex Benefits at US Open here. Perks from 2024 likely to be repeated in 2025:
- (1) Amex Card Member Lounge on the 2d Level of the Amex “Fan Experience” (where anyone can also play a “Glow Tennis” mixed reality interactive game and get a complimentary manicure with tennis themed nail art).
- (2) Centurion Suite in Armstrong (Exclusive to Platinum and Centurion Members). Book in advance on Resy
- (3) Book complimentary court time in NYC area at over 500 tennis and pickleball courts and unlock special access to peak reservation times when using your Amex.
- (4) Check your bag for a reduced fee at East or South Gate
- (5) Get a one-time $20 statement credit when you spend $100 with your enrolled card at participating US Open merchants
- (6) Get a free earpiece/radio to hear ESPN match commentary
- (7) Skip lines and grab concession items quickly (checkout-free shopping) at the Amex Shop in South Plaza .
- CHASE CUSTOMERS? Check this Chase site for updates on perks for 2025.
- Click here to make a reservation to access the “Chase Lounge”
- Other past perks have included offering cool video+mobile “Chase Charge & Watch” chargers
- Sign up for the “Fan Pass” on the app to be entered into a sweepstakes and track your activity on site. Scan your personal barcode at various stations around the event to collect “badges,” which can redeem for prizes.
- Do your shopping for US Open gear early in the tournament – stores run out of the popular sizes fast.
- $25 Grounds Admission tickets will be available for Finals Weekend (Fri-Sun Sep 6-8) on this Ticketmaster page. Note: these grounds ticket options are not yet showing up on main Ticketmaster pages displaying the other stadium ticket options. You can’t access Ashe with these tickets, but you can walk the grounds, see juniors and wheelchair finals, and watch Ashe matches on the big screens.
FINAL TIP: “PAY IT FORWARD” WHEN YOU CAN!!
If you have the opportunity, consider performing a random act of kindness for fellow fans during the tournament. Our tennis community is big, but relatively speaking, it’s small… Our passion for our sport is infectious; do something kind for someone today, they’re likely to pay it forward. Last year, a reader emailed me saying he had an emergency and couldn’t go to the tournament but had amazing New Grandstand seats – he asked if I knew anyone that would really value them for free so they didn’t go to waste. I was able to share with a fanatic who’s in town on a budget, who as you can imagine was elated. In past years, I’ve gifted a lot of tickets myself – and it always feels wonderful. It takes seconds to “transfer” tickets from Ticketmaster/Ticketmaster Exchange to others simply by putting in an email address.
BOX 6 (INDEX): OUTLINE OF COMMON QUESTIONS AND IMPORTANT LINKS
This post has gotten long over the years to include many more details, so I’ve created the outline below with shortcuts to help you find what you need more quickly. Click below for shortcut links to key topics and FAQs I get most often:
CLICK HERE FOR OUTLINE OF COMMON QUESTIONS AND KEY LINKS
WHERE TO BUY TICKETS: How to Get the Best Deal? Which sites can I trust?
- Where to get the best deals on tickets? See Box #2
- Read my full advice for getting best deals on tickets (Box 2)
- What are reliable ticket sites?
- Ticketmaster – Official site – always check first then compare options on reseller sites. It also includes most resale tickets from the official Ticketmaster Exchange (resale tickets are shown as red dots on seat maps, standard non-resale tickets are blue dots)
- Official US Open Ticket Exchange (Official reseller site – also check this site for comparison purposes as it includes ALL verified resale tickets on the exchange. Confusingly, there are some verified resale tickets here that don’t show up on the main Ticketmaster site because they may not be available for immediate delivery– which is why it’s worth checking in addition to the main Ticketmaster site.
- You may want to see if you can spot any other exceptional deals on Stubhub, SeatGeek, Ticket Liquidator, or other resellers.
WHEN SHOULD I BUY? WILL PRICES GO UP OR DOWN?? What are average prices?
- When should I buy my tickets– now or closer?
- Will sessions sell out if I wait too long?
- Will prices go down or up?
- Should I buy a subscription ticket plan?
- How can I recognize a good deal?
- What are average prices?
- (NEW posted July 23, 2021): See my Chart listing 2021 prices for standard (non-resale) tickets as a point of reference to what may be a “good deal,” noting that sometimes better resale seats are available for the same or less than standard prices.
I WANT TO SEE SERENA AND RAFA! Which tickets should I buy?
- How can I be sure to see Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal (or Novak Djokovic, Sasha Zverev, Naomi Osaka, Sloane Stephens, etc)? See FAQ #1
- Can I predict when my favorite player will play on a specific day or night? See FAQ #1
- How does the draw influence when players are scheduled? Do rankings affect the draw?
WHAT TIME CAN I ENTER WITH A DAY OR NIGHT SESSION TICKET (and how long can I stay)?
- Once you enter the Grounds of the US Open (through the East or South Gate), you can stay as long as you want and access non-reserved seating in any stadium (except Ashe, the only stadium where every seat is reserved and requires a ticket).
- If you enter with a Day session ticket, you can stay on grounds all night and access unreserved seating in any all stadiums (except Ashe), including Armstrong general admission seating for night matches on first-come basis.
- If you have a day and evening ticket the same day, you will NOT need to exit the US Open grounds and re-enter again
- If you have both Day and Evening session for Ashe on the same day, you will need to exit and reenter Ashe Stadium (they clear the entire stadium between Day and Evening sessions)
- If you were in Armstrong for the Day session (either Courtside reserved or GA seating), you will need to leave your seat between Day and Evening sessions (as they clean up). However, you may stay inside the concourse area of Armstrong (the inner-stadium areas with food stands).
- See Box #1 (Ticket Options Explained)
WHICH SEATS ARE BEST? BEST VIEW? SHADE?
- Which sections have the best view?
- “How do a see the exact location of seats that I might buy?
- Related: See my annotated Seating charts (including some shade maps) for all stadiums (including New Armstrong)
- “Which seats get the most shade?“
- Related: Annotated Ashe Stadium SHADE map
- Related: Annotated Armstrong Stadium SHADE map
CAN I BRING AN SLR CAMERA, BACKPACK, FOOD, WATER BOTTLE, ETC?
- Can I bring…
- An SLR camera with video capability? YES
- A plastic water bottle? YES, just not glass bottles – and they must be 24 oz or less. They can be plastic or metal.
- A backpack? NO, but you can bring a drawstring bag
- Food? YES, in “limited quantities” (they don’t define limited). “No sealed packages of any kind”
- See Red Box #4 above (“What to Bring and Not to Bring”) and review official list of prohibited items here
DAILY SCHEDULE OF PLAY/ PRACTICE SCHEDULE
- 2024 Tournament Schedule – See my “Schedule at a Glance” in Box #1 (note: official tournament schedule is here but more vague)
- 2024 Daily Schedule of Play – Note: The schedule for Day 1 (and possibly Day 2 too) is released on the Friday (or sometimes even on the Thursday) before the main tournament begins.
- 2024 Practice schedule
MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BRACKETS
- See full Men’s Draw (bracket) and Women’s Draw (bracket)
- I prefer the more easy-to-read ESPN version of Men’s Bracket and ESPN version of Women’s Bracket
WHAT IF IT RAINS?
TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS? SUBWAY OR CAR OR LIRR?
- See Tip #9 above
- 7 train subway schedule
- 2019 LIRR special schedule for 2019 US Open through September 2
- 2019 special schedule for 2019 US Open September 2-8
- Detailed transportation map showing parking lots
- Q488 bus from Laguardia Airport (5 min away)
HOTELS?
US OPEN POLICIES, RULES, AND OFFICIAL GUIDE
GOT A QUESTION OR COMMENT?
Please submit below and I”ll reply ASAP (although it may take some time before I can reply before I can given my demanding real job!)
P.J.
Very informative and helpful!
How much would a court side ticket plan costs and is it available? Thanks.
Hi Meg, thanks! The only Ashe ticket plans are unfortunately for Promenade seats — see my last FAQ for my opinion on that… Next year they may open up courtside plans for Grandstand and the new Louis Armstrong (as it will have many more seats than before). Check here for details next spring. PJ
FED EVENING TOMORROW
Hi PJ, I wanted to say thank you for your detailed response to my comment last month regarding taking my patients to one of the US Open games. After much consideration; unfortunately our group is unable to afford tickets at the time but hopefully next year we will be more prepared. I’m a Recreational Therapist at Mount Sinai Hospital and was told that one of my patients on the unit would greatly LOVE a visit by one of the well-known tennis players. Without saying too much due to HIPAA; he is a young man and is a tennis player himself… Read more »
Clarisse, let’s stay in touch by email – would love to try to help however I can. PJ
Wonderful! This would mean the world!
Not sure if my email address is visible but let me know if it isn’t so I can type it again. Send me an email when you have a chance.
Thanks so much for your response.
Hi PJ. Amazing blog! Amazing blog you have here; it was super helpful for me as a first time attender. Question – I went Saturday (Sep 2) evening as an Arthur Ashe ticket holder. As I interpret the 2017 Inclement Weather Policy, I believe I am eligible for a 2018 ticket exchange based on across the board suspension of play that session. Would you agree?
Hi Joe, thank you! They did not cancel the session on AshE Saturday night, only the sessions on outer courts. So as an ashe ticket holder, you would not be entitled to any sort of compensation. At least as I understand things. PJ
Gotcha. So, with the roof, Arthur Ashe tickets essentially will never be subject to any benefit of the Inclement Weather Policy. That’s a shame.
Pj,
Is the grandstand completly first come first served today?
Correct!
Hello PJ and other fans – I am also keeping an eye on the schedule tomorrow for Fed/ Del Po. But if I recall, yesterday’s AM/PM session assignment was changed throughout the day also … so let’s say if by noon the Wed schedule comes out and it’s the AM session (please!), it could change throughout today right? …. Agreeing with others, great site thank u!
Hi Kat, thanks! Schedule was announced in the last hour and Fed is evening. Barring rain, they never change the schedule on Ashe after posting it (they actually didn’t change anything yesterday). So rest assured it is definite for tomorrow. PJ
Hey guys,
Random question here. Is there a way to know the order of play for the men’s semi-final matches on Friday? I see that it says the semi finals start at 4PM but it doesn’t say which half of the bracket would play first. I’m trying to plan my evening and wouldn’t want to miss a potential Federer vs. Nadal clash. Would they play at 4PM, or would they play second?
Hi Frank, not a random question at all. Short answer is no. Longer answer: if Fed and Nadal both make it through to play each other, most people I know (including me) would put bets on them scheduling their match second. Anything else would be a warm-up to that. Even if only Fed makes it, I’d make the same bet. There are never certainties around this, but that’s my hunch. PJ
Thanks so much, that does make a lot of sense. I agree that both Nadal and Fed would be evening matches; however, with Querrey being the lone American left I thought he might get the later session potentially as well.
Fantastic info here. Thanks very much for sharing this. Do you know what a grounds admission ticket gives access to for the final day? Is it all non Arthur Ashe courts? Would you expect the non Ashe courts to include junior boys finals and the wheelchair finals? Thanks again.
Hi Michelle, yes access to everything except Ashe! See link above to 2016 schedule for a preview of what else will be going. PJ
Thanks PJ. I took a look and the wheelchair matches are not listed on the 2016 schedule but I’m pretty sure they are playing this year and I thought they also played last year but maybe not. I assume it’s unassigned seating on all non Ashe courts including the Grandstand but do you know for sure?
Also, the grounds admission tickets are on sale on ticketmaster for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. All tickets are $25.
Hey Michelle, apologies! You’re right they didn’t list on last year’s schedule but I’m 100% sure that both junior finals AND wheelchair finals are that day too. Definitely no assigned seating on any of those courts. And thanks for the heads-up on them posting the $25 GA tix – will update main body of the blog shortly! PJ
Hi PJ,
I was there on monday evening at Ashe watching Roger play and also the very tghtly contested ladies singles right after that. The experience was awesome. Since my tickets have expired now ( they were for yesterday) can I still go and catch some players on the practice courts?
Hey Vivek, that’s great to hear! Unfortunately not- you need tix to enter grounds and practice courts where the stars practice (1-5) are deep within them. PJ
Selling four Ashe tickets to tomorrow’s (Tuesday’s) day session. Section 315 U 15-18. Email me at kavya.lakshminarayanan@gmail.com if interested.
Selling two tickets for tomorrow (Tuesday September 5th) 7 pm, Ashe tickets. Section 109, Row G, seats 5 and 6.
Anyone interested please email me to: mariellepellerano@gmail.com
Hi P.J. Do you know if Aces club tickets are inside the stadium and you can see ok the match?
Hi PJ! Sorry I think I just answered my question. That is a restaurant inside the club but with no access to the game. I have two questions, do you think it is possible in any way I found cheaper tickets for semifinals of Friday? Prices just doubled. And second, according to the official schedule that day at 12:00 are some men doubles finals and mix double finals and until 4:00 it begins the men’s semifinals. Is this completely true and can I arrive at 2-3 PM and should be able to access and see both semifinals? Thanks!
Diego, sorry for delay! Got a little behind. (1) Aces is indeed a restaurant on the “club” (courtside) level and only available to those with courtside or suite tickets. No view of the match, only TVs. Someone kindly took me to eat there once and while grateful I just thought to myself the entire time, “I want to be out watching tennis!” (2) For semis tix, prices will almost certainly drop if Fed loses tomorrow, and stay where they are or rise if he wins; (3) Yes that is correct re start time — it’s all one session for one… Read more »
ANYONE AT ASHE NOW (Keys-Svitolina)? HAPPY TO GIFT MY 2 COURTSIDE TIX TO THE FIRST TO REPLY!
Yes, I am interested… Here is my email villanuevafer@gmail.com where do I meet you?
I’ll email you!
Hi PJ, Very helpful your link. I am a tennis fan since i was a child and always dreaming to go to tournaments in the world. So far I had the chance twice to the US open in 2012 and in 2016. I am from Argentina and I live in Delaware 4 hs from NYC. I am trying to get tkts for Wednesday to see Del Potro vs Federer but I realized that I will not know until tomorrow at what time they will play and i have to decide in a couple hours and organized my family so I… Read more »
Hi Claudia, that’s awesome. I am a huge Fed and Delpo fan myself. This is a really tricky one. Right now, prices for tomorrow’s day session are really reasonable. Prices for evening are insane. There’s massive speculation and debate about whether they will schedule Fed/Delpo for day or evening. Most people think evening, which makes total sense from a ratings standpoint. I tend to agree the odds favor that. HOWEVER – and this is a big however– Rafael Nadal is the world #1 and #1 seed, and if they schedule his QF match tomorrow during the day that will be… Read more »
So I’m basically doing the same thing and I found out if you are on your computer, you can go to this site called “keeprefreshing.com”. And you can input “http://2017.usopen.org/en_US/scores/schedule/schedule16.html” as the URL and let it refresh automatically every X seconds. I’m pretty sure that is going to be the URL which Wednesday (Day 10) schedule is going to be released. Good luck guys!
Awesome!!
P.J., My wife and I were there last night in our loge seats, if I had checked my e-mails more often, my wife would have had a chance to experience the court side view… but comparing to the view from lower promenade we had for the past 2 years, it was already an amazing upgrade, the Federer vs Kohlschreiber match was straight-forward but not without some great shots from both sides, the Keys vs Svitolina match was a thriller, the whole stadium was cheering for Madison (so was I) and I think in the end, the crowd carried her over… Read more »
Scott, can’t thank you enough for your very kind words and for sharing your experience from last night! Look forward to staying in touch! PJ
Hi PJ, thanks for the reply, unfortunately my dream of watching Federer play is not gonna happen yet. Hopefully he will not retire in the short term. But anyway Del potro vs Nadal should be a great match to watch. I have another doubt and maybe you know, I will arrive around 12 pm to NY and was wondering to go directly to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, do you know if there is a place where I can leave my luggage stored in the tennis complex? Also please let me know if you will be on… Read more »
Hey Diego! Yes both will be great matches for sure! Yes, there is a bag storage trailer just across from the LIRR entrance at the top of the hill leading down to the East Gate (at end of the bridge as you’re walking from the subway to your left). There’s also one right by South Gate. $10 for large bags, $5 for smaller ones. You’re so kind and I would have loved to meet but unfortunately I won’t be out there– gotta watch these from home while I do some work to catch up after spending so much time out… Read more »
Watching the Federer match from home 🙁 after being out there the last 5 days. Incredible tennis the first week with so many options. McEnroe and crew were chatting about the scheduke during the match tonight and mentioned given the Del Po win they will more than likely put Del Po and Roger on Wednesday night and Nadal in the afternoon. That would be three cycles in a row with the 1 seed during the day. Wozniaki was talking last week about some of the disrespect happening this year given the selections of the players on Ashe (all about the… Read more »
Hey Jason, yeah, would not be the fairest. But another consideration: Delpo has had flu for 2 days and still struggling with it, so they may consider that a factor to give him more time… Really anyone’s guess at this point! PJ
I cannot see how they could not put Federer v Del Potro on Wednesday night. Federer alone draws the crowd, let alone a crowd favorite like Del Potro, and finally, being a rematch of the 2009 final. I would be shocked if Fed plays during the day – but then again, we have had a few surprises this tournament.
Hey Josh, I tend to agree at this point: ratings considerations will probably trump fairness. If they do, it only underscores the general point that it’s really risky to bet on whether one’s favorite player will play for a day or evening session. There are indeed always surprises, which is why I generally encourage fellow fans not to take big chances (especially expensive ones) based on educated guesses or hunches unless they have money to lose or would be very happy to attend a session regardless. PJ
Oh, man… jealous of anyone who was in Grandstand for the del Potro/Thiem match… what a comeback!!
Totally!!!!!
Insane !!!
Hi PJ,
When I checked the tickets it says there will be Men’s/Women’s QF at Louis Armstrong Stadium tomorrow (9/5). Do you think that’s just a typo on the site? Because from last year’s schedule Men’s/Women’s QF are all scheduled at Arthur Ashe Stadium and already 4 out of the 8 Men’s/Women’s QF matches are scheduled tomorrow at Arthur Ashe.
I was thinking it should have been Men’s/Women’s Doubles QF at Louis Armstrong right?
Correct.
Hey Jonny, sounds like a typo–They always only put QF men’s and women’s singles on Ashe and nothing else those 2 days. See my Box 1 above for detailed breakdown re: schedule. Note they will also certainly put some on Grandstand too. PJ
I see, thank you so much for this guide; it was really helpful for someone who has never experienced US Open before. I’m planning to go Thursday at noon and maybe I’ll see you there!
Hey Johnny, I’m so glad to hear it, thank you. And would be great to see you Thurs! PJ
PJ, again this site helped us have a wonderful US Open experience! We took your advice and got Louis Armstrong seats. They were so close it was almost awkward taking pictures!
We stupidly forgot the no backpacks rule and brought one. However they have lockers and we were able to store it and go back and retrieve our jackets when it got chilly Friday night.
We paid a small fortune to see Roger Saturday night but…well…we saw Roger! And that was our goal.
Enjoy the rest of the open!
Hey Michelle, I’m so happy you had a great experience! I’m out here myself today (sitting in Armstrong right now!!) and just so happy finally to be here. Thanks so much for your message! PJ
Hey PJ love the blog thanks for the help- I had a question since I have tickets for Friday Semi’s would you assume fed and nadal would be the last match on Friday night? and what time would you think it will start. cant leave work before 5?
Hey Anish, thank you! Updating my response… My strong guess is a Fed-Rafa semi would be second. Never know for sure but I think all of us would be surprised if not. Start time for second match depends on how quick previous 4:00pm match is (the Querrey-Zverev R16 match Monday was only 77 minutes, but that is RARE). Almost certainly second match wouldn’t start before 6:00pm. P.J.
Hi PJ! Thanks again for the awesome blog! I´m going for mens semis and final. Based on your experience, do you think I will be able to watch Nadal or Federer practice if they both make the semis? I will try to go as early as possible (I believe for semis and final will be 11am). I´m not sure about their habits before so important matches. Secondly, about what can I bring to the Open. You said that a drawstring bag is ok right? Even though it looks like a backpack? And if i want to bring a plastic bottle… Read more »
Hey, you’re welcome! No way to know for sure on practice, depends entirely on them. See today’s practice schedule for clues. Yes drawstring bag and plastic water bottle just fine. I really don’t this seat cushion necessary in Ashe but yes that’s fine too! PJ
I was lucky enough to see Nadal practice. I originally came to see Hingis and Chan practice at noon. Knowing that Nadal was practicing at 1:30, I stayed and secured my seat in the bleachers. Once seated, don’t plan on leaving. There will be a crowd waiting for one to leave and will take that empty spot.
Awesome, thanks Vienna! PJ
Thanks!
Also, do you know how good/bad the wifi is at the US Open (especially at Ashe)? I´m evaluating getting roaming service haha.
Hey Sebastian, my experience with it this weekend has been hit or miss. Right now I’m on wifi and it’s working great, but I literally couldn’t connect yesterday any time I tried – just too many people accessing at the same time. (PS – I’m seated in Armstrong now, but every time I tried yesterday was from within Ashe) PJ
Ok, thanks!!
Great blog…thanks for all the tips and tricks. First, have your coffee and breakfast before you arrive. There is only one coffee kiosk and the line was ridiculous (30 minutes). Also, none of the vendors sold breakfast food. Next time I would take your advice and get Arthur Ashe day tickets. That way, if it rains you are still guaranteed to see tennis and you have the flexibility to stay into the evening and watch more tennis at the other “non-ash” courts. We had grounds tickets on Sunday 9/3 and it was raining so we tried to upgrade them at… Read more »
Hey Heather, what an awesome write-up – many many thanks for taking the time to share it! So happy you had an amazing time!!PJ
PJ…quick question. I bought my tickets during the USTA/American express presale but the grounds admission tickets were $100. A few days before I left I checked the ticketmaster app and the grounds admission tickets were much cheaper than $100. When is the best time to actually purchase the tickets if you are coming into town for labor day weekend and you are going to the Open no matter who is playing? I feel like I got ripped off by taking advantage of the “presale”.
Hey Heather, great question. The more the years pass, the more I think it’s just never good strategy to buy during the AMEX presale. The inventory is always minimal, and without insight on the bigger picture and full range of tickets and going rates for things, it’s too easy to make a bad decision unless you are really seasoned in knowing historical trends for particular sessions/days and know exactly what you’re looking for. I gave up on trying during presale long ago. For grounds admission tix, the standard price varies day to day (more expensive for Labor Day weekend) but… Read more »
I agree. I have been going for 12 years. I find my strategy changes from year to year. This year I got nosebleed Ashe tickets for day sessions, usually at a promo rate of 2 for 1 when I could find it, but I found that the new roof made ANY upper Ashe tickets no fun anymore. Too far away, Too sterile an environment. And the temporary Armstrong stadium was not fun either with the shallow pitch of the bleachers making you have to look through lots of heads to see what was going on. The new grandstand court was… Read more »
Hey Jeff, totally agree on temp Armstrong – was there yesterday and after seeing it on TV it only confirmed my impression that it was an enormous disappointment for those of us accustomed to the old Armstrong experience. That said, seeing the new Armstrong construction and plans makes me very very very excited about the new stadium. I have huge confidence the new Armstrong will blow everyone away (and thankfully a roof!). I agree there are a lot of paid seats in GS, but I think that was the right decision – and having even stood in the upper levels… Read more »
Thanks so much for the great guide. My parents are visiting this week from Asia and was thinking of getting them to watch the US open. I’m not really a huge tennis fan myself but my dad is. They arrive tomorrow Tuesday night so we can only watch it either Wednesday or Thursday. We leave on Friday. Im deciding whether to get Wednesday day or evening sessions. Do you have recommendations which would be better? I saw cheaper tickets for day sessions which leads me to believe that evening is better in terms of there might be more stars? Thanks… Read more »
Hey Billy, what a nice thing to do for your parents! The bigger names in tennis will play on Wed because of the way the “draw” happened this year. I would definitely urge Wed. I would also strongly urge you to get tickets for the day session because prices are hugely more affordable– not because the quality of matches will be any less, but because (1) many tourists will have left and it’s harder for people to take the day off from work so generally lower demand than for evening; (2) there is massive speculation that Roger Federer will win… Read more »
Hey PJ, thanks so much for a super informative guide. You can reply at a much later time, since the current open is currently going strong. I’m trying to plan a trip for my wife and myself for the 2018 US open, which we’ve talked about for years. I’m trying to give her an experience she’ll remember for a long time. Our schedule if pretty flexible (any 2-3 days of the tournament we can do) and I planned on splurging on this once in a life time visit. I’d love your advice on what we should do for tickets and… Read more »
Hey James, happy to help! I’m actually at the open myself today/tonight and would like to give this some thought. Will probably reply next weekend if that’s OK? PJ
Hey James, I’ve gone back and forth on a variety of options. Many pros/tradeoffs to each. Below are four that would truly be “dream” scenarios for me in order of personal preference (if I really had to choose), all designed to be in the same budget ballpark. Obviously you could add to any of them, but I tried to be somewhat restrained! 🙂 OPTION 1: Labor Day weekend – end of 3d round, Full Round of 16 Saturday – Louis Armstrong Courtside Sunday DAY- Ashe Loge AND Grandstand Courtside (yes, redundant, but worth having the option so you have rain… Read more »
Wow! Thanks so much for the reply! I’ll check on this!
PJ, just wanted to recount my experience because it was so amazing. My girlfriend and I went on Saturday. We arrived an hour early, and it was just starting to get packed. We walked around the grounds before finally settling into our reserved seats in Grandstand- this was our first time at an event like this and it was spectacular to see players up that close. Although the matches weren’t terribly exciting (each winning player won in straight sets, without much of a challenge), it didn’t matter to us, as we were overawed by watching players like del Potro wallop… Read more »
Hey Paul, I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to share your experience. Really appreciate it, and I’m thrilled you had a great time!! P.J.
JP. Gotta tell you, thanks to you I had the best US Open experience ever yesterday! It was even better than 2014 when my sister and I sat in the AMEX suite and then were interviewed for a televised Long Island news program! Got a grounds pass for $85 at the box office so no fees, parked myself at Armstrong and saw Haase and Middelkoop beat Sela and Darcis. Then headed to Grandstand, got fantastic seat in the shade and saw three of the most awesome matches, #1 doubles team Kontonin and Peers against Cabal and Mayer, the Bryans against… Read more »
Janet, I am soooooo happy to hear this! Nothing brings me more joy than knowing that a fellow true die-hard fan gets to see some of the most amazing stuff! I was also in Armstrong for a lot of the day yesterday, but had splurged to double-up so also had Ashe tix day and night. It was amazing being in Ashe for Federer and hearing all of you guys screaming in Grandstand right next door during the Delpo match. I was following the score on the app and was dying I couldn’t be in both places at once. So great… Read more »
Thanks PJ. This was very helpful. I’d love to see Federer play, and I think my chances are looking good! And for my first match too… I bought day session tickets a while back for the quarter finals matches on Wednesday. Going from what you said about alternating day/night sessions for the big players, and seeing Federer was on night for the 3rd round, I was pretty sure they’d put Federer on day for the 4th round and night for the quarters. Seeing that he is playing the night session for todays 4th round makes me think we may actually… Read more »
Hey Robert, I’m so glad it was helpful. Yeah, the Nadal/Fed scheduling today threw everyone for a loop – and just underscores the reality that there are no set rules, only trends, when it comes to day/night scheduling. The tournament director and team are thinking about fairness for players but also television ratings, ticket sales, etc so ultimately a subjective decision on their part. My hunch is that if both Nadal and Fed win today, they will probably put Fed on Day for Quarters in fairness to Nadal. If Nadal doesn’t win, my hunch would be Fed back at night.… Read more »
Hey PJ,
Thanks for all the great info! I started following last year because I had tickets to quarter finals last year but ended up in hospital and had to cancel my NYC trip. But I’m in NYC now!! We came in from Texas and are staying in Brooklyn. Would you still recommend taking the LIRR? We have evening Ashe tickets, but I’m also watching resale for day session as well.
Thanks,
Hey Elie, welcome to NYC! So I used to live in Brooklyn and it’s unfortunately a bit of a pain by public transport. I personally would just take a cab (via app like Curb) or Uber/Lyft TO the US Open. For your return, there’s no easy answer… Options: (1) leave a little early and use an app to call an Uber/Lyft (because after match let’s out it’s insane); (2) pre-reserve a car at a late time that anticipates matches going late (e.g. 12:15am) from a place like Riverside Car Service/ Dial 7 etc hat will actually honor the reservation and… Read more »
Thank you so much! We actually Ubered there because I bought Day session at the last minute and we left early during the Keys match and caught a Taxi! And from what we heard in Ashe the Del Potro match sounded amazing! I tuned in on the Amex radio! Again love, love, love this blog and your advice!
Hey Elie, my pleasure! So glad it worked out!! PJ
Hi PJ I drove in from Boston with my family to see us open tomorrow. We will be driving to the stadium and plan to leave by 7:30 from battery park. Do you think that’s enough time to get to the stadium and get good seats in Louis Armstrong? We have GA. I am also planning to try my luck to upgrade my GA to Arthur Ashe day session. Hoping I will be early enough to get the upgrade. Any tips on upgrade? Which gate should we enter from and where should we park any guidance is much appreciated. Thanks… Read more »
Hey again! Sorry responding in order and just saw this. Yes that’s a great time to leave. For parking just follow signs and the security will direct you. Definitely go right to East Gate where box office is. Have one of you stand in line to enter grounds and the other stand in line for box office. That way if you can’t upgrade at least you will be further up in line to go to Armstrong to get a seat. Armstrong is right next to East Gate. PJ
Hi PJ. This is a great blog post about US Open. I have been to the open matches about 3 times before, but I have always purchased the Promenade tickets. Your post and reading the comments inspired me to get better seats for the only day I plan on coming so far. Keeping fingers crossed that I could add another day to it. I have two questions for you. My ticket is for Wed Day Session at Ashe. – I have a choice to also come for Monday night or Tues day session. Which one would you have picked? In… Read more »
Hey Purnima! I think you can’t go wrong with your choices… But tomorrow night certainly will be exciting – Fed night match on Ashe. I will be here myself and can’t wait. The “f” I think is probably just a Facebook symbol showing that someone has linked their ticket to Facebook so that others can see they are going! PJ
Didn’t know where to post this, but I benefited from the comments here on PJ’s blog, so thought I should “give back”. I went to Day 1 and Day 3 this year. We had a fabulous time! The great thing about going so early in the tourney is that there are so many matches to choose from on the non-Ashe courts. Day 1: We arrived via Long Island Railroad, around 10:15. The crowd was already fairly large for the line up considering it was only Day 1, but it moved very fast. They seemed quite organized. We were in by… Read more »
Wow thanks so much Nancy for sharing this wonderfully detailed account! Super helpful. I’m so glad you had a great experience despite the bumps. Appreciatively, PJ
Hey PJ! Do players generally practice on one of the practice courts right before their match and if that’s the case would it be put up in the practice schedule? I’m going for the night session tomorrow to watch Federer! I waited to book tickets until the schedule was out today and by then prices of courtside tickets had gone up so much that I could only get Loge tickets :/ I was wondering if there might be any other opportunity to watch him practice up close. And since night session tickets allow admission to the grounds only after 6… Read more »
Hey there! Some do, some don’t… depends on the player. But I do think tomorrow will be an exciting day just to be around, so might be worth the grounds admission. I’m sure you’ll have fun regardless! PJ
Hi P.J., I’m still looking to sell a single courtside ticket for tomorrow’s Day session on Ashe.
I’ve put the ticket up on TicketMaster at the same price I bought it. Do you have any other tips than this to try and sell it? I’m thinking of reducing the price later on today if its still unsold. What do you think?
Thanks!
Hey Santosh, stay patient – a lot of Rafa fans out there… Look at map view on Ticketmaster and make sure it’s competitive compared to what other seats in vicinity are going for. Which section/row? I will keep ear to ground for you too. PJ
It’s section J. Yes, I checked the prices for other seats around and I feel it’s a reasonable deal.
Also, I’ll be really grateful if you could spread the word too! Thanks a lot, P.J.!
Sorry, forgot to mention the row – it’s section 64, Row J. 🙂
Hello PJ,
Even I am looking to sell my ticket for tomorrow’s day session, since they scheduled Roger for the night session!! I have bought a ticket for tomorrow night now. Any Rafa fan out there who wants a ticket in Section 103, Row L?
Thanks
I am looking for a day session to watch Rafa Play but have a ground admission what are my options. Can I get my ticket upgraded on the ground?
Hi there, you can certainly try at the box office tomorrow morning – though unlikely there will be many tickets released to upgrade to. Only other options are resale tickets. PJ
Simply the best US Open guide ever and somehow I never read this until now (first ever trip for me was 2006 to see Federer vs Roddick in the finals). Extremely comprehensive and up to date! I’ve gather a lot the same tips myself through the years and “coached” other friends on how to attend the open, but you’ve written it up in such a great way! An additional thing you could add would be how to get autographs near the practice courts. I got Wimbledon Champ Garbiñe Muguruza and legends like Michael Chang yesterday at the Open. Also it’s… Read more »
Albert, many many thanks – really appreciate it!! Great suggestions, will do. Hope you have an awesome week! PJ
Hey guys, if anyone is selling tickets for Ashe on Monday 4th night, please let me know at villanuevafer@gmail.com
Hi PJ,
I am going to the evening session at Ashe on monday. I thought Nadal would play, but its federer according to the schedule. Why so? Not that I am complaining :). The inital plan was to watch federer.
Hey Vivek, yup we are all surprised! But as I’ve tried to emphasize in the run up to the tournament, there truly is no “rule” when it comes to scheduling day/night so always impossible to predict for sure. Every year there are some surprises. This one is certainly a huge one. PJ
This is a pleasant surprise for me. Sitting right behind federer in section 66 and watching him play would be a wonderful experience. Looking forward to a great day tomorrow.
Hi PJ! If I have a day session ticket to Arthur Ashe, can I go to the Grandstand?
Hey, absolutely! General seating, first come availability. PJ
With your tips I got tickets to what will hopefully be an amazing session, Wednesday night, so many many (many) thanks!
I am going with my wife and 11 month old son. A representative of the tournament assured me that he can enter for free and be with us in Ashe. Is there reason to doubt that? Also, do you have any particular tips for viewers coming with a baby?
Hey Uri, so glad to hear it!! You’re so welcome. Your USTA friend will be able to get into your section and take an open seat if someone doesn’t show, but there’s no guarantee he can sit with/near you – especially during Quarters. PJ
I apologize, I realize that the wording of my post was confusing 🙂
I meant that the representative told me that my son can enter for free, and is not restricted from sitting in Ashe. I wanted to check if you know that this is indeed the policy regarding babies.
I’m less optimistic about that session, now that Fed is playing Monday night, but I’m sure it will be great anyway. Thanks!!!
My fault, sorry was reading too quickly!! I’m in Ashe watching Sharapova match and a little distracted :). Yes as long as under 2 years and in your lap totally fine. Only challenge is in Ashe noise really really carries, and you can’t get out of your seat until changeovers if he starts crying — so maybe bring an arsenal of pacifiers, etc! 🙂 PJ
Yeah we’ll do everything we can to keep the silence. The seats are very high up, on an aisle, so that should help 🙂
Enjoy the match!
Anyone selling tickets for tomorrow 9/4
Hi Lynne, I’m looking to sell a single ticket for Ashe Day session. I’ve already put it up on TicketMaster, but I can get it down if you’re willing to buy it. It’s a courtside ticket – section 64, row H.
Let me know!
Thanks!
HI Lynne, I have one ticket to the Arthur Ashe session evening (Federer)! It’s courtside and I’m looking to sell it. I am Canadian without a US bank account so unable to put on the resale site. Sec 46, Row 5, Seat 5.
I forgot to say, you can message me at wjbeauch@gmail.com if you are interested in buying.
Please text me about the ticket at plbkn@yahoo.com ,thx Lynne
Fantastic info. Thank you! Do you know if there is a list of the locations to scan the bar code of the fan pass? Looks like great prizes.
Hey Michelle, thanks! I don’t myself – maybe someone else in our community? PJ
Hi PJ~For the last 3 three years or so, it’s the same drill: I google “shady seats at Ashe” to remind myself where NOT to sit, and, as always, your site pops up and assists me in countless ways! You’ve been an incredible resource over the years, ever expanding information offered to newbies and seasoned Open-goers alike. I THANK YOU!! So far, I’ve been to the qualies 3 times, 2nd round Men’s/Women’s, and yesterday, 9 glorious hours of tennis at Ashe. Will likely get back to watch some doubles play this week. Enjoy your time at the Open and thanks… Read more »
Anne Marie, you totally made my day. Thank you on all counts! Wishing you a great rest of the week too. P.J.
Just found it. Once you do your first scan, you receive an email with a link showing your activity and the remaining codes to scan. Thanks for your quick reply.
PJ, I’m staying on the upper west side. Would you recommend taking the LIRR still? Heard MTA has been doing repairs all summer and its been a mess for commuters, but not sure if it affects trains heading to the tennis center? Also, if matches run late into early morning does the LIRR still run then or is it subway back home? Thanks!
Hey James, YES. Take A or another train to a Penn Station, then follow signs to LIRR (there are machines where you can buy round trip ticket, stop is Mets-Willers). See schedule here. Trust me on this one! PJ
Would this also apply to me as staying near grand central – which shows 22 mins to mets willets. Your guide says 15 from penn but I’m guessing would take me more than 7 mins to get to penn from grand central?
Hey Lee, no, from Grand Central best to just jump on the 7 train. PJ
If you want to save time/stress, download the MTA eTix app and the Train Time app. You can buy tickets in advance, you will have to activate before you get on the train.
Great suggestion Irene, thanks – I’ll add this to my main blog.
The first morning LIRR is at 8:48 am, but 7 train is earlier. So I am going to try 7 to get in by 830 am, hopefully be in line for other stadiums. Thinking the crowd may be a tad thinner as Federer got pushed night. Prices have dropped for day session a bit.
Thank you so much for recommending the two apps. I totally lan on using them to save time to get onto LIRR!
Terrific! My pleasure. PJ
Hi All. I’m desperately trying to sell my two tickets for tonight’s session at Section 134, Row C. Is anybody interested?
Hi P.J.! I need your advice RE selling tickets. I’m looking to buy a single ticket for Mon morning session on Ashe (R16). However, most of the tickets are being sold in bunches of two or more. The single ones are slightly further back, or very, very pricey!
Do you recommend me buying a pair of tickets and putting one of them up for sale? Will a single ticket sell in time?
I checked TicketMaster, TicketLiquidator and SeatGeek and it’s the same on all these sites.
I’d love your advice on this!
Thanks again!
Hey Santosh, normally I’d say proceed with caution regarding reselling… however tomorrow’s day session ticket is already one of the hottest because Fed is likely to be scheduled Day. So if you’re dying to go and willing to take a risk, I think tomorrow would be one of the most likely days to succeed with your proposed strategy. Keep in mind: to recoup exactly what you pay on the seat, you will need to list it for a higher price than you paid because of the commissions that any reseller will take (but for tomorrow’s session, there are likely to… Read more »
Hey P.J.! Sure, I’ll cheer for the both us us! 🙂
So, I could find a decent enough deal on SeatGeek for a single ticket. I just wanted to confirm that this ticket indeed will be legit?
I got an email from “MyTicketTracker” saying my order was processed and that the ticket will be delivered electronically once they’re ready to be delivered.
I’m just a bit wary since this is the first time I’m buying from some site other than TicketMaster.
Thanks again!
Update: – The person I bought the ticket from, transferred them over to me via TicketMaster. I see a barcode, and it looks exactly like the one of the previous round, so I think it’s legit.
I just hope nothing goes wrong at the last moment! 🙂
Oh great to hear! PJ
Should be just fine! Let me know if you have any issues, but I’ve only experienced and heard good things. PJ
Hey P.J.! So, they scheduled Fed for the night session again, which means I’ll have to sell my Day ticket. Is there any way I’ll know how much should I increase the price by to compensate for the commission of the reseller?
Wow. Wow. Well, just goes to show there are patterns we can use for educated guesses but no way ever to predict for sure. (Nadal is not going to be happy they broke the alternating day/nightpattern). Every year there are a couple big surprises like this. I spent the entire week myself lamenting not having Ashe Day session tix for tomorrow and prices went out of reach. But turns out Mon was the night I chose a long while back… Sometimes it’s just all about luck. When reselling, yes will get an option to put in amount you want to… Read more »
Got it! I put it up for sale. Hopefully someone will buy it given Rafa’s playing!
Also, if it’s possible, could you please let me know if anyone you know is looking for an Ashe morning ticket for tomorrow? It’s courtside.
Thanks a ton, P.J.!
Although the resell process and experience is is an exceptional and efficient one, Ticketmaster’s fees are outrageous. Charges to the seller and buyer. When I retire one day, I’m going to work there.
I have two tickets in Loge section 133 on the aisle for the day session tomorrow. Yes, I too thought they would keep the alternating schedule and Fed would play in the afternoon, and Keys is going to have a few late nights this holiday!
If anyone wants to purchase them please let me now. jwduds@yahoo.com.
Agreed! PJ
Hey P.J., who do you think will be on Armstrong tomorrow? I’m there all day too. Where will. You be sitting?
I’m also going to tonight’s match on Ashe. I’m exhausted, lol!
Hey Lor, LOL. Yeah sleep is always a sacrifice when you comes lot 🙂 Tomorrow my guess is both Goffin-Rublev and Delpo-Thiem on LA, if last few years is any guide. However, because the temp Armstrong is smaller than the old one — and the new Grandstand is waaay more beautiful — I wouldn’t be surprised if they buck tradition and put Goffin-Rublev on GS. I’ll be with 3 friends in section 2 front row- can’t wait! PJ
PS- so schedule just out. Delpo match on GS! I’m bummed – he’s one of my favorites… But also really like Goffin.
Hey P.J. I’d like to see Goffin at LA tomorrow. Do you think it would be possible to get in with a ground pass. I know it is first come first serve but what are the odds? Same question for Delpo-Thiem at GS, worth the risk of buying a ground pass?
Hey Peter, I think it absolutely would be worth it – just get here as early as you can to try to grab a seat (LA first). PJ
Thanks so much for posting this helpful info! This is only my second time attending, and your information really helped me decide what to do. A friend already hooked me up with tickets for Tuesday, but decided I need to go on Wednesday too, day and evening. I mean.. How can I not, right? Looking forward to being in NY and at the Open. Cheers!
Hey Lisa, a huge thanks for taking the time to let me know – I deeply appreciate it and so happy to hear it!! That’s awesome about both Tues and Wed for both halves of draw for QF – you sound like me… Have an incredible time!! 🙂
It’s UP 2 U New York…..
Just touched down @ Laguardia.
Plan on:
-Ashe (Day Session) Sunday
-Ashe (Fed Session) Mon/Wed
ANYONE that has reasonably priced
extra (single ticket) for these sessions, would appreciate a heads up (940) 367-2332.
Hi Gabriel,
I have a single Ashe ticket for Mon morning session (Courtside) that I’m looking to give away. I have put it up on TicketMaster, so let me know if you want it, and I’ll take it down. I’m selling it for exactly what I bought it.
Thanks!
hey pj! thanks for your tips. i have an evening session ticket for Monday 9/4 and am dying to see rafa. what are the chances ill see him and if there are none, who do you think will be playing? thanks!!!
Hey! Chances are very very strong you and I will both see Rafa Mon night (I will be there too and so psyched). If not, we’ll see Fed – but I suspect they will continue the pattern of alternating Day and night sessions for them since they both won today. Vamos!
So disappointed to see the scheduling switch up, as Rafa’s my favorite player. 🙁
Would anybody be interested in trading their 9/4 Day tickets for two evening ones? Please let me know!
Amex has lots of signs for spend $100 and get $20 back. It’s not just for merchandise. I’m waiting for the charges to hit my card (it’s the weekend) and for the $20 to show up on my statement. You can sign up through the US Open app or through on-site places indicated in the link below. “Get a 1X $20 statement credit by using an enrolled eligible American Express® Card to make purchases of $100+ at any on-site merchants at the US Open between 8/28/17 – 9/10/17 (or, if final day of tournament play is extended, 9/11/17). Valid at… Read more »
Thanks! PJ
First of all, thank you so much for the wonderful tips. So waited too long and could only afford grounds admission tix for Monday. Any tips on who to catch and where ? Am ok with practice courts too if the big names get there. Lastly, if some day tix open up at a reasonable price , can one exchange at Ticketmaster booth before getting inside ? Thanks again !!
Hey Meena, rest assured you will see some great players regardless on Monday! First, check the schedule tomorrow afternoon when it is released (probably around 5pm). Confirm then that Armstrong matches look attractive to you relative to what’s on other courts (see Day 8 of last year’s schedule as an example of what to expect) then make plans to arrive as early as you can Mon morning to get in line at the East Gate. I’d recommend 830am if you can swing it. Once they open gates at 930, go directly to grab a general admission seat in Armstrong (literally… Read more »
Hello PJ – Thought I will update how it went. The best $85 grounds ticket ever ! Got there 9 am, the Amex radio was free handout to all at the time, didn’t use but it looks cool. Definitely get the chase charger if one has Chase card. I had an extra charger but I kept it for later. Started out watching Venus practice, moved to Louis Armstrong for the doubles. Then to Grandstand for Bryan bros and Del Porto! In between saw practice of Sania and Roger Federer. I gave up my seats in Grandstand but found it easier… Read more »
Hey Meena, great to hear it! I’m amazed you got into Grandstand yesterday – I was in the upper level standing room only section during Bryan Brothers and it was absolutely impossible to get a seat. Then a friend in Grandstand texted me during Delpo match that it was a “war zone” – people sitting in stairs, impossible to get in, etc. So glad for you! PJ
Hi PJ I got into the Bryan bros just before it started in the direct sun area .. then gave it up to see Federer at practice. For the del Porto trick is to go away from the stairs .. walk a bit further in the top and then stand next to steps .. people were moving around and leaving and I could walk down as they left . But it was so noisy ! ?
Fantastic, Meena, thank you! PJ
Looking for tickets for Monday , anyone reselling ? Please email me at plbkn@yahoo.com
Hola PJ!… Yesterday I watched isner and Sharapova at ashe (thanks for your tips), great games!! … What would be your guess, if federer wins today, when (day or night) would he play on Monday?
Hey Fernando, I was there too – was awesome! My guess is it would almost certainly be Mon afternoon if Nadal also wins, and very likely Mon afternoon even if Nadal loses. PJ
Hey P.J.
Looking at last year’s schedule, there was a Men’s Singles match (Monfils v. Baghdatis) on Grandstand for the Sunday day session. Do you think this year’s Sunday Grandstand session will be exclusively Doubles given the lack of top seeds in the Bottom Half of the draw?
Hi Luke, I’m pretty confident they will put one men’s R16 match on each court (would be shocked if they didn’t). My guess is Pouille Schwartzmann on LA and Lorenzi-Anderson on Grandstand. My bigger question is whether they might buck tradition and put a men’s R16 on GS on Monday because it is definitely the nicer of the two (given temp LA). Probably not, but that could be a surprise… PJ
Yeah, I’ve been wondering why Grandstand isn’t the second court this year, since as you note it’s WAY nicer, and the crowd control situation is much better. There are only two entrances and one exit from the temporary Armstrong, so there are huge lines to get in even when there are plenty of empty seats. I bought a good seat there for Monday, expecting that’s where the singles matches will be.
Hey PJ, looking at the weather it seems like its gonna rain on Sunday. Is this likely gonna have an impact for the quarter finals starting Tuesday? Of course they can always close the roof so…
Thanks for your amazing help as always!
Hey Dom, sure thing! Highly unlikely it will have any impact. Mon forecast is clear, so any matches that aren’t competed Sun will be finished then so that Tues can get back on schedule. Since singles are all on Ashe beginning Tues, rain will not affect anything thereafter. PJ
Thanks again PJ.
Enjoy the tennis!
Hi, I have one ticket to swap if possible, Sun 11am at Ashe, with a ticket for tomorrow Sat!
Hey Pj,
Do you think that if I wait until September 9th to buy tickets for the finals there will still be tickets available in the courtside section and the prices will be lower?
Thanks
Hey Leonardo, no way to speculate with much assurance. If Federer makes it through to finals, scarcity will increase and prices will rise. If not, prices may fall – how much depends on the storyline associated with the finalists. There will absolutely still be resale tickets on offer regardless – the big question is price, and that’s really hard to predict. PJ
Hi All, I have 1 ticket Sunday 11am at Ashe, to swap if possible with a Sat night (tomorrow!) ticket!
Incredible site, PJ! So what’s the Sunday night line-up likely to be at this point? I’m guessing Shapavalov-Carrena Busta on the men’s side, and maybe Venus on the women’s side, if she wins today? (I’d love to see Kvitova-Muguruza, but wouldn’t complain about seeing Venus.)
Hey Paul, THANKS! That would be exactly my guess too. Probably Sharapova afternoon if she wins tonight… PJ
Paul, my guess for tomorrow on Ashe:
Day:
Sevastova v Sharapova
Suarez-Navarro v Williams
Querrey v Zverev
Night:
Kvitova v Muguruza
Shapovalov v Carreno-Busta
PJ
Paul, FYI they just announced tomorrow’s schedule. I guessed right on who they’d put on Ashe, but Shapovalov is DAY and Querrey match is NIGHT. PJ
Hey P.J.!! This a heaven sent article and you are really the best for sharing all this! Thanks a ton!
Need one more favor. I am a bit confused about this. I have tomorrow’s evening pass for Arthur Ashe. Does that mean I can’t enter the grounds before 6 pm? and if I can’t what do reckon my options are if I want to get in around 2 pm ish? grounds admission is unbelievably expensive right now.
Any tips?
Thanks
Raj
Hey Raj, I’m so glad it’s helpful – makes me so happy to hear that! You’re correct: an Ashe evening ticket only allows entry at 6pm. You might want to take a chance and go to the on-site box office around 2pm and see if they have any tickets that opened up that morning (located right at the East Gate entrance on corner of the Chase Center building- note this is NOT the Ticket Exchange tent at the top of the hill). This is risky, as there may not be anything… But you can try. If that doesn’t work, you… Read more »
Superb! I will try that out. Thanks a bunch again!
There are junior qualifies going on on outer practice courts P10-20 which you can watch free of charge.
Awesome info thanks!
I just wanted to say a quick thank you for all of this INCREDIBLE information. You helped me (a tennis fan but first time attendee) purchase tickets to surprise my husband (MAJOR fan and player, never was able to attend) for our first wedding anniversary. I cannot thank you enough!
On that note, we’re attending Sunday day session in Ashe, but will be in town for Saturday and Monday. If anybody has extra tickets for Saturday, I would love to take them off of your hands to make the weekend even more of a surprise!
Hey Hope, THANKS so much for the super kind note – I’m so glad it helped and what an awesome anniversary gift!! Enjoy the rest of your time here! P.J.
HI PJ, if you hear of anyone needing to get rid of Saturday day or night (considering the schedule, who would not move mountains to attend?!) I would really appreciate them being passed on. I bought Sunday day session before the draw assuming we’d at least see SOMEONE and it turns out everyone my husband and I want to see are in the top half and playing tomorrow. I like to think of my husband and I strong of heart, but this is killing us! We’ll be in town all weekend, so I can meeting anyone anywhere. I can only… Read more »
Hope,
What is your budget for each session, I have a pair of loge tickets for Sunday 09/03 evening session that I am reselling, let me know if you are interested. By the way, I think you will be sitting right next to P.J. or at least a few seats away:)
Scott if Hope doesn’t want Sunday night, I may be interested in your tickets.
P.J.,
Sure, if Hope does not want these, I will keep them for you, let me remove the listing first.
Hi Scott, email me at h.margerum at yahoo dot com with the details!
Just in case, I still have 2 Sunday night loge tickets for sale. Sec 134, row C.
Paul,
I have already contacted Hope and is waiting for her reply, if you are looking for Sunday 09/03 Evening session loge tickets, I see two pairs of standard tickets are still available on Ticketmaster Sec 126 Row D ($250 per ticket plus fee) and Sec 116 Row H ($190 per ticket plus fee). My tickets are Sec 101 Row C so I am looking for a little bit more to recoup.
Hey Scott. Sounds reasonable. But I’m now in a debate with my wife over going Sunday night or Monday day at Louis Armstrong… So at this point please don’t hold tickets for me. If we decide definitively on Sunday night I will check with you again. Thanks.
Paul,
No problem, just FYI, the standard tickets I mentioned are still there and there are some reasonable deals on exchange as well, hope you find what you are looking for, either way, you are going to have a lot of fun!:) Enjoy!
Hey PJ
Heading to the Open on Saturday and have tickets in section 2 at Armstrong very close to the court. I am keeping my fingers cross that Thiem will play there! I didn’t know if you had any recommendations where to stand or go to attempt to get autographs there. Also I know Federer and Nadal play that day but I don’t have tickets to Ashe 🙁 Do they ever pratice the day of the match??? As everyone else has stated, love Federer!! Thanks for all the work you put into this!!!
Hey Tami, my pleasure! Armstrong should be rocking tomorrow – that’s gonna be awesome. (Im also sitting in section 2 on Mon!) Very good chance you’ll see Thiem. Players do sometimes schedule practice on day of match, just depends totally on the individual. Usually within a few hours of their scheduled match if they do. For autographs in temp Armstrong, not sure – but generally near where they sit between changeovers is best – and in that sense section 2-6 probably have greatest odds). Enjoy! PJ
Fantastic Article. Thanks for sharing it! I will be in Arthur Ash on Saturday night.
Hey Javier, thank you! That’s awesome – hope you have an incredible time! P.J.
Great info. Thanks. We are going Tuesday. September 5. First time for my kids. 13-11. Going to watch the doubles on Armstrong. Going GA tickets. Hopefully they sell enough in the morning. Brent.
Hey Brent, sounds like a great plan. Enjoy! PJ