Note: I originally posted these tips in 2012 but update them annually based on new learnings and feedback from readers. At the advice of a fellow tennis fanatic/blog expert (who knows how much I spend on tennis!) I created affiliate links for the ticket sites I had been recommending for years. This way, if you end up getting a ticket through one of my links you won’t pay a penny more but the seller will give me a small commission versus giving it to Google Ads or another referring site — which, in turn, helps support my tennis obsession and my volunteer work with the nonprofit Net Gains Foundation.
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.
Me and friends spotted on ESPN during the 2021 Novak v. Brooksby match on Ashe
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.
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.
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 moneyuntil 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
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:
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
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 onAshe 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 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.
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 closethat 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.
Me caught on ESPN cheering for Matteo Berrettini from 2d row Armstrong during 2019 Round of 16 (v Rublev)
BOX 2: WHERE TO GET THE BEST DEAL ON US OPEN TICKETS? SHOULD I BUY NOW OR LATER?
Old tickets shared by fellow fanatic Michael Levin
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!
Thefrustrating 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.
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.
WARNING: DO NOT PURCHASE FROMTickPick. 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.
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.
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:
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:
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 intotwoequal “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.
Roger Federer from Courtside (section 60 row F) 9/4/17
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, chooseMap View, then mouse over or click on any of the dotsto 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.
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.
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, butthere 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.
Preview: Click to view for full chart
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!
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 shadethan 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.
Click to enlarge my Ashe shade map
Click to Enlarge my Armstrong Shade Map (photo from 2:30pm)
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?
From Section 11 front row in Grandstand
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).
Corner sectionsare 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.
Photo from lower row of section 6 in new Armstrong
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 tofactor 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.
Rafa on practice courts at 2017 US Open
Tip #8: Check out the practice courtsfor 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!!).
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.
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 theMets 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.
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 tournamentTuesday 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 groundsthe 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!)
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 towelto 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.
Chart with food options at 2022 US Open
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.
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
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 availablefor 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
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.
(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
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).
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.
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.
Desperate measures to find tkts for tomorrow – Williams vs Osaka – Ashe Statdium ( 12noon tickets) any leads for some cheap and bleeds seats?
We just want to go and don’t care. Please, please respond with any leads and help you can provide………. you can also respond directly to email as well. HELP!
Hi Pepper, My best recommendation is to keep refreshing the Ticketmaster page for that session up and continue to check right up until the last minute. Most people don’t realize tickets remain on sale online for 1 hour after the session begins (I.e. until 12:59pm EST tomorrow). You will likely find some great last-minute deals by resellers eager to get something for tickets they can’t use themselves. And with Ticketmaster, you are guaranteed no hassle and instant delivery of a mobile ticket. So in short, you can go out there, keep checking, and get your ticket then just get in… Read more »
Cindy
6 years ago
Hi P.J.- Had a great experience at my first Slam (also first tennis tournament) and Nole got the W!! Can’t wait to go back!!! Ended up sitting 7 rows closer (I could see on Ticketmaster that seat wasn’t sold). It’s funny how many people are not in their seats- not even in the same section! I ended up sitting next to 3 professional squash players from England! Luckily they were rooting for Djokovic as well. I asked one if he were a Murray fan and he hesitated and said ‘not really,’ he’s hard to like,’ haha!! I can’t imagine how… Read more »
Cindy, how awesome to hear from you and about your experience! Thank you so, so much for looping back to let me know and share those great details. Look forward to staying in touch. And yes, haj’de Nole! I’m so happy that two amazing guys made it to finals… I will be so happy for either Nole or Delpo tomorrow. P.J.
It should be a great match! And yes, if he has to lose to someone, I’ll pick Delpo!! Are you lucky enough to be there? I looked at tickets 4 times, but decided against it. I am going to try to go to Miami or Indian Wells.
Go Djok!!!
Shirley Fraser
6 years ago
Hello, love your advice! Four of us went earlier yesterday because of you saying about the earlier matches and we had a blast!! In fact, we enjoyed the men’s and ladies doubles more than the ladies semis 🙂 It helped that we were closer to the action during the day too! We took your advice and went from Penn to Mets- Willets point, but didn’t realise that that particular train didn’t stop there and we had to get off at Flushing and Uber back. No big deal, but thought it might be worth saying in your travel tips. Thanks so… Read more »
Hey Shirley, THANK YOU! I’m thrilled to hear you enjoyed watching the doubles matches so much and that you had such a great experience. And very helpful to hear about your train experience… I’ll work on that tip for next year to make sure it’s more clear about which train goes where. Thank you again, so much!! P.J.
dimm0k
6 years ago
Thank you for this wonderful resource and being speedy with the responses, as well as your helpful message regarding bringing my parents! I ended up getting a really close view of the matches on Monday in the Louis Armstrong stadium and agree wholeheartedly the “intimate” setting was awesome! was able to get a decent deal on a pair of seats for my parents and a separate one for myself close by for under face! And although it was more than I originally intended on spending and the resulting sunburn on my arms from just 40 minutes in the sun, it… Read more »
Hey there, thank YOU! I’m so happy to hear you had a great time (despite the sunburn!). Yes, there should be plenty of $25 GA tickets left for the finals tomorrow. And no, not crowded at all… I would also be sure to keep checking Ticketmaster until the very last moment… it’s been remarkable to see some of the last-minute deals that have popped up with some sellers lowering prices at the very final moment to ensure they get something back for tickets they can’t use. P.J.
Zenith
6 years ago
Hi ,
We are traveling from Baltimore for the women’s finals on Saturday . However we are tempted to get grounds passes for Friday 9/7 so we can watch on the big screen outside . Is it worth it ? Is it fan .. it’s 4 girlfriends .
Hi Zenith, depends entirely on how much you all are into tennis 🙂 If you’re players, getting that grounds pass gets you access at Noon to all the outer court play (Schedule should be out soon here) – see last year’s schedule Day 12 here for indication of what you’ll see. Seeing the men’s semis with other fans outside Ashe would be cool, but it’s not the most comfortable setup at the US Open unfortunately. Less fan-friendly than Henman Hill at Wimbledon. I’d also keep your eye on last-minute resale tickets on Ticketmaster (see my reply to Maria below) tomorrow… Read more »
Hi Shay, correct! Only one Ashe session/ticket that day. (And just to be sure it’s clear: the $25 grounds pass ticket does not get you into Ashe). PJ
Steve Barry
6 years ago
Hi PJ, great site! I have grounds passes for Friday. Should I bring a chair/blanket for watching the match outside Ashe? Will they allow that? Also, any best practices to keep in mind for someone with only grounds passes for the mens semis? Thanks!
Hey Steve, thanks! I think a blanket to sit on would probably be fine (as long as it is reasonable size) but definitely not a chair. And bring sunscreen! 🙂 I would definitely get there around Noon/1pm if you can to check out doubles, juniors, and wheelchair matches on outer courts. If you are a player, you will be astounded seeing the quality of those matches up close and learn a lot. P.J.
Maria
6 years ago
Hey PJ, You really did a great job, everything is super clear (even for someone like me that has never attended an event like this)!
I’m arriving tomorrow noon to NY and thought of going to the matches right after the airport but I only see tickets for Arthur Ashe Stadium. Would these tickets allow you to enter both matches? Is there a way to know who will play first?
Would you recommend buying tickets form Ticketmaster or wait until tomorrow when we arrive?
Hi Maria, thank you! Yes indeed, your ticket gives you access to ALL matches tomorrow. Men’s doubles final will be the first match at Noon. The first Men’s Semifinal will be Nadal v Delpo not earlier than 4pm. The second Men’s Semi will be Djokovic v Nishikori. Here’s the schedule page. Please note: you MUST buy your ticket online no later than 12:59pm EST tomorrow (tickets only stay on sale online for 1 hour after the session start time, which is Noon). If you buy at the last minute, strongly (!) recommend buying on Ticketmaster only. You are guaranteed no… Read more »
Ben
6 years ago
Hi PJ,
I was interested in seeing the doubles semis today, however they only tickets that can be bought are the womens singles at night in arthur ashe. So, how do we get tickets to watch the doubles during the day?
Hey Ben, it’s free! Just show up at Noon today and have a blast! Please do consider stopping by to see some wheelchair play as well and support those athletes. Remarkable group of players. PJ
Wish I had read this earlier! I just bought grounds admission tickets for this Friday 9/7. Now I’m very confused because everywhere says they are only sold for the first 8 days of the tournament. Did I just buy tickets to enter the grounds, but not see any matches? Clearly, I’m new at this! Thanks so much.
Hey Christie, nice to meet you 🙂 So it’s highly confusing indeed… There were no grounds passes available after the first 8 days until very recently. In recent years, they started releasing $25 grounds passes for Fri-Sun of Finals weekend during the second week of the tournament. However, it’s generally just die-hard fans (like myself) who might be interested in the matches you will see, as grounds passes do NOT get you into Ashe Stadium (but do give you access to all other courts). See last year’s schedule here and click on the last few days to have a sense… Read more »
Suzanne
6 years ago
Great info…thanks! Wish I had read this earlier. This is a foodie question–going tonight and want to have dinner at Pat LaFrieda’s ,but according to the us open website, the location is only inside the stadiums…will the location at the Armstrong stadium be open since there are no matches there tonight? If not, the location in Ashe is on the club level…can anyone purchase from that location on the club level?
Hi Suzanne, there’a actually a Pat LaFrieda’s outside the stadiums in the South Plaza area. I’d try that one! Just remember gates don’t open till 6pm with evening ticket… PJ
Mary
6 years ago
thank-you so much for this incredible resource! I just returned home from attending my first US Open. Your tips were invaluable! We planned our visit around your suggestions – arrived around 10am by the LIRR with virtually no line up for security. We made sure our bag was the right size. We brought our lunch and water bottles to refill at the stadium (prices were steep). Our tickets were for second and third round matches – day session in Arthur Ashe. The seats were very high but shaded in the 300 section but it was fine. Please note that we… Read more »
Mary, thank YOU for being so kind as to take the time to write and let me know about your experience! I’m so glad it all worked out. And good to have confirmation you weren’t able to move around… For anyone else reading, my experience has likewise always been that you often have a chance of moving to empty seats within your section, but nearly impossible (and not advised to avoid trouble) to move to empty seats in another section (I.e., you can never move from Promenade to Loge). I even got a text from a friend in Promenade last… Read more »
Lucas Ribeiro
6 years ago
Hi, P.J.
I have one question:
On Friday, do you know if the doubles match on Ashe will be Men’s or Mixed?
I saw that in the tournament general schedule, they put “Men or Mixed Doubles Final”.
Thanks
Hey Lucas, great question. We don’t know yet. (If you end up seeing mixed, please cheer loudly for my friend Bethanie Mattek-Sands and her partner Jamie Murray if they make it through… Bethanie is an absolutely amazing person and no one works harder in tennis. She just came back from the worst knee injury and is playing great). P.J.
LOL – great question. If you have an AMEX card, you can get one for free on site: they are little portable radios that pick up commentary for matches on Ashe. P.J.
PS – and for the record, while normally not at all disruptive, when people next to you turn them up to very high volume they are not pleasant for those around them… So for those reading who ever get them, please keep the volume set only as high as you really need to hear 🙂
Fred
6 years ago
P.J., Thanks so much for the thoughtful info! My wife, daughter, and I saw our first U.S. Open matches in person on Day 1 of the tournament and had a great time, in large part because of your advice. We purchased tickets for the day session on Louis Armstrong on the ticketmaster resale site and sat about 6 rows up in Section 9 on the north end. We had great seats for matches with Sloane Stephens and Andy Murray, among others. We had some sun at the start, but as you noted, the shade soon moved over — the seating… Read more »
Hello Fred, many many thanks in return for writing and sharing that! I’m so happy you all had a great time and it’s most gratifying to know the blog post helped. Hope to reconnect next year! Thanks again, PJ
Trev
6 years ago
For a solo attendee, what do you think of section 30, row F, seat 1?
Also, don’t the player boxes tend to be the same boxes? I saw a comment where you listed a few different boxes. Do you recall what the standard box numbers are and run numbers? Would really love to sit near!
Hi Trev, this year they have stuck to 8-9 and 28-9 for players boxes – but in previous years they had used some around 62-63 too so I included that in a previous reply just in case. I’ve never seen them use the NW corner.
30 F 1 is awesome. PJ
Andy
6 years ago
One thing to add, you mention that you have to get in the premises before 6 PM for day ticket holders. It’s also good to point out that you can’t enter before 6 PM in you have night tickets to Ashe.
Robert Socolow
6 years ago
What is the benefit of arriving tomorrow (Sept 5) at 9:30 vs. 11:00 a.m.? I have seats A 11 and 12 in Section 109 in Ashe.
Great website. But I think many people would like to know more about whether to arrive as early as possible.
Hi Robert, not at all necessary. Lines will not be bad to enter, and pressure for seats on outer courts will be minimal. Recommend you go see Jamie Murray dubs match on Grandstand at 11 for a bit before entering Ashe at noon. PJ
Lucas
6 years ago
Hello P.J.
Thanks for all your great knowledge and advice. Had a great time this past weekend as I thought it would be my only chance to go this year. However, I am lucky enough to have a break from work to go tomorrow (Wednesday) for the day session. Prices look really cheap and it appears there are lots of standard tickets available. Can I show up tomorrow around 11 am to the box office to purchase tickets? Or should I buy something ahead of time?
Thanks,
Lucas
Hey Lucas, you’re so welcome. And yes indeed, given the way things have panned our for matches tomorrow you should have no prob if you go to box office in the am. My only (strong) advice: bring your phone and check Ticketmaster before you buy to see if there are rock-bottom deals on resale tix that are better seats than Standards available. You may find yourself sitting courtside or first row Loge if you wait till last minute when sellers lower prices to get something… Tickets stay on sale on line for ONE HOUR AFTER the session begins (ie until… Read more »
Rich
6 years ago
PJ…I went to US Open for my first time and wanted to just say thanks to you for putting all this together. It was valuable information and helped me have a day that i enjoyed. I ended up with Sunday cheap Ashe day tickets and evening Ashe good seats. Just two things to mention…1) I spent way to much on drinks during the day but hung out at the Mojito bar where I ran into a few celebs. 2) I never got in to see Isner match as the general admission seating line was wrapped around the grounds. Recommend getting… Read more »
Hey Rich, THANKS!! Yes, the “too many drinks” thing is an easy thing to succumb to… So glad you had a great time! P.J.
Cindy
6 years ago
Hi P.J.- Well it looks like I should have taken your advice and waited to get tickets. You are so right about it being like the stock market! At least I didn’t spend too too much on my ticket, and I’ll still get to see Djok!!! It should be a great match!
I’m driving from Baltimore and plan to get there between 2-3. Without a day session ticket I cannot get in, correct? Trying to plan my day.
Thanks,
Cindy
Hey Cindy, yeah, it’s so hard for me to fully convey the potential volatility until you’ve actually been through it yourself on something like Wed night semis tickets… Every year I win and lose a bit here and there making educated guesses, but every year I’m also stunned by at least a couple of developments. I’m a bit saddened by the disproportionate impact one single player can have on things – even the GOAT himself (btw, still recovering from the shock from last night)… Last night at midnight the cheapest Promenade seat on Ticketmaster for tomorrow night’s anticipated Fed/Nole showdown… Read more »
I hedged my bets and bought quarterfinals tickets to both nights, particularly hoping to see Fed. With prices so high, I was tempted to even resell and subsidize my costs of attendance this past weekend.
I think it’s better to just wait and see in the future. Anything can happen, as we saw last night.
Yes I still can’t believe he lost; clearly wasn’t himself last night. I’m trying not to beat myself up/worry too much about the ticket thing…it happens and pretty much no one saw it coming. I would have been sitting pretty for what I paid if it were Djok/Fed…oh well.
I’m sure Sharapova losing isn’t helping ticket prices either.
I won’t rush to get up there, I’m not trying to sit out in the heat before the night session!
Thanks for all your help!!
Hi PJ,
thanks a lot for all your precious advices on this page. Thanks to you I went to the US Open yesterday on Arthur Ashe and I spent a wonderful day!
Sophie
Stefan Lundmark
6 years ago
Hi PJ and thanks for the info I got a couple of weeks ago, it was very helpful. I would just like to submit a few thoughts I have looking back at my time at the open. This was my first time at the open, I have previously attended the French open and Wimbledon several times. Generally I was impressed and very pleased with the tournament and the only glitches is lack of discipline in the crowds with people coming and going during play and talking during play. I have never been to nearly as many top player games being… Read more »
Hey Stefan, you’re most welcome. And thanks a million for sharing these great impressions and experiences! So glad you had a great time and look forward to connecting again next year. Safe travels home. P.J.
Chandrasekhar Malladi
6 years ago
P.J., At the outset, I would like to congratulate you for putting up such an amazing website for us Tennis fans. I had a question and was trying to see if you could help.
I have a ticket for Ashe on Sept 7th. Does that mean I will get to watch both the Mens Semifinals and the Doubles match? Would appreciate your response. Thank you again for putting the effort 🙂
Hey there, thanks so much! Yes, that’s correct: Men’s Dubs will be 1st, followed by the two men’s semis. An amazing day. PJ
Nancy L Walden
6 years ago
P.J., I can not tell you how much I appreciate the information on this site. I was in NJ (from NC) for a college soccer game this weekend, and this site gave me the courage to spend a day at the Open, my first. It was a day I will never forget. I bought a Grandstand ticket, but then checked the Schedule of Play the day before, and saw that Nadal was to play in Ashe. I sold my Grandstand ticket, bought one in Ashe, and enjoyed.every.minute. The entire experience was amazing. Any time it looked like there might be… Read more »
Just came back from US open. Wish I read this before. Great insights.. thank you
Tom
6 years ago
PJ,
I see tix for today have been very low for Ashe, both day and night.
I saw sellers re-selling day Loge tix for $125-180 when face is $225-$270 for loge, depending on the row.
Also, for tonight, courtside seats are bargain at around $700, whereas they were much, much more over the weekend at around $1,000, especially for Fed’s day game on Saturday. I expected Fed to drive up prices a bit more. What’s your take on these prices for today/tonight?
Hey Tom, yeah I’m a beneficiary because I am a huge Nole fan and got last-minute tix for today’s Day session. Djokovic isn’t as big of a draw as Federer, ditto Madison Keys – so resale prices went down after schedule was announced.
For tonight, Labor Day evening is always a bargain. Fewer tourists. So even with Federer, not as much demand as there would be for Fri-Mon Day if he were playing. Likewise Sharapova not as big a draw as Serena. Finally, Fed’s match up tonight not particularly enticing. PJ
PJ, Had a pair of tickets and sold one for wayyyyy less than what I paid for last night. I did not expect such a drop in prices considering Fed was on the schedule, but I you’re right with why demand is low. People are getting their kids ready for school the next day, and I had to battle a lot of traffic to come in. Since I sold the one ticket, I went to the match with the other. Sat in 46H. It was my first time at Arthur Ashe as this is my first US Open experience. Amazing.… Read more »
Tom, I’m with you (and may see you tomorrow night as well)! Thanks so much for sharing this. PJ
Ann
6 years ago
We just returned from our first trip to the Open – your tips/this blog were INVALUABLE. Your guidance in what kind of ticket to buy, seat selection, how to ‘do’ the Open – were on point and so very much appreciated. We had a fantastic experience and will go again. Thanks very much!
Dear Ann, what an incredible message to start my day today. You’re very welcome, I can’t thank you enough for letting me know it helped and for the exceptionally kind words! P.J.
Ben
6 years ago
Hi PJ, do the day & night session players rotate during the quarter finals? In the article, you mentioned that if a player played in the day, the following round, they would play in the night? Would this apply for quarter finals from R4?
Hey Ben, to clarify: tournament schedulers TEND to alternate star players between day/night but do not always. There are always exceptions to that tendency, and have already been several this year. For QF, the tendency is always to put the biggest names at night. Again, there have been many exceptions and there’s no way to predict for sure. P.J.
Leonardo Zumaeta
6 years ago
Hey PJ,
I hope you had a blast watching DelPo and Coric play. I’m sorry to bother you this late in the night but are all the reseller sites you listed completely reliable? I mean, do you there’s a chance to get scammed or does it just not happen?
Thanks
Hi Leonardo, thanks! Yes indeed. In the unlikely event that any seller messes up in any way, all those sites have firm guarantees to make it right for buyers. I have bought from all of them myself over the years at different times. PJ
DEIDRA L. REID
6 years ago
Great Website!! Thanks!! This will be my first year and your website has really helped me fill in the blanks that I could not get from the U.S. Open website. I just bought courtside tix to the Women’s final in section 50 row C for a great price thanks to some of your advice here. I am keeping my eye open for a good price on women’s semi tix. QUESTIONS: Will there be one or two women’s semi finals matches on Thursday? Looking at the brackets for the draws it looks like there should be two semi finals matches. What… Read more »
Hey Deidre, thank you very very much! So glad to hear it. You will be in heaven for those finals…
Yes, Women’s Semis (and Men’s Semis) are held in one session. For the Women, it’s Thurs Evening session; for the Men, it’s Friday Day session. Which is one of the reasons these are among the most expensive sessions of the tournament.
Players’ boxes alternate around and can be on either side of photographers, usually corner sections 60-63, 8-11, or 26-29.
Thanks P.J. I am still referring to yoru website anytime I have a thought or question about something. I do a “CRTL F”‘ and search for whatever I am wondering about. Invaluable.
I found tix for the Women’s semi but am STILL confused. Does my ticket allow me to see both matches? Are they both played Ashe? The match time says 7pm. Is the second match going to be played after that? Seems really late. Or is that usual?
Hey there, thanks! And yes, both women’s semis will be played Thurs night beginning at 7pm. Women’s matches are best of 3 sets (versus men’s best of 5) so go much faster. PJ
Hi P.J. and thanks again for all the information you have compiled here and especially for answering specific questions. As mentioned above, I have an awesome courtside tix in Sec 48 Row E for tonight’s Womens Semi. I was totally planning on watching Serena practice and do some shopping and looking around. Do I understand correctly that I cannot enter the grounds until after 6pm? IF so, with there being no grounds passes or any other tickets being sold today, how do folks get in to see wheel chair matches and practices, etc? I would buy tix to see the… Read more »
Hi Deidre, was working on comment replies in reverse so just seeing this one now! Today is a special free day – anyone can enter grounds at Noon. See my box under Tip #10. Note: for any other day where you have tickets for reserved seats, you don’t need a separate grounds pass (e.g., if you have Ashe seats for Fri, Sat, Sun this weekend you don’t also need a $25 grounds pass– the Ashe ticket serves the same purpose). Please do go support wheelchair today!! Just an amazing group of athletes, so inspiring. Also, beginning today, there is only… Read more »
Thanks! I actually saw your tip number 10 immediately after posting both of these questions. And yes, I plan to go see the wheel chair matches as well. Maybe I’ll see you and say hello. LOL
Oh and same for Saturday’s Women’s Final/Mixed or Men’s Final? Only one session so I can enter at noon? Right? THANKS!! I can’t wait! The anticipation is killing me!!!!! LOL
Correct! You would need to buy separate $25 grounds passes for each day, but they are available. You can enter at Noon each day. Note: today is FREE. See my box under Tip #10. PJ
I am at the Open now watching DelPo-Coric courtside and pretty much dew like I’ve died and gone to heaven. Breathtaking tennis. The crowd is electric. Hoping the energy sustains…
Glad you had a great time! It was such an awesome match and I agree, the energy was electric. So google is showing that nadal and Delpo play at 4:00 pm on Friday, but the us open website has not officially released Friday’s schedule yet. Do you think this is reliable? Seems odd since djokovic hasn’t even played yet. Need to plan on how early to leave work! Thanks in advance!
Hey Nina, thanks! Always good to ask about Google results, because they are not always correct (especially before Day 1 schedule officially announced). As far as I’m aware, there’s still no official confirmation from US Open about order of play for Friday, however it is common that they put the matches in the order of the QF matches– so it’s almost certain the Nadal match will be first (at 4pm), the today’s winners will follow after that match concludes. But, as we’ve seen over and over, the tournament directors have discretion and sometimes make decisions that defy tradition, logic, or… Read more »
Samuel
6 years ago
Hi P.J. Thank you so much for this treasure trove of advice! I studied it long and hard, and made my first ever ticket purchase to the Open yesterday morning leading me to a second row seat in the corner (row F in Section 3) last night at Armstrong, and basked in hours of pure ecstasy (the Cilic – De Minaur, OH MY GOODNESS!). By 10pm the people in front of me took off leaving the front row (and yes, I stayed until 2:30am). I was so thrilled that I bought tickets today for Tuesday’s (the 4th) Day session at… Read more »
Hey Sam, I’m thrilled to hear you had a great time! But concerned about your expectations for Tues. The info I posted in my schedule above is correct – it’s the ticket sites that are terribly misleading on this point. There will absolutely not be any QF singles matches on Armstrong- they will all be on Ashe. You will see some exciting dubs matches Tues on Armstrong but not singles. I’m frustrated that the tickets sites have mislabeled that session so blatantly, and I’m so sorry to be the bearer of that news :(. PJ
Valerie Melton
6 years ago
Hello! I have never been to the US Open, and this last Friday, Saturday & Sunday I was finally able to go. This article is AMAZING. Because of you I literally had the best time of my life. I just sat first row courtside (Section 13) at the 11AM Arther Ashe Nadal & Serena matches today, with the help of your suggestions. Thank you for being awesome and sharing all of this information with us!
Valerie, you made my night. Thank you so much for your kind thanks and for letting me know it worked out so well!! PJ
Scott Jacob
6 years ago
PJ – this site is gold. Thank you. I was wondering where you thought the best matches are likely to be Labor Day Monday during the day session (besides the Cilic match which is probably on paper the closest match of the day). I am trying to decide whether to buy Ashe Loge tickets and watch Keys and Nole before heading over to Armstrong unreserved or buy Armstrong 7 rows behind server and stay there all day.
Hey Scott, THANK YOU! Great question, and I can only give you my gut reactions… I think Keys and Cibulkova will be exciting. Nole should dispatch Sousa handily and probably won’t be terribly exciting (but that hasn’t stopped me from impulse buying a ticket myself, since I can’t afford anything beyond R16 and I’m a big Nole fan). The Armstrong lineup should be quite good in terms of match-ups, and yes, Cilic/Goffin will probably be the most exciting singles match-up. I’m also stoked for Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Jaime Murray mixed dubs match – I’m a huge fan of Bethanie’s, both… Read more »
LK
6 years ago
P. J.,
I am interested in seeing Serena Williams play in the first round in 2019.
It looks like I need to plan on saving up for a evening reserved ticket in Arthur Ashe Stadium?
Do you think there is a chance she would be scheduled for day play?
Hi there, yes, absolutely possible – this year was bizarre in scheduling her for three night sessions in a row. As I mention in my FAQ #1, there unfortunately is no way to predict with certainty in advance. P.J.
It seems that I need to check on the draw as 2019 tournament draws near, and check the schedule of play on the US Open website the day before the first day of competition.
Thanks! When the time comes, be sure to check for Day 1 schedule the FRIDAY NIGHT before. This year they released Day 1 (and Day 2) schedule earlier than ever before, Friday evening around 630pm EST. PJ
B
6 years ago
Hey P.J.
Found your site last year as a first-timer and it was invaluable to me. You’re the best! I’m hoping to make it out on Tuesday and really wanting to see Serena, but I need a little help in figuring out whether I should buy day session Arthur Ashe or evening…thanks for being amazing!
Hi there, so happy to hear it, THANK YOU! On the Day v Night question, I can’t stress enough how much of an uncertain science it is to predict. I can only give you my gut guess, which is that she will be scheduled evening — largely because she was scheduled for Day session Sunday and Tues night QF there’s a tendency to put the biggest stars on at night. But they scheduled Serena three nights in a row last week, so you just never know. If I had to bet, it would be on evening – but this again… Read more »
Katie
6 years ago
Hi P.J. – I hope you are well and managing to enjoy your days at the tennis amongst all of these questions! I firstly wanted to echo everyone’s thanks for this blog and the advice that you give to everyone, it most definitely doesn’t go unappreciated. I already have a ticket for the men’s final (eek!) but am hoping to head down during the day on Thursday for the free admission for doubles/wheelchair/juniors. Is there any prior registration that needs to be done or do I literally just head to the grounds for when they open? As a Brit I… Read more »
Hey Katie, I’m thrilled to hear you will take advantage of Thursday. It’s a great day and a best-kept secret. Also rooting for Jaime and Bethanie in Mixed!! Just show up Thurs. And please do go spend some time on courtside Ashe to watch and cheer on the wheelchair athletes. You won’t regret it. PJ
I will definitely make sure to! Have seen Gordon Reid play before back home and was blown away – thanks so much 🙂 Enjoy the rest of DelPo v Coric!
YC
6 years ago
P.J.,
Thank you for your amazing information and patience with all the replies. My family and I spent a full day and night on Friday at the Open. The highlight was the Nadal-Khachanov match but the whole experience was spectacular. I personally loved the intimacy of Armstrong and look forward to many more visits there. We came home today and our little tennis player couldn’t wait to hit the courts.
You’re so welcome, and thank you!! I’m so happy to hear it went well! And how incredible you saw that Nadal-Khachanov match— that will definitely go down as one of the best of this year’s tournament. PJ
Is anyone interested in trading their AA Tuesday night QF courtside ticket for my AA Labor Day evening courtside ticket?
Karla
6 years ago
Hi PJ, Attended my 1st US Open on Wednesday. (Will return for Women’s Final next Saturday). Your tips were invaluable! Anyone hesitating about attending solo, should not. There is plenty to see and do and people are very friendly. While I’m sure it is fun with a bunch of friends, definitely easy to just wander and explore solo. I picked up a nice seat in Ashe for the day session (Sec 60) and went ahead and bought one of those significantly reduced Armstrong resale tickets for a great seat there. I know the Ashe tickets gave me access to unreserved… Read more »
Karla, thank you a million times over for taking the time to write and share that experience. Means so much to hear that the page was helpful to you, and it helps me so much to hear details about experiences like yours when trying to field questions. Thanks so much! PJ
Renae Ingram
6 years ago
PJ, wants to give a big thanks again for all the information. This year was my first trip to the Open. I had great reserved on Armstrong on Monday and loved the stadium. Tuesday rerserved in Ashe, hotter than heck and seemed about 15 degrees hotter than Armstong. Reserved on Grandstand on Wednesday, which I guess was worth the money considering I collected 3 Isner serve balls. Also spent lots of time on 17. I was lucky to get great loge seats on friday to see Serena v Venus before the prices went up. Thanks to you, I felt like… Read more »
Renae, I am SO happy to hear this! Thank you very very much for letting me know! PJ
Lori Henry
6 years ago
PJ, Thanks for all of this amazing information! Incredibly helpful! I have tickets for AA for Saturday, 9/8 and am trying to plan our day there for the Mixed Doubles Finals and the Women’s Singles Finals. We are traveling from Philly via train up and back the same day. First question: Do you have any advice on a reasonable expectation of when the Women’s Finals will be over since they start at 4:00? We will take the LRR back to Penn Station and are trying to decide if we should take the 9 PM or 11 PM train back to… Read more »
Hi Lori, thanks!
1) Women’s final should be done by around 7pm – you will be fine for that 9pm train
2) Yes, def a good chance
3) My faves are Bethanie Mattek-Sands Google her name/Wimbledon/knee if you don’t know her) and Andy Murray’s bro – I’ve met Bethanie and she is an awesome person. Also McHale/Harrison from US.
Running back to matches! Have fun!! PJ
dimm0k
6 years ago
with Grounds Admission tickets, how bad of a wait is it to get seats? Hoping to see Nishikori, Federer, or Djokovic tomorrow, but not sure if I can stomach reserved seating! any suggestions?
Hey there, it’s not terrible – there’s a lot of rotation happening given people wanting to see different things on different courts. And the new concession area all around Armstrong on both levels makes any way a lot more pleasant than ever before. P.J.
Jason
6 years ago
PJ,
I just read on another site that if you had tickets to two other days this year, you can get Armstrong tickets for only $50 for either today or tomorrow. Any idea if this is true?!
I am pretty positive that you have to do it in person at the box office.
No idea if they’ll do this next year – but it was pretty cool for us as we were on the fence today about going – but rolled the dice and decided to head out here & it worked!
Very complete website near tips. I went yesterday to new Louis Armstrong stadium and loved it, intimate feel despite it being a large venue. I actually left around 5:00 pm as kids were tired. This is my question: I had day session tickets ( assigned seats) in Louis Armstrong. zverer-kohlschreiber was the match. At 7:00pm they were still at it. What happens then ? Do daytime ticket holders get to see end of match ? It is strange as night time sessions ( 7 :00pm) would be entitled to be in thier seats at 7:00pm. I am wondering if in… Read more »
Hey Frank, thanks and great to hear you liked the new Armstrong. Day ticket holders with courtside reserved seats for LA keep their seats until the conclusion of all matches scheduled for the Day session, then they clear the stadium before the Evening session. Evening session courtside ticket holders are not allowed into their seats until that time. (For the upper level, anyone can try to grab a seat anytime – although that section is also cleared between Day and Night sessions). PJ
How likely do you think that the organizers would put Cilic vs goffin as the evening Arthur Ashe on Monday? In most cases, this would never happen but since Federer and Djokovic dont have big name opponents, I am little afraid they might put two top ten players against one another. Pretty sure it wont be Djokovic since he got two night ashe sessions in a row. Also, I think they may put Federer evening Ashe since he hasnt been evening session since the first round. I would think it would be extremely rare for Federer to not get evening… Read more »
Hi Bob, while I’ve learned not to ever predict with 100% certainly, I would be absolutely shocked if they did that. Today we have two top 10s on Armstrong (Thiem v Anderson). I do think it’s also nearly certain Fed will be on night tomorrow, given the two consecutive Day sessions prior. We’ll find out for sure hopefully by around 2pm today! P.J.
Pam Boorsma
6 years ago
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this book of comments, tips and tricks, and experiences of the Open. Going for my first time and lucky enough to sit in the President’s Suite on Tuesday during the day. But going early, and staying late, so your experiences and ideas are really helping me plan. Thanks so much for taking the time to do this!!
Pam, I’m so grateful for those kind words – so gratifying to hear they’ve been helpful! You are going to be in heaven in President’s Suite Tuesday – and for Quarters, how cool! Thank you very much for taking the time to write! P.J.
Arjun Dahal
6 years ago
This blog has everything I ever needed or wanted to know. I read it every year before buying tickets. Thank you very much. You are a genius. ?
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Hi PJ,
Desperate measures to find tkts for tomorrow – Williams vs Osaka – Ashe Statdium ( 12noon tickets) any leads for some cheap and bleeds seats?
We just want to go and don’t care. Please, please respond with any leads and help you can provide………. you can also respond directly to email as well. HELP!
Hi Pepper, My best recommendation is to keep refreshing the Ticketmaster page for that session up and continue to check right up until the last minute. Most people don’t realize tickets remain on sale online for 1 hour after the session begins (I.e. until 12:59pm EST tomorrow). You will likely find some great last-minute deals by resellers eager to get something for tickets they can’t use themselves. And with Ticketmaster, you are guaranteed no hassle and instant delivery of a mobile ticket. So in short, you can go out there, keep checking, and get your ticket then just get in… Read more »
Hi P.J.- Had a great experience at my first Slam (also first tennis tournament) and Nole got the W!! Can’t wait to go back!!! Ended up sitting 7 rows closer (I could see on Ticketmaster that seat wasn’t sold). It’s funny how many people are not in their seats- not even in the same section! I ended up sitting next to 3 professional squash players from England! Luckily they were rooting for Djokovic as well. I asked one if he were a Murray fan and he hesitated and said ‘not really,’ he’s hard to like,’ haha!! I can’t imagine how… Read more »
Cindy, how awesome to hear from you and about your experience! Thank you so, so much for looping back to let me know and share those great details. Look forward to staying in touch. And yes, haj’de Nole! I’m so happy that two amazing guys made it to finals… I will be so happy for either Nole or Delpo tomorrow. P.J.
It should be a great match! And yes, if he has to lose to someone, I’ll pick Delpo!! Are you lucky enough to be there? I looked at tickets 4 times, but decided against it. I am going to try to go to Miami or Indian Wells.
Go Djok!!!
Hello, love your advice! Four of us went earlier yesterday because of you saying about the earlier matches and we had a blast!! In fact, we enjoyed the men’s and ladies doubles more than the ladies semis 🙂 It helped that we were closer to the action during the day too! We took your advice and went from Penn to Mets- Willets point, but didn’t realise that that particular train didn’t stop there and we had to get off at Flushing and Uber back. No big deal, but thought it might be worth saying in your travel tips. Thanks so… Read more »
Hey Shirley, THANK YOU! I’m thrilled to hear you enjoyed watching the doubles matches so much and that you had such a great experience. And very helpful to hear about your train experience… I’ll work on that tip for next year to make sure it’s more clear about which train goes where. Thank you again, so much!! P.J.
Thank you for this wonderful resource and being speedy with the responses, as well as your helpful message regarding bringing my parents! I ended up getting a really close view of the matches on Monday in the Louis Armstrong stadium and agree wholeheartedly the “intimate” setting was awesome! was able to get a decent deal on a pair of seats for my parents and a separate one for myself close by for under face! And although it was more than I originally intended on spending and the resulting sunburn on my arms from just 40 minutes in the sun, it… Read more »
Hey there, thank YOU! I’m so happy to hear you had a great time (despite the sunburn!). Yes, there should be plenty of $25 GA tickets left for the finals tomorrow. And no, not crowded at all… I would also be sure to keep checking Ticketmaster until the very last moment… it’s been remarkable to see some of the last-minute deals that have popped up with some sellers lowering prices at the very final moment to ensure they get something back for tickets they can’t use. P.J.
Hi ,
We are traveling from Baltimore for the women’s finals on Saturday . However we are tempted to get grounds passes for Friday 9/7 so we can watch on the big screen outside . Is it worth it ? Is it fan .. it’s 4 girlfriends .
Hi Zenith, depends entirely on how much you all are into tennis 🙂 If you’re players, getting that grounds pass gets you access at Noon to all the outer court play (Schedule should be out soon here) – see last year’s schedule Day 12 here for indication of what you’ll see. Seeing the men’s semis with other fans outside Ashe would be cool, but it’s not the most comfortable setup at the US Open unfortunately. Less fan-friendly than Henman Hill at Wimbledon. I’d also keep your eye on last-minute resale tickets on Ticketmaster (see my reply to Maria below) tomorrow… Read more »
Can you please confirm Sept 8 finals there is only ONE ticket…12pm
This is SOOO helpful thanks for everything!!
Hi Shay, correct! Only one Ashe session/ticket that day. (And just to be sure it’s clear: the $25 grounds pass ticket does not get you into Ashe). PJ
Hi PJ, great site! I have grounds passes for Friday. Should I bring a chair/blanket for watching the match outside Ashe? Will they allow that? Also, any best practices to keep in mind for someone with only grounds passes for the mens semis? Thanks!
Hey Steve, thanks! I think a blanket to sit on would probably be fine (as long as it is reasonable size) but definitely not a chair. And bring sunscreen! 🙂 I would definitely get there around Noon/1pm if you can to check out doubles, juniors, and wheelchair matches on outer courts. If you are a player, you will be astounded seeing the quality of those matches up close and learn a lot. P.J.
Hey PJ, You really did a great job, everything is super clear (even for someone like me that has never attended an event like this)!
I’m arriving tomorrow noon to NY and thought of going to the matches right after the airport but I only see tickets for Arthur Ashe Stadium. Would these tickets allow you to enter both matches? Is there a way to know who will play first?
Would you recommend buying tickets form Ticketmaster or wait until tomorrow when we arrive?
Hi Maria, thank you! Yes indeed, your ticket gives you access to ALL matches tomorrow. Men’s doubles final will be the first match at Noon. The first Men’s Semifinal will be Nadal v Delpo not earlier than 4pm. The second Men’s Semi will be Djokovic v Nishikori. Here’s the schedule page. Please note: you MUST buy your ticket online no later than 12:59pm EST tomorrow (tickets only stay on sale online for 1 hour after the session start time, which is Noon). If you buy at the last minute, strongly (!) recommend buying on Ticketmaster only. You are guaranteed no… Read more »
Hi PJ,
I was interested in seeing the doubles semis today, however they only tickets that can be bought are the womens singles at night in arthur ashe. So, how do we get tickets to watch the doubles during the day?
Thanks
Hey Ben, it’s free! Just show up at Noon today and have a blast! Please do consider stopping by to see some wheelchair play as well and support those athletes. Remarkable group of players. PJ
Hi P.J.,
Wish I had read this earlier! I just bought grounds admission tickets for this Friday 9/7. Now I’m very confused because everywhere says they are only sold for the first 8 days of the tournament. Did I just buy tickets to enter the grounds, but not see any matches? Clearly, I’m new at this! Thanks so much.
Hey Christie, nice to meet you 🙂 So it’s highly confusing indeed… There were no grounds passes available after the first 8 days until very recently. In recent years, they started releasing $25 grounds passes for Fri-Sun of Finals weekend during the second week of the tournament. However, it’s generally just die-hard fans (like myself) who might be interested in the matches you will see, as grounds passes do NOT get you into Ashe Stadium (but do give you access to all other courts). See last year’s schedule here and click on the last few days to have a sense… Read more »
Great info…thanks! Wish I had read this earlier. This is a foodie question–going tonight and want to have dinner at Pat LaFrieda’s ,but according to the us open website, the location is only inside the stadiums…will the location at the Armstrong stadium be open since there are no matches there tonight? If not, the location in Ashe is on the club level…can anyone purchase from that location on the club level?
Hi Suzanne, there’a actually a Pat LaFrieda’s outside the stadiums in the South Plaza area. I’d try that one! Just remember gates don’t open till 6pm with evening ticket… PJ
thank-you so much for this incredible resource! I just returned home from attending my first US Open. Your tips were invaluable! We planned our visit around your suggestions – arrived around 10am by the LIRR with virtually no line up for security. We made sure our bag was the right size. We brought our lunch and water bottles to refill at the stadium (prices were steep). Our tickets were for second and third round matches – day session in Arthur Ashe. The seats were very high but shaded in the 300 section but it was fine. Please note that we… Read more »
Mary, thank YOU for being so kind as to take the time to write and let me know about your experience! I’m so glad it all worked out. And good to have confirmation you weren’t able to move around… For anyone else reading, my experience has likewise always been that you often have a chance of moving to empty seats within your section, but nearly impossible (and not advised to avoid trouble) to move to empty seats in another section (I.e., you can never move from Promenade to Loge). I even got a text from a friend in Promenade last… Read more »
Hi, P.J.
I have one question:
On Friday, do you know if the doubles match on Ashe will be Men’s or Mixed?
I saw that in the tournament general schedule, they put “Men or Mixed Doubles Final”.
Thanks
Hey Lucas, great question. We don’t know yet. (If you end up seeing mixed, please cheer loudly for my friend Bethanie Mattek-Sands and her partner Jamie Murray if they make it through… Bethanie is an absolutely amazing person and no one works harder in tennis. She just came back from the worst knee injury and is playing great). P.J.
What is the things people in the seats have in their ears it is white with a ribbon or something hanging from their ear.
LOL – great question. If you have an AMEX card, you can get one for free on site: they are little portable radios that pick up commentary for matches on Ashe. P.J.
PS – and for the record, while normally not at all disruptive, when people next to you turn them up to very high volume they are not pleasant for those around them… So for those reading who ever get them, please keep the volume set only as high as you really need to hear 🙂
P.J., Thanks so much for the thoughtful info! My wife, daughter, and I saw our first U.S. Open matches in person on Day 1 of the tournament and had a great time, in large part because of your advice. We purchased tickets for the day session on Louis Armstrong on the ticketmaster resale site and sat about 6 rows up in Section 9 on the north end. We had great seats for matches with Sloane Stephens and Andy Murray, among others. We had some sun at the start, but as you noted, the shade soon moved over — the seating… Read more »
Hello Fred, many many thanks in return for writing and sharing that! I’m so happy you all had a great time and it’s most gratifying to know the blog post helped. Hope to reconnect next year! Thanks again, PJ
For a solo attendee, what do you think of section 30, row F, seat 1?
Also, don’t the player boxes tend to be the same boxes? I saw a comment where you listed a few different boxes. Do you recall what the standard box numbers are and run numbers? Would really love to sit near!
Hi Trev, this year they have stuck to 8-9 and 28-9 for players boxes – but in previous years they had used some around 62-63 too so I included that in a previous reply just in case. I’ve never seen them use the NW corner.
30 F 1 is awesome. PJ
One thing to add, you mention that you have to get in the premises before 6 PM for day ticket holders. It’s also good to point out that you can’t enter before 6 PM in you have night tickets to Ashe.
What is the benefit of arriving tomorrow (Sept 5) at 9:30 vs. 11:00 a.m.? I have seats A 11 and 12 in Section 109 in Ashe.
Great website. But I think many people would like to know more about whether to arrive as early as possible.
Thanks.
Hi Robert, not at all necessary. Lines will not be bad to enter, and pressure for seats on outer courts will be minimal. Recommend you go see Jamie Murray dubs match on Grandstand at 11 for a bit before entering Ashe at noon. PJ
Hello P.J.
Thanks for all your great knowledge and advice. Had a great time this past weekend as I thought it would be my only chance to go this year. However, I am lucky enough to have a break from work to go tomorrow (Wednesday) for the day session. Prices look really cheap and it appears there are lots of standard tickets available. Can I show up tomorrow around 11 am to the box office to purchase tickets? Or should I buy something ahead of time?
Thanks,
Lucas
Hey Lucas, you’re so welcome. And yes indeed, given the way things have panned our for matches tomorrow you should have no prob if you go to box office in the am. My only (strong) advice: bring your phone and check Ticketmaster before you buy to see if there are rock-bottom deals on resale tix that are better seats than Standards available. You may find yourself sitting courtside or first row Loge if you wait till last minute when sellers lower prices to get something… Tickets stay on sale on line for ONE HOUR AFTER the session begins (ie until… Read more »
PJ…I went to US Open for my first time and wanted to just say thanks to you for putting all this together. It was valuable information and helped me have a day that i enjoyed. I ended up with Sunday cheap Ashe day tickets and evening Ashe good seats. Just two things to mention…1) I spent way to much on drinks during the day but hung out at the Mojito bar where I ran into a few celebs. 2) I never got in to see Isner match as the general admission seating line was wrapped around the grounds. Recommend getting… Read more »
Hey Rich, THANKS!! Yes, the “too many drinks” thing is an easy thing to succumb to… So glad you had a great time! P.J.
Hi P.J.- Well it looks like I should have taken your advice and waited to get tickets. You are so right about it being like the stock market! At least I didn’t spend too too much on my ticket, and I’ll still get to see Djok!!! It should be a great match!
I’m driving from Baltimore and plan to get there between 2-3. Without a day session ticket I cannot get in, correct? Trying to plan my day.
Thanks,
Cindy
Hey Cindy, yeah, it’s so hard for me to fully convey the potential volatility until you’ve actually been through it yourself on something like Wed night semis tickets… Every year I win and lose a bit here and there making educated guesses, but every year I’m also stunned by at least a couple of developments. I’m a bit saddened by the disproportionate impact one single player can have on things – even the GOAT himself (btw, still recovering from the shock from last night)… Last night at midnight the cheapest Promenade seat on Ticketmaster for tomorrow night’s anticipated Fed/Nole showdown… Read more »
I find myself in the same boat.
I hedged my bets and bought quarterfinals tickets to both nights, particularly hoping to see Fed. With prices so high, I was tempted to even resell and subsidize my costs of attendance this past weekend.
I think it’s better to just wait and see in the future. Anything can happen, as we saw last night.
Yes I still can’t believe he lost; clearly wasn’t himself last night. I’m trying not to beat myself up/worry too much about the ticket thing…it happens and pretty much no one saw it coming. I would have been sitting pretty for what I paid if it were Djok/Fed…oh well.
I’m sure Sharapova losing isn’t helping ticket prices either.
I won’t rush to get up there, I’m not trying to sit out in the heat before the night session!
Thanks for all your help!!
Hey Cindy, my pleasure! Have fun tomorrow! PJ
Hi PJ,
thanks a lot for all your precious advices on this page. Thanks to you I went to the US Open yesterday on Arthur Ashe and I spent a wonderful day!
Sophie
Hi PJ and thanks for the info I got a couple of weeks ago, it was very helpful. I would just like to submit a few thoughts I have looking back at my time at the open. This was my first time at the open, I have previously attended the French open and Wimbledon several times. Generally I was impressed and very pleased with the tournament and the only glitches is lack of discipline in the crowds with people coming and going during play and talking during play. I have never been to nearly as many top player games being… Read more »
Hey Stefan, you’re most welcome. And thanks a million for sharing these great impressions and experiences! So glad you had a great time and look forward to connecting again next year. Safe travels home. P.J.
P.J., At the outset, I would like to congratulate you for putting up such an amazing website for us Tennis fans. I had a question and was trying to see if you could help.
I have a ticket for Ashe on Sept 7th. Does that mean I will get to watch both the Mens Semifinals and the Doubles match? Would appreciate your response. Thank you again for putting the effort 🙂
Hey there, thanks so much! Yes, that’s correct: Men’s Dubs will be 1st, followed by the two men’s semis. An amazing day. PJ
P.J., I can not tell you how much I appreciate the information on this site. I was in NJ (from NC) for a college soccer game this weekend, and this site gave me the courage to spend a day at the Open, my first. It was a day I will never forget. I bought a Grandstand ticket, but then checked the Schedule of Play the day before, and saw that Nadal was to play in Ashe. I sold my Grandstand ticket, bought one in Ashe, and enjoyed.every.minute. The entire experience was amazing. Any time it looked like there might be… Read more »
Hey Nancy, awesome to hear it worked out so well for you! (Jim Courier is such a great guy, no?). Hope to cross paths next year as well! PJ
Yes indeed, he was charming!
Great tips – Thanks for posting
Do those $30 t-shirts get discounted after the US Open is over?
Hey Willie, I’ve seen a lot of clothing on the USOpen online shop go on sale afterwards so always worth checking. PJ
One quick question: Do you need an ID (like passport) to enter the grounds?
Best regards, Petter
Hi Petter, Nope! PJ
Just came back from US open. Wish I read this before. Great insights.. thank you
PJ,
I see tix for today have been very low for Ashe, both day and night.
I saw sellers re-selling day Loge tix for $125-180 when face is $225-$270 for loge, depending on the row.
Also, for tonight, courtside seats are bargain at around $700, whereas they were much, much more over the weekend at around $1,000, especially for Fed’s day game on Saturday. I expected Fed to drive up prices a bit more. What’s your take on these prices for today/tonight?
Take care,
Tom
Hey Tom, yeah I’m a beneficiary because I am a huge Nole fan and got last-minute tix for today’s Day session. Djokovic isn’t as big of a draw as Federer, ditto Madison Keys – so resale prices went down after schedule was announced.
For tonight, Labor Day evening is always a bargain. Fewer tourists. So even with Federer, not as much demand as there would be for Fri-Mon Day if he were playing. Likewise Sharapova not as big a draw as Serena. Finally, Fed’s match up tonight not particularly enticing. PJ
PJ, Had a pair of tickets and sold one for wayyyyy less than what I paid for last night. I did not expect such a drop in prices considering Fed was on the schedule, but I you’re right with why demand is low. People are getting their kids ready for school the next day, and I had to battle a lot of traffic to come in. Since I sold the one ticket, I went to the match with the other. Sat in 46H. It was my first time at Arthur Ashe as this is my first US Open experience. Amazing.… Read more »
Tom, I’m with you (and may see you tomorrow night as well)! Thanks so much for sharing this. PJ
We just returned from our first trip to the Open – your tips/this blog were INVALUABLE. Your guidance in what kind of ticket to buy, seat selection, how to ‘do’ the Open – were on point and so very much appreciated. We had a fantastic experience and will go again. Thanks very much!
Dear Ann, what an incredible message to start my day today. You’re very welcome, I can’t thank you enough for letting me know it helped and for the exceptionally kind words! P.J.
Hi PJ, do the day & night session players rotate during the quarter finals? In the article, you mentioned that if a player played in the day, the following round, they would play in the night? Would this apply for quarter finals from R4?
Hey Ben, to clarify: tournament schedulers TEND to alternate star players between day/night but do not always. There are always exceptions to that tendency, and have already been several this year. For QF, the tendency is always to put the biggest names at night. Again, there have been many exceptions and there’s no way to predict for sure. P.J.
Hey PJ,
I hope you had a blast watching DelPo and Coric play. I’m sorry to bother you this late in the night but are all the reseller sites you listed completely reliable? I mean, do you there’s a chance to get scammed or does it just not happen?
Thanks
Hi Leonardo, thanks! Yes indeed. In the unlikely event that any seller messes up in any way, all those sites have firm guarantees to make it right for buyers. I have bought from all of them myself over the years at different times. PJ
Great Website!! Thanks!! This will be my first year and your website has really helped me fill in the blanks that I could not get from the U.S. Open website. I just bought courtside tix to the Women’s final in section 50 row C for a great price thanks to some of your advice here. I am keeping my eye open for a good price on women’s semi tix. QUESTIONS: Will there be one or two women’s semi finals matches on Thursday? Looking at the brackets for the draws it looks like there should be two semi finals matches. What… Read more »
Hey Deidre, thank you very very much! So glad to hear it. You will be in heaven for those finals…
Yes, Women’s Semis (and Men’s Semis) are held in one session. For the Women, it’s Thurs Evening session; for the Men, it’s Friday Day session. Which is one of the reasons these are among the most expensive sessions of the tournament.
Players’ boxes alternate around and can be on either side of photographers, usually corner sections 60-63, 8-11, or 26-29.
P.J.
Thanks P.J. I am still referring to yoru website anytime I have a thought or question about something. I do a “CRTL F”‘ and search for whatever I am wondering about. Invaluable.
I found tix for the Women’s semi but am STILL confused. Does my ticket allow me to see both matches? Are they both played Ashe? The match time says 7pm. Is the second match going to be played after that? Seems really late. Or is that usual?
Thanks again!!
Hey there, thanks! And yes, both women’s semis will be played Thurs night beginning at 7pm. Women’s matches are best of 3 sets (versus men’s best of 5) so go much faster. PJ
Hi P.J. and thanks again for all the information you have compiled here and especially for answering specific questions. As mentioned above, I have an awesome courtside tix in Sec 48 Row E for tonight’s Womens Semi. I was totally planning on watching Serena practice and do some shopping and looking around. Do I understand correctly that I cannot enter the grounds until after 6pm? IF so, with there being no grounds passes or any other tickets being sold today, how do folks get in to see wheel chair matches and practices, etc? I would buy tix to see the… Read more »
Hi Deidre, was working on comment replies in reverse so just seeing this one now! Today is a special free day – anyone can enter grounds at Noon. See my box under Tip #10. Note: for any other day where you have tickets for reserved seats, you don’t need a separate grounds pass (e.g., if you have Ashe seats for Fri, Sat, Sun this weekend you don’t also need a $25 grounds pass– the Ashe ticket serves the same purpose). Please do go support wheelchair today!! Just an amazing group of athletes, so inspiring. Also, beginning today, there is only… Read more »
Thanks! I actually saw your tip number 10 immediately after posting both of these questions. And yes, I plan to go see the wheel chair matches as well. Maybe I’ll see you and say hello. LOL
I’m so bummed I have to be at work today and can’t make it out, but thrilled you and some other folks I know will be out there. Thank you!! PJ
Oh and same for Saturday’s Women’s Final/Mixed or Men’s Final? Only one session so I can enter at noon? Right? THANKS!! I can’t wait! The anticipation is killing me!!!!! LOL
Correct! You would need to buy separate $25 grounds passes for each day, but they are available. You can enter at Noon each day. Note: today is FREE. See my box under Tip #10. PJ
I am at the Open now watching DelPo-Coric courtside and pretty much dew like I’ve died and gone to heaven. Breathtaking tennis. The crowd is electric. Hoping the energy sustains…
Jealous! Have fun!
Glad you had a great time! It was such an awesome match and I agree, the energy was electric. So google is showing that nadal and Delpo play at 4:00 pm on Friday, but the us open website has not officially released Friday’s schedule yet. Do you think this is reliable? Seems odd since djokovic hasn’t even played yet. Need to plan on how early to leave work! Thanks in advance!
Hey Nina, thanks! Always good to ask about Google results, because they are not always correct (especially before Day 1 schedule officially announced). As far as I’m aware, there’s still no official confirmation from US Open about order of play for Friday, however it is common that they put the matches in the order of the QF matches– so it’s almost certain the Nadal match will be first (at 4pm), the today’s winners will follow after that match concludes. But, as we’ve seen over and over, the tournament directors have discretion and sometimes make decisions that defy tradition, logic, or… Read more »
Hi P.J. Thank you so much for this treasure trove of advice! I studied it long and hard, and made my first ever ticket purchase to the Open yesterday morning leading me to a second row seat in the corner (row F in Section 3) last night at Armstrong, and basked in hours of pure ecstasy (the Cilic – De Minaur, OH MY GOODNESS!). By 10pm the people in front of me took off leaving the front row (and yes, I stayed until 2:30am). I was so thrilled that I bought tickets today for Tuesday’s (the 4th) Day session at… Read more »
Hey Sam, I’m thrilled to hear you had a great time! But concerned about your expectations for Tues. The info I posted in my schedule above is correct – it’s the ticket sites that are terribly misleading on this point. There will absolutely not be any QF singles matches on Armstrong- they will all be on Ashe. You will see some exciting dubs matches Tues on Armstrong but not singles. I’m frustrated that the tickets sites have mislabeled that session so blatantly, and I’m so sorry to be the bearer of that news :(. PJ
Hello! I have never been to the US Open, and this last Friday, Saturday & Sunday I was finally able to go. This article is AMAZING. Because of you I literally had the best time of my life. I just sat first row courtside (Section 13) at the 11AM Arther Ashe Nadal & Serena matches today, with the help of your suggestions. Thank you for being awesome and sharing all of this information with us!
Valerie, you made my night. Thank you so much for your kind thanks and for letting me know it worked out so well!! PJ
PJ – this site is gold. Thank you. I was wondering where you thought the best matches are likely to be Labor Day Monday during the day session (besides the Cilic match which is probably on paper the closest match of the day). I am trying to decide whether to buy Ashe Loge tickets and watch Keys and Nole before heading over to Armstrong unreserved or buy Armstrong 7 rows behind server and stay there all day.
Hey Scott, THANK YOU! Great question, and I can only give you my gut reactions… I think Keys and Cibulkova will be exciting. Nole should dispatch Sousa handily and probably won’t be terribly exciting (but that hasn’t stopped me from impulse buying a ticket myself, since I can’t afford anything beyond R16 and I’m a big Nole fan). The Armstrong lineup should be quite good in terms of match-ups, and yes, Cilic/Goffin will probably be the most exciting singles match-up. I’m also stoked for Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Jaime Murray mixed dubs match – I’m a huge fan of Bethanie’s, both… Read more »
P. J.,
I am interested in seeing Serena Williams play in the first round in 2019.
It looks like I need to plan on saving up for a evening reserved ticket in Arthur Ashe Stadium?
Do you think there is a chance she would be scheduled for day play?
Hi there, yes, absolutely possible – this year was bizarre in scheduling her for three night sessions in a row. As I mention in my FAQ #1, there unfortunately is no way to predict with certainty in advance. P.J.
Great website. Should have written that before.
It seems that I need to check on the draw as 2019 tournament draws near, and check the schedule of play on the US Open website the day before the first day of competition.
Thanks! When the time comes, be sure to check for Day 1 schedule the FRIDAY NIGHT before. This year they released Day 1 (and Day 2) schedule earlier than ever before, Friday evening around 630pm EST. PJ
Hey P.J.
Found your site last year as a first-timer and it was invaluable to me. You’re the best! I’m hoping to make it out on Tuesday and really wanting to see Serena, but I need a little help in figuring out whether I should buy day session Arthur Ashe or evening…thanks for being amazing!
Hi there, so happy to hear it, THANK YOU! On the Day v Night question, I can’t stress enough how much of an uncertain science it is to predict. I can only give you my gut guess, which is that she will be scheduled evening — largely because she was scheduled for Day session Sunday and Tues night QF there’s a tendency to put the biggest stars on at night. But they scheduled Serena three nights in a row last week, so you just never know. If I had to bet, it would be on evening – but this again… Read more »
Hi P.J. – I hope you are well and managing to enjoy your days at the tennis amongst all of these questions! I firstly wanted to echo everyone’s thanks for this blog and the advice that you give to everyone, it most definitely doesn’t go unappreciated. I already have a ticket for the men’s final (eek!) but am hoping to head down during the day on Thursday for the free admission for doubles/wheelchair/juniors. Is there any prior registration that needs to be done or do I literally just head to the grounds for when they open? As a Brit I… Read more »
Hey Katie, I’m thrilled to hear you will take advantage of Thursday. It’s a great day and a best-kept secret. Also rooting for Jaime and Bethanie in Mixed!! Just show up Thurs. And please do go spend some time on courtside Ashe to watch and cheer on the wheelchair athletes. You won’t regret it. PJ
I will definitely make sure to! Have seen Gordon Reid play before back home and was blown away – thanks so much 🙂 Enjoy the rest of DelPo v Coric!
P.J.,
Thank you for your amazing information and patience with all the replies. My family and I spent a full day and night on Friday at the Open. The highlight was the Nadal-Khachanov match but the whole experience was spectacular. I personally loved the intimacy of Armstrong and look forward to many more visits there. We came home today and our little tennis player couldn’t wait to hit the courts.
Thanks for all you do!
You’re so welcome, and thank you!! I’m so happy to hear it went well! And how incredible you saw that Nadal-Khachanov match— that will definitely go down as one of the best of this year’s tournament. PJ
Is anyone interested in trading their AA Tuesday night QF courtside ticket for my AA Labor Day evening courtside ticket?
Hi PJ, Attended my 1st US Open on Wednesday. (Will return for Women’s Final next Saturday). Your tips were invaluable! Anyone hesitating about attending solo, should not. There is plenty to see and do and people are very friendly. While I’m sure it is fun with a bunch of friends, definitely easy to just wander and explore solo. I picked up a nice seat in Ashe for the day session (Sec 60) and went ahead and bought one of those significantly reduced Armstrong resale tickets for a great seat there. I know the Ashe tickets gave me access to unreserved… Read more »
Karla, thank you a million times over for taking the time to write and share that experience. Means so much to hear that the page was helpful to you, and it helps me so much to hear details about experiences like yours when trying to field questions. Thanks so much! PJ
PJ, wants to give a big thanks again for all the information. This year was my first trip to the Open. I had great reserved on Armstrong on Monday and loved the stadium. Tuesday rerserved in Ashe, hotter than heck and seemed about 15 degrees hotter than Armstong. Reserved on Grandstand on Wednesday, which I guess was worth the money considering I collected 3 Isner serve balls. Also spent lots of time on 17. I was lucky to get great loge seats on friday to see Serena v Venus before the prices went up. Thanks to you, I felt like… Read more »
Renae, I am SO happy to hear this! Thank you very very much for letting me know! PJ
PJ, Thanks for all of this amazing information! Incredibly helpful! I have tickets for AA for Saturday, 9/8 and am trying to plan our day there for the Mixed Doubles Finals and the Women’s Singles Finals. We are traveling from Philly via train up and back the same day. First question: Do you have any advice on a reasonable expectation of when the Women’s Finals will be over since they start at 4:00? We will take the LRR back to Penn Station and are trying to decide if we should take the 9 PM or 11 PM train back to… Read more »
Hi Lori, thanks!
1) Women’s final should be done by around 7pm – you will be fine for that 9pm train
2) Yes, def a good chance
3) My faves are Bethanie Mattek-Sands Google her name/Wimbledon/knee if you don’t know her) and Andy Murray’s bro – I’ve met Bethanie and she is an awesome person. Also McHale/Harrison from US.
Running back to matches! Have fun!! PJ
with Grounds Admission tickets, how bad of a wait is it to get seats? Hoping to see Nishikori, Federer, or Djokovic tomorrow, but not sure if I can stomach reserved seating! any suggestions?
Hey there, it’s not terrible – there’s a lot of rotation happening given people wanting to see different things on different courts. And the new concession area all around Armstrong on both levels makes any way a lot more pleasant than ever before. P.J.
PJ,
I just read on another site that if you had tickets to two other days this year, you can get Armstrong tickets for only $50 for either today or tomorrow. Any idea if this is true?!
-Jason
Hi Jason, have not heard of that one, sorry… P.J.
It worked for us confirmed. Just had to show our tickets from two previous sessions. I think you can do it tomorrow & then that’s it.
Thanks so much, Jason. Did you do at the box office on site or online? PJ
I am pretty positive that you have to do it in person at the box office.
No idea if they’ll do this next year – but it was pretty cool for us as we were on the fence today about going – but rolled the dice and decided to head out here & it worked!
Amazing, so happy to hear it!
Very complete website near tips. I went yesterday to new Louis Armstrong stadium and loved it, intimate feel despite it being a large venue. I actually left around 5:00 pm as kids were tired. This is my question: I had day session tickets ( assigned seats) in Louis Armstrong. zverer-kohlschreiber was the match. At 7:00pm they were still at it. What happens then ? Do daytime ticket holders get to see end of match ? It is strange as night time sessions ( 7 :00pm) would be entitled to be in thier seats at 7:00pm. I am wondering if in… Read more »
Hey Frank, thanks and great to hear you liked the new Armstrong. Day ticket holders with courtside reserved seats for LA keep their seats until the conclusion of all matches scheduled for the Day session, then they clear the stadium before the Evening session. Evening session courtside ticket holders are not allowed into their seats until that time. (For the upper level, anyone can try to grab a seat anytime – although that section is also cleared between Day and Night sessions). PJ
very clear !
tons of updated neat tips on your site, plus individualized answers during the US OPEN : keep up the great job and real-time answers !
Thanks so much, Frank! P.J.
How likely do you think that the organizers would put Cilic vs goffin as the evening Arthur Ashe on Monday? In most cases, this would never happen but since Federer and Djokovic dont have big name opponents, I am little afraid they might put two top ten players against one another. Pretty sure it wont be Djokovic since he got two night ashe sessions in a row. Also, I think they may put Federer evening Ashe since he hasnt been evening session since the first round. I would think it would be extremely rare for Federer to not get evening… Read more »
Hi Bob, while I’ve learned not to ever predict with 100% certainly, I would be absolutely shocked if they did that. Today we have two top 10s on Armstrong (Thiem v Anderson). I do think it’s also nearly certain Fed will be on night tomorrow, given the two consecutive Day sessions prior. We’ll find out for sure hopefully by around 2pm today! P.J.
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this book of comments, tips and tricks, and experiences of the Open. Going for my first time and lucky enough to sit in the President’s Suite on Tuesday during the day. But going early, and staying late, so your experiences and ideas are really helping me plan. Thanks so much for taking the time to do this!!
Pam, I’m so grateful for those kind words – so gratifying to hear they’ve been helpful! You are going to be in heaven in President’s Suite Tuesday – and for Quarters, how cool! Thank you very much for taking the time to write! P.J.
This blog has everything I ever needed or wanted to know. I read it every year before buying tickets. Thank you very much. You are a genius. ?
Arjun, you are too kind. Thank you thank you thank you!!! So glad it’s been helpful to you!! P.J.