A Serious Tennis Fan’s Complete Guide to the 2026 US Open: Tickets, Tips & More

▸ Returning Visitors: Click Here for Latest Updates!
- June 28: Published fully restructured new version of this post to facilitate navigation, including this PDF 2026 US Open Ticket Options and Average Prices: How to Spot a Good Deal — day-by-day ticket options and direct links to check prices and comparison shop on Ticketmaster and Stubhub.
- July 3: Added FAQ: “Which seats in Promenade have obstructed views?”
- August 3: Updated details on shade patterns in Armstrong Stadium in FAQ: “Which seats get the most shade?”
- August 27: The NYT reported that the Open would offer limited $25 evening grounds passes for purchase on-site only through Sep 6: “However, they can be purchased only on-site the evening of entry and on nights that Louis Armstrong is sold out (not including resale tickets).” When I asked the US Open box office to provide more details, they wrote: “No unfortunately we cannot confirm availability beforehand, these specific passes are on a day-to-day basis. Evenings grounds passes are only made available day of based on the capacity of the events and the stadiums.”
- August 29: My new chart outlining how scheduling should work beginning in Round 2: “Who Plays on Which Dates After R1?”
- September 1: Fellow fan Carrie reported on the late-night taxi situation: “I had a great experience with getting a yellow cab at the rideshare area by the NY Hall of Science at around 11:30pm the first two nights. NYPD organized the taxis and the taxi line and I waited only a few minutes in line before I was able to get a cab and a fast ride back to the hotel at a very reasonable cost. There were plenty of taxis waiting to pick up folks. This was probably way faster than waiting for an uber, and the police officer organizing the taxi line even made the sure my driver had his meter on when he saw I was a woman traveling solo late at night!”
- September 3: I share observation on the new post-renovation Courtside and Loge sections in my updated FAQ “What’s different about Ashe after the big 2026 renovation to Ashe Stadium?“
By P.J. Simmons
If you’re a fellow tennis fan planning a trip to the US Open — whether it’s your first visit or your fifteenth — I built this guide for you. As a serious tennis player and fan living in NYC, 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.
2026 will mark my 18th time at the 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, StubHub, 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 and practical resources to help you sort through the complexity, understand all the ticket options, and make the best decisions for your own priorities and budget so you have an incredible experience. I’ll continue to update throughout the summer and the tournament. Don’t hesitate to reach out with a question below if you can’t find what you need – I’ll reply as soon as I can.
For my returning friends: Please let me know what you think of this newly restructured and updated version (June 28), which hopefully will make navigation easier and faster for you. Please let me know what you think – I’d really appreciate your feedback!
What Every First-Timer Should Know Before Buying Tickets
Whether it’s your first Open or you just haven’t been in a few years, here are a few things worth understanding before you spend a dollar or make final decisions on when to attend.
Consider taking advantage of incredible FREE opportunities to see world-class tennis and superstars the week before the main tournament (August 23–29)
Before the main tournament begins, there’s a packed week of events at the US Open grounds (“Fan Week”) that offers many opportunities to experience the magic of the Open without spending a dollar on a ticket.
The week kicks off Sunday August 23 with Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day. If you have kids, this is a great day to go with lots of interactive games, music, activities.
Then, the Qualifying Tournament (Monday August 24 – Thursday August 27) is an amazing opportunity for serious fans to see major rising players and incredible tennis up close. 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. In 2021, #150-ranked qualifier Emma Raducanu went on to win the US Open women’s singles title – the first Grand Slam champion in history to come through qualifiers. Maja Chwalinska came close to doing the same at the 2026 French Open. Read why Fan Week/Qualies are so special in this excellent piece by Steven Kutz.
Throughout the entire week, there are opportunities to see some of the top-seeded players and biggest stars in unofficial practice sessions (details posted on the practice schedule the morning of).
Note: Fan week also features four special events that require paid tickets: including Mixed Doubles Rounds 1&2 (Aug 25 10am); Exhibition play with Roger Federer (Aug 25 7pm); Mixed Doubles Semis and Finals (Aug 26 7pm); and a “Stars of the Open” exhibition (Aug 27 7pm).
IMPORTANT: TO GAIN ADMISSION DURING FAN WEEK, YOU MUST PRE-REGISTER FOR A FREE FAN ACCESS PASS.
The US Open is much bigger than Ashe Stadium. Get the lay of the land before you make your plan.
Most people think of Arthur Ashe Stadium when they think about the US Open—and understandably so. It’s the largest tennis stadium in the world (almost 24,000 seats) and home to many of the tournament’s biggest matches. But the US Open is so much more than Ashe. Think of it as a massive tennis festival spread across an entire campus. On a typical day during the first week, world-class matches take place simultaneously on Ashe plus 16 other courts.
In fact, some of the most exciting tennis during the tournament happens on Louis Armstrong Stadium (almost as big as the main show courts at Wimbledon, the French Open, and the Australian Open with around 14,000 seats plus a retractable roof in case of rain), Grandstand (with 8,100 seats), Court #17 (2,800 seats) and the smaller field Courts #4-16.
Some important basic rules about how entry and seating works:
- Any of the almost 80 ticket options gets you access to the entire US Open grounds — you’ll find every option laid out in the ticket chart below (2026 US Open Ticket Options and Average Prices).
- Once you’ve entered the US Open grounds, you can access unreserved seats (on a first-come basis) in Armstrong, Grandstand, and on every other court except Ashe stadium. Ashe Stadium has no unreserved seats, so you need to buy an Ashe-specific ticket if you want to get in. Armstrong and Grandstand have both reserved ticket options and unreserved seating. Courts #4-17 are entirely first-come, unreserved seating.
- Grounds entry times vary depending on your ticket: A grounds pass or “Day” session reserved ticket for either Ashe, Armstrong, or Grandstand allows entry when gates first open (usually 9:30am). If you only purchase an “Evening” session ticket for a particular day, you’ll have to wait until 6pm to enter the grounds. Once you’re in the US Open grounds, you can stay as late as you want until closing.
Learn how player and match scheduling works to raise the odds of seeing your favorite players.
Most fans coming to the Open dream of seeing their favorite players in action. But what many first-timers don’t realize is that it’s impossible to predict which players will play on which days, on which courts, or at what time until the detailed “Daily Schedule of Play” is released shortly before the actual match day. So if you buy a ticket to the Open prior to that – which most people do – you’re buying access to matches in a particular round of play, not a guarantee that you’ll see any specific player.
The good news is that having a clear understanding of how scheduling works can dramatically improve your odds of seeing the players and matches that matter most to you. Taking a few minutes now to review these things will put you ahead of the game:
1. Start by getting the big picture of the tournament’s schedule – here’s an overview:
>> You can find a comprehensive, day-by-day breakdown of the schedule and every ticket option here: 2026 US Open Ticket Options
2. Get a sense of what day-by-day match scheduling looks like by reviewing last year’s “Daily Schedules of Play” to get a feel for what types of matches are played on which courts during the various rounds. Keep in mind this is just illustrative: for instance, just because a player was scheduled for certain days or played on certain Ashe Day or Night sessions does not mean you can expect the same for this year!
3. Go deeper: see the FAQ “How can I predict when and where my favorite player will play?” below — it explains how to make educated guesses about who plays when and where.
How to Choose the Right Tickets and Spot Good Deals
One of the most common questions I get every year is some version of: “What’s the best ticket to buy?” The honest answer is that there are many “best” tickets — it simply depends on your priorities and what kind of experience you’re hoping to have. Some fans want the energy of being with 24,000 others in an Arthur Ashe night session. Others are happy spending an entire day roaming the grounds in the early rounds, hopping from court to court. Some want to treat someone special to courtside seats in a final round. Others want the most tennis possible for the lowest price. So the goal is simply to find the ticket that’s best for you.
Below are my top recommendations—followed by a time-saving chart I built to help you compare all the options, benchmark average prices and comparison shop, and make decisions with confidence.
Don’t miss the chance to see world-class players and great matches up close on the other courts beyond Ashe Stadium.

It was awesome seeing Ben Shelton up close for the first time in 2022 on Court #10 in Round 1 (v. Borges)
For my first US Open, I spent about $250 per ticket for a seat in the upper portion of Ashe Stadium for a night match 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 Ashe match, I still felt somewhat distant from the action (it’s a mammoth 24,000-capacity 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, the very cool Court #17, and other outer courts #4-#16). Once you have this experience you’ll likely get 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 –including seeing rising stars before they become household names, and feel the excitement of “discovering” new talent to cheer for. Over the years I’ve seen countless “next-gen” players up very close for the first time on outer courts before they were super famous — including Carlos Alcaraz, Coco Gauff, Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, Madison Keys, Dominic Thiem, Sasha Zverev, Felix Auger-Aliassime, and many others.
While I recommend everyone experience Ashe Stadium at least once, I also can’t recommend more strongly that you make time to explore the opportunities to see thrilling tennis in more intimate settings on the other 16 courts.
On a tight budget but want to see a lot of tennis? Consider going during Rounds 1 and 2, and aim for an affordable Ashe Stadium (or Armstrong Stadium) DAY session ticket — often comparably priced to a Grounds Pass, but a much smarter buy.

Be sure to take in some Doubles action too. Here was Casper Ruud and his partner William Blumberg during Round 1 in 2024.
Rounds 1 and 2 (Sun–Thurs of the main tournament’s first week) are a great chance to get maximum bang for your buck. There’s so much action across the entire US Open grounds, with matches happening simultaneously on 17 courts all day — and some play stretching into the evening. Crowds are heavy but not as intense as Labor Day weekend. It’s one of my favorite times to be out there.
Many fans assume a Grounds Pass is automatically the cheapest way into the Open — but often it isn’t. Before you buy one, always compare it against Ashe and Armstrong DAY-session tickets. During Rounds 1 and 2 those are often available for a similar price (sometimes less!), and they give you everything a Grounds Pass does — early entry when the gates open in the morning, the run of the whole grounds — plus a reserved seat and rain protection (both stadiums have roofs). You may end up roaming the outer courts more than sitting in that seat — but it’s there when you want it, and it guarantees you a spot inside if one of your favorites gets scheduled in that stadium. And keep in mind: a Grounds Pass won’t get you into Ashe at all (every Ashe seat is reserved). So if having Ashe be part of your experience matters to you, a cheap Ashe day ticket in the early rounds is often the most affordable way to do it.
And because a DAY ticket lets you stay on the grounds into the evening, you’ll get hours of extra tennis on the outer courts well past 6pm — all for the price of one ticket.
If your budget can swing it, I strongly recommend getting a courtside reserved seat in Louis Armstrong stadium (especially between Sep 4 – Sep 7) and/or in Grandstand (especially on Sep 4 or Sep 5).

Me spotted on Netflix “Break Point” series cheering on Taylor Fritz and Brandon Holt at the 2022 US Open – front row during awesome match on Grandstand
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 applying the same budget towards excellent seats on Armstrong or Grandstand for a couple sessions, I generally recommend the latter.
Louis Armstrong (14,053 seats) and Grandstand (8,125 seats) are the other two main show courts after Ashe Stadium – and they offer a much more intimate experience. A reserved courtside ticket for either can give you access to thrilling matches and players up close that you’ll never forget.
The first time I did this in 2010 I saw an unforgettable marathon slugfest between David Ferrer and Fernando Verdasco from the first row of the old Armstrong stadium… It gave me a memory I will treasure forever. Ever since, I’ve made it an annual tradition to go with friends to get excellent courtside seats in Armstrong during the 3rd Round or Round of 16. In 2019, I got to see 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 – including sitting first row behind-the-server for a match between Auger-Aliassime and fellow Canadian 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 incredible proximity to the players.
If you’ve never done it, consider splurging once on a courtside Ashe seat.

Me caught on ESPN cheering very loudly for Carlitos from front row Ashe (lower left) during 2024 Round 2 (v Botic van de Zandschulp)
After dreaming for years of the possibility, I finally bit the bullet to invest in Arthur Ashe Stadium Courtside seats in 2011 for the first time. It was bliss. Ever since, I’ve made an annual pilgrimage to experience Ashe 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.
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 on Labor Day during the Round of 16 and got to witness Federer perfection from a few feet away. Best money I’ve ever spent.
Before you compare options, get clear on what matters most to you for this particular visit — seeing a favorite player, incredible proximity, atmosphere, the most tennis for your money, shade, flexibility, or certainty. The more familiar you become with the market, the easier it becomes to recognize real value when you see it.
Here are 4 steps to making sure you make your decision with confidence:
- Know the benefits/restrictions of each type of ticket – read “What Each US Open Ticket Type Gets You” below.
- Review the day-by-day ticket options and average prices in the chart below. It will give you valuable context for smart decisionmaking, including up-to-date price ranges of what to expect for every single ticket option plus benchmark ranges from last year’s Open.
- Comparison shop — best done on a computer. For my full step-by-step process — which sites, how to read the maps, what to avoid — see “Which ticket site should I use?” under Before You Buy below.
- Scan the topics below under “Before You Buy — Common Questions” to dive deeper into many important questions that may impact your final decision about what’s best for you.

Before You Buy — Common Questions
▸ Should I buy now or wait? Will prices go up or down?
The frustrating reality is: it depends — and it’s impossible to predict with certainty. Buying US Open tickets can be a bit like investing in the stock market: knowledge and good judgment dramatically improve your odds, but there are always surprises because so many variables are involved.
One thing many first-time buyers don’t realize is that the inventory they see today may look very different tomorrow, next week, or later in the summer. Much of the market is driven by resale, because the USTA typically makes relatively few Standard tickets (“blue dots” on Ticketmaster) available, with most inventory pre-allocated to subscribers — and even Standard tickets are dynamically priced rather than sold at a fixed “face value.” As a result, prices can move in unexpected ways.
Historically, some sessions get cheaper as more resale tickets hit the market and sellers compete, while other high-demand sessions rise substantially. Who gets scheduled on which days, courts, and sessions matters too. Last year (2025), schedulers surprised everyone by putting the blockbuster Djokovic–Alcaraz semifinal in the day session rather than at night — so day prices spiked and night prices dropped.
Resale tickets are almost always available until the last minute, so patient buyers sometimes find great deals — but waiting trades certainty for risk. The best advice I can give: familiarize yourself with typical prices for the sessions you’re considering so you can recognize a good opportunity when you see one. The chart above is built for exactly that — every option, this year’s average ranges, and last year’s day-of benchmarks (for context, not prediction). One clue: if you enlarge the Ticketmaster map and see few tickets, scarcity often signals prices may keep rising; abundant inventory often means more downward pressure.
▸ Will the tournament release more Standard tickets and Grounds Passes?
Sometimes yes — but in a completely unpredictable way. The USTA has historically released additional Standard (“blue dot”) tickets throughout the summer for some sessions, sometimes for surprisingly good seats. There has never been a reliable pattern for which sessions or ticket types get more inventory, and Grounds Pass inventory can fluctuate too. My advice: check periodically, especially in the mornings, but don’t count on it for any specific session.
▸ Will I still get good tickets if everything looks expensive right now?
Usually, yes. One of the biggest misconceptions among first-time buyers is that the inventory available when tickets first go on sale is all there will be. In reality, more resale inventory appears throughout the summer, and the USTA often releases additional standard tickets too. The market keeps evolving right up until the tournament begins — and sometimes even on the day of the matches.
▸ Which sessions are the best deals?
This varies year to year, and some of the best last-minute deals turn up when the lineups aren’t what people expected (last year, for example, a marquee semifinal landed in the day session instead of the night). Still, here are a few sessions that tend to be overlooked and have historically offered relatively good value:
- Armstrong evening courtside, week 1 — exciting under the lights in a big stadium, but demand is lower because many fans choose day-session tickets instead (understandably, since a day ticket lets you in as soon as gates open, so you can catch as much tennis as possible). The trade-off: an evening-only ticket won’t get you onto the grounds until 6pm. But it can be an affordable way to see bigger names from a far better vantage point than the upper tier of Ashe.
- Quarterfinal day sessions — the biggest-name lineups almost always go to the night sessions during the quarterfinals. With many tourists gone and locals leaning toward evenings, day tickets here are often cheaper than the Round of 16.
- Labor Day Ashe evening — historically cheaper than other Round-of-16 sessions, since many tourists have headed home and demand dips. You still get great matches, and it’s a great time to experience Ashe at night.
▸ How do I see the exact location of seats I might buy?
Use the “Map View” on Ticketmaster for any particular session provides the best reference for the exact location of specific seat(s). After you click on the session/stadium that interests you, choose Map View, then mouse over or click any of the dots to see the exact section, row, and seat number. This is also helpful if you’re comparison shopping with Stubhub or other resale sites, whose maps may only feature sections and zones and not individual seats.
KEY SEATING CHARTS AND SHADE MAPS
ARTHUR ASHE STADIUM
- NEW 2026 Arthur Ashe Seating Chart
- My NEW 2026 annotated Ashe Stadium SHADE map
- Ashe “Interactive Seat Viewer” (updated for 2026) 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.
Update on the Renovated Loge Section
In previous years, I recommended prioritizing the lower half of Loge when Courtside wasn’t in the budget, because even the front rows of Loge were already relatively high up. With the new design, the front rows of Loge now sit meaningfully farther from the court (only 5 of the original 13 rows of Loge remain) – so sitting in Loge is only marginally better than lower Promenade, making it hard to justify paying much of a premium.
A warning about the first row of the new Loge section: The roof of the luxury suites just below juts out like a sore thumb from the front row, both creating a visual and emotional barrier to the court. Here’s a photo I took from the new Section 231 Row A.
LOUIS ARMSTRONG STADIUM
- Louis Armstrong Stadium Seating Chart (Official)
- Louis Armstrong Chart (with my annotations)
- Armstrong Interactive “View from Seat” Map
- My annotated Armstrong Stadium SHADE map
GRANDSTAND
▸ What’s different about Ashe after the big 2026 renovation to Ashe Stadium?
A lot. 2026 brings a huge change to Ashe: a major renovation added 2,000 new Courtside seats and removed around 2,800 Loge seats to make room for the expanded courtside area and newly designed luxury suites between the Courtside and Loge levels. Promenade remains exactly the same.
My initial observations after spending a few days watching play from various sections of Ashe in 2026:
The New Courtside
- Courtside seats (even higher rows) remain qualitatively much, much better than Loge and Promenade, which now feel even more remote. Overall, though, courtside feels far less intimate. And more numbers create intense crowds in the “Club Level” corridors (where you get drinks and food).
- Noise levels are worse than ever in the stadium due to the larger numbers of people in courtside and folks in suites, many of whom are drinking heavily and carry on conversations at full voice. All it takes is a few loud conversations to spark a chain reaction: background conversations become white noise, and everyone feels permission to talk loudly.
- Gone are the days when you would be embarrassed for standing in an aisle except during changeovers. The longer stairways — coupled with the highly questionable elimination of the continuous walkway at the top of Courtside — means people take too long to get to their seats.
- The addition of two cordoned-off Courtside rows (“100A-100E”) with walkway behind the umpire chair feels, to be perfectly frank, obnoxious. One the one hand, I applaud the move to put Players’ Boxes into the first row on this side (section 100A) and directly opposite (105AA). And I understand the need to reserve parts of these rows (especially 100G) for VIPs like Billie Jean King and provide special security for them. But selling the rest of these seats to ultra-rich subscribers — many of whom skip matches in favor of hanging in suites or resell the seats at out-of-reach, exorbitant prices — is infuriating to someone like me who has spent hard-earned savings on those seats in the past and literally been moved to tears of joy and appreciation to be in them watching favorite players.
The New Loge
In previous years, I recommended prioritizing the lower half of Loge when Courtside wasn’t in the budget, because even the front rows of Loge were already relatively high up. With the new design, the front rows of Loge now sit meaningfully farther from the court (only 5 of the original 13 rows of Loge remain) – so sitting in Loge is only marginally better than lower Promenade, making it hard to justify paying much of a premium.
A warning about the first row of the new Loge section: The roof of the luxury suites just below juts out like a sore thumb from the front row, both creating a visual and emotional barrier to the court. Here’s a photo I took from the new Section 231 Row A.
I’ll update the FAQ on views from seats as soon as I can with a few more photos, but wanted to share this update in real time (Sep 3, 2026).
▸ Which seats get the most shade?
ASHE STADIUM
The roof creates a huge amount of natural shade all day for many seats. The most shade is in the South and West sections. Next-best is the North. The most sun (to avoid for Day sessions) is on the East side. See my Ashe shade map. I will update this with more details after I’ve experienced Ashe post-renovation in person during Fan Week this year.
GRANDSTAND
Much less shade overall, but South and West are again better because the sun is more at your back. GA seats higher under the overhang — especially the Southwest corner — get the most.
ARMSTRONG STADIUM
Sections 1–8 (South and West) are best overall for shade, with Section 2 the best (in shade all day). Sections 11-16 (East) are the worst and sit in direct afternoon sun (however the top couple of rows are shaded all day due to the overhang from the upper deck). See this basic overview of the Armstrong shade pattern – then see these additional photos showing how various sections are impacted throughout the day. Additional details:
- Section 1 is fully shaded until around 12:30pm, then some rows and some seats in the first 8-10 rows start getting some sun). See this photo.
- Sections 17-18: Fully shaded until around 12:30pm, then lower rows start getting sun. By about 2:15, many of the first 8-10 rows (rows E-O) are getting sun – see this photo and this photo. By 3pm a few more rows in 17 and 18 get sun – see this photo. By around 4pm (not sure exact time) all of 17 and 18 are shaded completely again
- Sections 3-8 (West side/Chair umpire side) is in full sun at 11am, but the shade gradually moves down to blanket more and more rows such that by 12:30pm the top 10 rows (appx) are in shade and by around 1pm all seats are fully shaded.
- The last 2 rows in the lower bowl around the entire stadium stay shaded (under the overhang from the upper bowl).
- Sections 8-11: Rows U and above are always shaded, most other seats always in direct sun.
▸ Which sections and seats have the best views?
Most people consider “behind the server” seats (the North or South ends of the court) the best — and prices reflect it. For first-timers, that’s my top recommendation. It’s the angle used for broadcast: you can follow point construction and see the court from the perspective of the player on your side of the net, without moving your head side to side. Here’s a photo of the same perspective (from higher up seats) in Armstrong. Here’s another photo from Ashe courtside front row.
Corner sections are also widely considered to be highly desirable — and for good reason. They carry many of the same advantages of the above, with the added benefit you can see the player on your side of the net from the front as their hitting the ball not just the back. Here’s a photo from the new Armstrong from that perspective.
As a serious player myself, I personally love sitting courtside as close as possible in lower rows of sections where seats are practically on the court, perpendicular and near to the actual baseline (e.g., section 120 in renovated 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. Here’s a photo from Ashe courtside from that perspective.
For Loge or Promenade in Ashe, I generally recommend the lowest rows you can get regardless of location, since Loge — and especially Promenade — are already quite high up.
For Day sessions, factor in shade (West, Southwest, and Northwest get the most relief; see the shade question above). The umpire chair is never a real obstruction, but in very low rows on that side it can be a minor annoyance.
▸ Which seats in Promenade have obstructed views?
There are a handful of specific seats worth avoiding in Promenade based on reader reports in the comments over the years and posts on “View from my Seat.” Two recommendations based on every obstruction complaint I’ve ever heard about the Promenade:
1. Avoid aisle seats in Promenade rows A-E (due to large glass safety panels at the bottom of aisle stairways).
At the bottom of every aisle staircase, there’s a clear safety panel (with a metal support bar) to keep people from stumbling over the ledge. These sit at the ends of the rows, all the way around the stadium. If you’re in one of the first several rows (roughly A through E) AND in the seat or two directly beside an aisle, that glass and bar can cut right across your view of the court. Fans report this year after year, always in the same spots: the aisle-adjacent seats in the low rows. A few rows up, or a few seats over, and the problem disappears. The added bonus of skipping these seats: you’ll avoid fans walking up and down the aisles (which they’re only allowed to do in Promenade).
2. Unless you are fairly tall, avoid Row A in Promenade due to the metal safety rail. The front row of the Promenade has a horizontal rail along it. For many adults it’s a non-issue — you see right over it. But if you’re on the shorter side, or bringing kids, the rail can sit annoyingly close to your sightline to the near baseline. My advice for most folks is to avoid the first row altogether. Rows B and C give you virtually the same view with zero rail, and Row A’s extra legroom probably isn’t worth the tradeoff.
Check out photos from other fans of particular seats in Promenade at “View from my Seat.”
Note: I am not able yet to address questions about structural obstructions in the newly renovated Courtside and Loge sections – I’ll update after I’m there this year.
▸ Day session or evening — which is the better value?
For most fans, day sessions offer better overall value. You’ll typically get more tennis, more scheduling flexibility, and grounds access from morning until late evening. Evening sessions often feature big names and a special atmosphere under the lights, but you’re usually paying for fewer matches. Which is “better” comes down to whether you care more about the quantity of tennis or the energy of a showcase night session.
▸ Is a Grounds Pass worth it?
Sometimes — but usually not. Many fans assume a Grounds Pass is automatically the best value; often it isn’t. Before buying one, always compare prices for Ashe and Armstrong day-session tickets. If they’re available for a similar price, you get all the same grounds-access privileges plus a reserved seat and valuable rain protection from the stadium roofs.
▸ Should I buy a subscription or multi-session plan?
For most serious fans, I don’t recommend it. Most multi-session and first-time subscription plans are only for Promenade seats — so high up in that huge stadium that you’ll watch much of the match on the Jumbotron or through binoculars. It can take years to upgrade to Loge (only available with the very expensive full-series plan). For the price of a full-series plan (well over $2,000 each) you could buy several amazing seats across the tournament — or two excellent seats for the Men’s Final. And there’s always a glut of Promenade Ashe seats on the resale market, so an entire series of Promenade seats can be hard to resell.
▸ Which ticket site should I use? How to comparison shop?
Start with Ticketmaster, then compare resale. My process:
- Consult 2026 US Open Ticket Options and Average Prices: How to Spot a Good Deal to learn the average price ranges for the sessions you care about.
- Always check the official Ticketmaster US Open site first — on a computer for the fastest navigation. Use “map view” (click any section), try different sortings, and use multiple tabs to compare sessions. Ticketmaster shows both Standard tickets (“blue dots” — face value, most often Promenade, occasionally Loge/Courtside) and resale tickets (“red dots”). Surprisingly, resale red dots are often the best value, because resellers undercut each other. Tickets stay on sale up to 59 minutes after a session starts if inventory remains, and both Ticketmaster and StubHub make it easy to relist if your plans change (you need a US bank account to re-list on Ticketmaster).
- Compare availability and prices with StubHub and any other preferred resellers to see if you can find an even better deal for comparable seats. Other sites I’ve never had any problems with include Viagogo, VividSeats, SeatGeek, or Ticket Liquidator. I personally no longer recommend TickPick after two very poor experiences. My “2026 US Open Ticket Options” chart linked above links directly to every specific Ticketmaster and StubHub session ticket option.
- Only buy resale tickets that specify the exact Section, Row, and Seat (or seat range) matching the stadium seat maps in this post. Double-check what you receive matches what was advertised; reputable resellers refund a misrepresented ticket (but then it’s on you to find another).
- Never buy off Craigslist or classified sites — too many scams, and NYC law bans “scalping” within 1,500 feet of the venue (effectively everywhere off the subway), with undercover police on site.
- Going with friends? Consider buying a mix of cheap and amazing seats and trading off time in the great one (Promenade vs. Courtside, or across stadiums) — I do this every year. All tickets are mobile-only; if you don’t have a smartphone, Ticketmaster customer service can move yours to Will Call.
- For package deals (tickets + hotel/transport/VIP), trusted options include Championship Tennis Tours, Grand Slam Tennis Tours, and Steve Furgal’s International Tennis Tours.
▸ Are resale ticket sites safe?
Generally, yes — provided you use reputable marketplaces. In some cases resale tickets are actually better values than standard tickets, because sellers compete on price. Before buying, always verify the section, row, and seat numbers, and make sure the ticket is clearly marked for mobile transfer.
▸ How can I predict when — and where — my favorite player will play?
While you can never be absolutely sure whether your favorite player will be scheduled for a Day or Night session (or on which court) until the Schedule of Play is released the day prior to matches, you CAN predict which DATE your favorite players will play if they advance after the Round 1 schedule is announced. Here’s a chart showing which players would play on which days after Round 1 if they advance (based on the pattern from the first two days of Round 1).
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 site 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.
Another 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
- Only the biggest superstars (like Carlos Alcaraz and Coco Gauff) 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).
- 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 almost always scheduled for the night sessions.
- For Men’s Semifinals, we learned last year (2025) never to assume that the biggest starpower matches would be put on the Night session: they shocked everyone and put the Alcaraz v Djokovic match on during the Day session, and Sinner v Auger-Aliassime at night.
How to Get the Most of Your Visit
The night before you go, check the Schedule of Play
1. Download the official US Open Everywhere App (search “2026 US Open Tennis”) for the latest schedule, scores, and live updates. I also recommend SI.com’s tennis page for terrific day-to-day coverage and analysis.
2. Be sure to check the Schedule of Play here (or on the App) to identify the matches that most interest you and build your plan around that.
3. If you are targeting the first match of the day on either Grandstand or Armstrong and if you don’t have a reserved seat, aim to get in line early at either the East Gate (for Armstrong) or South Gate (for Grandstand) so you can be among the first to enter when gates open at 9:30am. Then speed-walk over and grab the best seat you can.
4. If you’re a player, you might be interested in reading my ten ideas for watching a pro match to help improve your own game— some of the ways I challenge myself to watch live tennis more deliberately from the perspective of a player who wants to improve.
Check out the practice courts for close sightings of the superstars
Check the practice schedule here (or on the US Open App) the night before and the morning of your day at the Open. Note: the best time to see top players practice without fighting as many crowds is during the Fan Week (see Tip 1).
Don’t drive unless you really have to — here’s how to get there
My top recommendation is to take the Long Island Railroad (LIRR) to “Mets-Willets Point.”
It’s super fast (under 20 minutes from midtown Manhattan) and drops you literally steps from the US Open’s East Gate. You can take it from either Moynihan Train Hall (8th Avenue between West 31st-33rd) or Grand Central. Look for “Port Washington” train on the monitors (signage may say “GREAT NECK” or “PORT WASHINGTON” — double-check the train number.) See 2026 LIRR schedule here. Download the MTA TrainTime app to purchase tickets. Important: the Mets-Willets LIRR stop is NOT accessible for fans with disabilities — exit instead at Woodside/61st St and transfer to the 7 train (or just take the 7 to Mets-Willets Point).
The subway #7 train is also a convenient (and the least expensive) option.
Takes a bit longer, but runs 24 hours. Stops include Grand Central. Download the MTA App for train time and routes. If you must drive: See the US Open’s driving directions and parking details. Plan extra time when the Mets are home (Aug 24-30 and Sep 4-6); I recommend arriving no later than 8:30am on Mets’ dates to be on the safe side. A good alternate parking option is the Shops at Skyview – about a 10-minute walk to the East Gate (and you can reserve a spot in advance for a discounted rate here). Consider buying a resale parking pass on StubHub for a specific lots. Fellow fan Harry notes street parking under or south of Highway 495 is viable if you don’t mind a walk.
Thinking of using UBER/ LYFT/ TAXI? They’re great getting out to the Open – but can be a nightmare coming back after a night session.
To the Open, set the destination to “Billie Jean King National Tennis Center” (drops near the South Gate) or “Mets-Willets Point” (near the 7 train, then walk the footbridge to the East Gate). After a night session, be ready for long waits and heavy surge pricing — thousands of people will be trying to do the same. Alternatives: reserve a car service in advance (I’ve used Riverside), take the LIRR or 7 into Manhattan and hail a cab there, or hail under the 7 train on Roosevelt Ave (or use the Curb app).
Consider staying nearby in Queens and walking or biking.
Fellow fan Mark stayed at an Airbnb on Queens Boulevard about 2 miles away: flat terrain, good bike lanes, and bike racks across from the South Gate — “a fun and hassle-free way to make the commute.”
Coming directly from Laguardia?
It’s only a 9-minute cab ride — or take the Q48 public bus to the “Roosevelt Av/Willets Pt” stop (around 30 minutes). You can check your bag at the US Open before you enter the grounds.
More Common Questions - Good to Know Before You Go
▸ What can I bring — and what’s not allowed? (No backpacks!)
Be sure to review this official complete list of prohibited items before going! To help clarify some common confusions:
- You CAN bring a drawstring bag (click here for example) but NOT a backpack with two straps
- You CAN bring a digital camera with video capabilities (however they do NOT allow “Video cameras or recording devices”, which includes GoPros)
- You CAN bring a plastic or metal water bottle 24 oz or less to refill on site (but NOT anything glass!)
- You CAN bring a fanny pack: but if you do you’ll still need to go through the “with bag” security line
- You CAN bring sunscreen in lotion form only, NOT aerosol cans
- 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: (in 2025 it was $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 to your mobile wallet (e.g. Apple Wallet or something like WalletPasses on Android)
- Sunglasses and sunscreen (lotion not spray)! If you forget, La Roche offers free samples just inside the EAST gate entrance.
- A backup phone charger (e.g. a Mophie) if you have one – although there are Chase-sponsored free chargers on site.
- A lightweight white towel (and/or lightweight neck gaiter) to protect exposed skin from sun or to sit on when in unreserved seats, which can get hot and uncomfortable.
- Reusable plastic water bottle (to refill using any of the many water fountains).
- 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.
▸ Can I exit and re-enter the US Open grounds?
DAY SESSION ENTRY TO US OPEN GROUNDS (Gates open usually 9:30 most days, 11:00am Finals weekend)
- With either a Grounds Pass (Day) or a DAY-session reserved ticket in Ashe, Armstrong, or Grandstand), you can enter the US Open grounds as soon as gates open (usually 9:30am, 11am on Finals weekend)
- Enter the US Open Grounds through security with your ticket scanned at the East Gate or South Gate; if you have a reserved stadium seat, your ticket is re-checked entering that stadium. Once you enter the US Open grounds with any ticket, you can stay as late as you want until closing.
- Note: DAY-session reserved tickets for Ashe or Armstrong only entitles you to that seat for the Day-session matches — after which you will have to leave your seat but can remain on the US Open grounds and access general unreserved seating on every court except Ashe (which has no unreserved seating).
- You can exit the grounds and re-enter as much as you’d like before 6:00pm (you can’t re-enter the Grounds after 6:00pm).
EVENING SESSION ENTRY (6:00pm)
- If you only have an Evening session ticket, you have to wait until 6:00pm to enter the grounds.
- If you are already in the grounds and also hold an Evening reserved tickets (for Ashe or Armstrong) for the same day, you do NOT need to exit and re-enter the grounds.
- If you’re in Armstrong for the Day session (courtside or GA), you’ll leave your seat between sessions while they clean, but you can stay in the Armstrong concourse.
▸ What if it rains?
The good news: since both Arthur Ashe and the new Louis Armstrong have roofs, far more fans can keep watching even
if it rains.
The bad news: if you’ve invested in Grandstand seats or just a Grounds Pass, there’s less consolation. Keep in mind weather forecasts are notoriously unreliable and change by the hour — there’s always hope showers pass quickly.
In the rare event of an all-day rainout (or under 60 minutes of play), the session may be rescheduled to the next day and your ticket honored then — or, if you bought directly from Ticketmaster, you may be able to trade tickets for another session this year or next (see the US Open’s somewhat complicated 2026 Inclement Weather Policy).
Worst case, look for the silver lining: you’ll be among thousands of fans you can grab a specialty cocktail with, huddle under shelter, and watch an Ashe match together on the big screen.
▸ Is grounds admission free on the second Thursday (Sep 10)?
One of the best-kept secrets: for years the US Open has quietly offered free grounds admission on the second Thursday of the main tournament (gates usually open 11am or noon; you must arrive before 5pm) — a chance to see the Men’s Doubles Semifinals plus all-star wheelchair players, the world’s top juniors, and standout collegiate players.
If you’re a serious fan — especially a doubles player — this is a day not to be missed.
▸ Food
FOOD: There are a bunch of options on site, but they aren’t cheap! See my chart outlining examples of the food stands by area on the grounds.
- This PDF includes several menus from past Food Village stands. Every year there are some new additions and substitutions, but many of these will still be around in 2026.
- Korilla BBQ is one of my favorites, but lines are usually among the longest.
- Poke Yachty is absolutely delicious and lines move quickly because they’ve nailed their system.
- Oyster Bar behind Grandstand has killer ceviches and lobster rolls.
- Hill Country BBQ, Curry Kitchen, Fish Shack and Fly Fish are also delicious.
- Restaurants in Queens not on the grounds
▸ What are perks for cardholders?
- AMERICAN EXPRESS CARDHOLDERS: Bring your Amex card if you have one! See full Amex Benefits at US Open here. Perks from 2025 likely to be repeated in 2026:
- (1) Amex Card Member Lounge on the 2d Level of the Amex “Fan Experience” (where anyone can also play a “Glow Tennis” mixed reality interactive game and get a complimentary manicure with tennis themed nail art).
- (2) Centurion Suite in Armstrong (Exclusive to Platinum and Centurion Members). Book in advance on Resy
- (3) Book complimentary court time in NYC area at over 500 tennis and pickleball courts and unlock special access to peak reservation times when using your Amex.
- (4) Check your bag for a reduced fee at East or South Gate
- (5) Get a one-time $20 statement credit when you spend $100 with your enrolled card at participating US Open merchants
- (6) Get a free earpiece/radio to hear ESPN match commentary
- (7) Skip lines and grab concession items quickly (checkout-free shopping) at the Amex Shop in South Plaza .
- CHASE CUSTOMERS? Check this Chase site for updates on perks for 2026.
- Click here to make a reservation to access the “Chase Lounge”
- Other past perks have included offering cool video+mobile “Chase Charge & Watch” chargers
▸ Recommended places to stay?
This is not an area of expertise for me, but I trust fellow tennis fanatic Melissa, who maintains a great list of hotels appealing to all budgets here.
Fellow fan Mark recommends staying in Queens and biking, based on his experience: “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!”
▸ Grounds access on Finals Weekend?
Grounds Admission tickets usually get issued at some point over the summer for Finals Weekend (Fri-Sun Sep 11-13) on Ticketmaster.
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 a random act of kindness for fellow fans during the tournament. Our tennis community is big, but in a way it’s small — and our passion is infectious; do something kind for someone today, and they’re likely to pay it forward.
For instance, if you’re leaving your great Ashe (or Armstrong or Grandstand) seat for the day/night while matches are still going, as you exit consider consider gifting it to a fan who’s waiting outside the entrance hoping someone like you might offer. Giving someone on grounds your seat when you’re done isn’t as easy as it used to be, given tightened Ticketmaster restrictions preventing transferring after the ticket is scanned and preventing screenshots from within the Ticketmaster app… But with a little creativity and effort you can pretty easily make it happen, and the gesture might create a lifelong memory for someone else. Here’s how:
- Take a screenshot of your ticket in your phone’s WALLET (Ticketmaster will block screenshots from within the app).
- For Armstrong or Grandstand, simply text someone else the screenshot and it should hopefully suffice.
- For Ashe:
- If gifting to someone already IN the stadium, a screenshot from your wallet should suffice — including if you’re leaving the Courtside/Club level area entrance and you want someone already in Ashe to benefit from your seat (from Loge or Promenade.
- If gifting to someone already in the Open grounds but not in Ashe already: You’d need to walk with them to the Ashe entrance, re-scan your ticket (telling the ticket scanner that you’re letting your friend go to your seat) AND give them a screenshot (which they’ll need to show to ushers or for entry to Club level); OR you’d need to walk with the friend(s) as if you were going to re-enter with them, hand the friend your phone to get scanned, then have the friend discreetly pass the phone back after they are “in” (then just turn around as though you changed your mind about entering themselves at this time).
I’ve gifted a lot of tickets over the years, and it always feels wonderful.












What time do gates open on Sunday 8/27 for the practice day! Great blog!!
Hey Kyle, Thanks! Sorry not sure exactly… I would check app/site night before to see when first practice is scheduled. Should be an hour before that. Here’s official page on this (they don’t specify and it can change year to year). PJ
I am a die-hard fan of Roger Federer and finally, i am in the United States and I don’t want to miss his very first match, I already took a day off from my work so I have Monday and Tuesday off, now which court day and session ticket should I buy to watch my favourite player live?
Hey there, unfortunately to be sure you’ll have to hold off until Day 1 (Mon) schedule is released. Keep pressing refresh on this schedule page. Here’s an explanation on why we have to wait… P.J.
**** IMPORTANT UPDATE TO MY UPDATE (6:35pm ET Aug 25) ***** Google is confusing the heck out of things. If you Google “US open matches 2017” then click Monday Aug 28 you’ll see basically every player listed playing an 11:00am match (and note no 7pm matches scheduled). THIS IS WRONG. Right now they have listed players in the top and bottom half of the draw as playing on the first day, which is impossible. The Schedule of Play for Day 1 has not been posted yet by the US Open. It will be posted here (2017 Schedule of Play) We… Read more »
I read somewhere Federer is play on day 2 (starting tuesday 29) is that correct???
Hey David, there’s still no confirmation as of now (Sat 840am). Google incorrectly shows all 128 men playing on Monday, which has confused things. We won’t know for sure until the Day 1 schedule is posted – hopefully sometime today. P.J.
Something I find so, so strange… they released times of play for next Monday today, yet it’s so hard to find those times online. PJ, is there a go-to spot for all the times.
Hey Thad, as far as I know they haven’t released the schedule yet for Monday – only the draw (men’s draw, women’s draw). We still don’t know for sure whether top or bottom 1/2 of the draw will be scheduled for Monday… Usually they put men’s top 1/2 of draw on day 1, but no set rule or guarantees. Keep checking this link for the actual schedule (the number “1” will be bolded once it’s ready, right only Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 are bolded — the days of the qualifiers, Q4 being today). P.J.
but google shows all the matches for Monday ¿?
EDITED reply — I jumped the gun after quick look at the current Google results now displaying. They are wrong and list every single player playing on Monday… see my comment at the top. Bottom line: we need to wait for official schedule to come out on US Open site or app to be sure which half of the draw gets scheduled for Monday. In past it has frequently been men’s top half on Day 1, but last year they had women’s bottom half on Day 1… There is nothing set in stone on this and it’s up to tournament… Read more »
wait but Federer shows playing on Monday….. top half of the draw
according to google Federer plays on Monday
Murray is two seed so wouldn’t top half be Nadal and Murray?
Hey Bill, no — Bottom half includes Murray and Zverev, Top half includes Federer and Nadal. See my explanation on seeds and draws here. PJ
Hi Sebastian,
Thanks for the headsup. Could you please post the actual link to the schedule. “My Google” shows Nadal, Murray, and Federer all playing Monday day time. That can’t be right.
Thanks in advance!
Hi Xuan, please see my note above. Schedule is not out yet. What Google is displaying currently is wrong. PJ
PJ
My first time to the us open. I have purchased seats for 9/8 Ashe in sec 109 c 1-2.
I know the sunny side…realized that after reading your informative site. My question is
Does this ticket entitle me to the women’s doubles finals and both men’s semi finals that day?
Also where and when should we eat that day in the Ashe stadium?
Thanks for all your assistance
Hey Diane, yes absolutely – just one ticket that day for all the matches in Ashe. Within Ashe there are stands all around the interior perimeter of each level to get sandwiches, hot dogs, and occasionally really good stuff – each year they have a few new vendors. I don’t go until next Sunday so sorry can’t offer any specific advice yet! P.J.
Could you please post the link here? Thanks!
P.J. – Nadal and Federer are playing on Monday though. You misread on google I think?
Hey Rick, jumped the gun – see my updated comment above…
Hey Sebastian, we jumped the gun – see my updated comment above. PJ
Not sure it would do any good, but you can send feedback to Google from the search results page. Maybe if all of your readers sent feedback Google will make the correction and stop the chaos!
Hey PJ,
Does the US Open release which days the top half of the draw plays vs the bottom half of the draw? Specifically, sunday Sep 3 night vs Sep 4 night? If so do you know which or can you guide me into finding out where to learn this info!
Thanks for your help!
Hey Brian, we will know for sure as soon as Day 1 schedule published. For example, if Top half is scheduled Day 1, then players in that half will subsequently be scheduled Wed, Fri, Sun (and players in bottom half would play Tues, Thurs, Sat, and Mon). Last few years men’s top half of draw has been scheduled for Day 1, but there’s no firm rule. And last year women’s bottom half was scheduled on Day 1… I keep pressing refresh on Schedule page because I’m dying to find out myself! PJ
Ok! Awesome. Yes I am very torn right now to risk buying sunday night in Ashe. I know once they release tickets prices will presumably skyrocket due to Nadal and/or Fed. I have monday day Louis Armstrong as well. If not a hassle could you let me know when schedule for day 1 is released so I can move fast!
Thanks!
Hey Brian, I totally get it and am in same boat! I will try to keep monitoring and post as soon as I see something, however I have some plans this weekend that will prevent me from accessing the Internet for several hours at a time. So please don’t count on me to be the most reliable source for up-to-the-minute updates! I’d recommend bookmarking the schedule page and refreshing occasionally… Also on app. PJ
Yes, understandable! I have the app and webpage consistently refreshing! If i see anything change, I will try to post ASAP for your convenience too. Thanks for the advice thus far!
Awesome, thanks Brian!!
Hi P.J.
First to echo everyone else. This is an incredible site.
So who will be playing on Friday September 1st daytime likely?
Will it be federer day and nadal at night in Ashe?
Is it the top two sections of the chart ?
Also, Denis shapolova just qualified, when can we see where he fits in?
Thanks.
Hey Taryn, thank you! Just updated an answer to this question under Box 3 FAQ #1 above – it’s complicated! In short, can’t predict for sure which day Fed/Nadal will play until Day 1 schedule comes out (soon); and you can only make educated guesses about whether it will be day or night in advance. Keep checking the Men’s Draw here for Shapovalov – his name will be filled in one of the spots that currently says “Qualifier.” P.J.
Awesome blog, thanks so much for putting this together! My wife and I will be there mon-weds during the quarterfinals matches. We are hoping to see Federer play in either the AM or PM session, from your above notes it seems that we won’t be able to know until schedule actually comes out. What are your experience in terms of ticket prices if you were to buy them the day before vs buying a week in advance?
Hey there, thanks! Correct, no way to know exactly. Just updated my note on this very question in Box 3 FAQ #1 above. For prices, it’s always a crapshoot – prices can skyrocket or plummet the day(s) prior to a session based on anticipated or announced schedule. Like the stock market, you can make educated guesses, but the unexpected often happens! PJ
Thanks for the great blog P.J, I will be visting the US open with my dad from 1.Sept. – 6 Sept. Do you know how to get the in ear radio, so as I understood if you have a n AmExp. card you can get it for free?
Thanks!
Hey there, you’re very welcome! Yes Amex will have 4 booths across grounds where they hand out those radios for free to Amex card holders while supplies last (details here).
If you have more than one Amex card, get an extra radio. Sometimes the battery dies unexpectedly. Or you can give one to another fan who couldn’t get one:)
Hi PJ!
Thank you for the blog and all the wonderful information – I have been following the post since last year in preparation. This is my first time viewing any tennis tournaments so please bear with me. With the draw out now and RF being in the first half, does it mean that he will be playing on Monday (R1)? I already bought Arthur Ashe tickets for the night but not the morning…and I really want to see RF play. Do you know when the schedule might be out?
Thank you very very much.
Hey Freddie, sure thing! Can’t promise 100% (we can predict with certainty when schedule released later today or this weekend – keep refreshing that page and checking the app) but it’s generally the case that the men’s top half of the draw (which this year includes both Federer and Nadal) is scheduled for Day 1. If that’s the case again this year, it will be great news for ticket holders on Monday, Wed, Fri, and Sun next week if both Fed and Nadal advance, because it means fans with Ashe seats will see one or the other (one will be… Read more »
Thanks PJ for the reply! I guess I will just stay put and see whether RF ends up in the AM or PM. If AM, I will go ahead and maybe buy a cheaper ticket up on the section 300s as I won’t stay beyond Wednesday and would love to watch them both.
Thank you very much.
Hey P.J.,
Great blog! I have a question. I have never been for the opening night ceremony but my friend wants to go. I don’t want to spend a ton of money and I found 2 tickets in Ashe sec 307 row C seats 1 and 2 for $60. Do you think these are good seats? I will be attending the Open Friday September 1st in Grandstand and Monday September 4th in Armstrong.
Hey Ricardo, thanks! It’s fun to see opening night ceremony, I went a couple years ago. Yes those are front row seats in that section, best you can do in Promenade and can’t beat that price. Only thing to possibly consider are resale tix in Loge (significantly closer) in 132 G ($128). You will likely see a big name player Monday night following the ceremony, so may be worth the extra cost. P.J.
Hey PJ, which rows are these? I do not need wheelchair access, but I got tickets for 9/4 evening session courtside sec 27 row J which looks like the last row, but I didn’t see anything about being reserved for wheelchair access. I know row N in loge is reserved for that purpose. I just want to make sure I didn’t screw up and won’t have a seat when I get there.
Hey James, yes Row J Courtside and Row N Loge are usually wheelchair – however I just checked and they have removed the restriction on several session available seats in those rows. Usually there’s a note that pops up saying something along the lines of “These are reserved for disabled patrons… By purchasing you certify you need special assistance…” If you don’t see the note, they have been released as Standard tickets. P.J.
Yes, when I purchased I didn’t see disclaimer asking about that so I thought I was good.
PJ- Getting ready to go to my second US Open this year and wanted to take a second to thank you. Your site was incredibly helpful to me last year as a rookie and I had an amazing experience! I’m hooked! Highlight was my first day – LIRR, amazing matches, rain delay huddled with tennis fans, evening session with Serena, then sitting courtside for Ferrer/Fognini going 5 until about 1am. This is such a wonderful, informative, gracious site for tennis buffs like me. Have a great time this year at the Open and thanks again!
Happy Tennis!
Laura
Laura, THANK YOU so much for taking the time! Really really (really!) appreciate it. Happy Happy tennis to you too this year! I’m so psyched myself!!! P.J.
First of all, great post with great tips! As a gift, I will be seeing the men’s final with a friend. Since I have never attended before, my question is with regards to parking. I know you mentioned to try to avoid driving if you have to but we would prefer to drive in if possible. Do I need to purchase some sort of parking pass ahead of time? I’ve noticed there are many sites (like StubHub) that sell parking passes but I didn’t know if those would be required. If not, would I just drive up and pay for… Read more »
Hey Frank, thanks! Awesome you’re going to finals. Yes, generally I counsel against driving (LIRR is bliss after you’ve suffered through traffic or taken the long 7 train). But if you really want to drive, the good news is that there will be far fewer people driving that day (since the main action is exclusively in Ashe and during the day only, thousands fewer folks who otherwise would have bought general admission or tix to Armstrong/Grandstand). You do not need to get a parking pass in advance. They’ll direct you when you get there to the appropriate lot ($25). You… Read more »
PJ,
Hey, just to verify about the quarterfinals order of play….There are two sessions, in the first session there will be one women’s quarterfinal followed by one men’s quarterfinal. And, this will repeat for the evening session? It just seems late for the evening session to start at 7pm for a women then a men’s match. What am I missing?
Thanks for the blog. Very helpful for first timers to the Open.
Hey Taylor, so glad it’s helpful. Yes, QF take place on both Tues and Wed Sep 5 and 6. Each day they put one of the women’s and one of the men’s matches on Ashe during DAY, then one of each at night (usually women’s matches first). See 2016 schedule for typical pattern. As for the evening session start time, yes, welcome to the US Open… where night matches sometimes stretch into the wee hours of the morning (see eg this article). P.J.
Such great information~thank you! The US Open has been on my bucket list for quite some time, and I finally planned to attend this year. I ruptured my achilles going for a drop shot return off of my serve and had surgery two weeks ago; however, I’m determined to come anyway. I’m on a knee scooter (no weight on left leg for 2 months) but am considering coming in a wheelchair. Am I crazy to come? Do you have an advice?
Jennifer, COME!!! Not crazy in the least. And FYI: there are several standard-priced tickets available on Ticketmaster for several sessions in the last row of Courtside and Loge that are exclusively for folks who need assistance (click on map for seat view to see individual seats and look for blue dots in last row of Courtside and Loge sections). You’re now entitled to take advantage of those. Being around tennis and fellow tennis fans will lift you up. Also, if possibly helpful, here’s a post I wrote on injuries as opportunities a few years ago. The perspective I gained during… Read more »
Yep…I’m definitely coming!
Thanks so much and thanks for the pep talk in your “injuries as opps” post.
Hi Jennifer-
I have also dreamed of attending the US Open & have plane tickets & tickets for Labor Day weekend. Two+ weeks ago I ruptured my plantar fascia playing tennis. I can’t believe this happened, let alone right now. We could be knee scooter buddies?? I’m in a walking boot as well. I’ve thought about also bringing my scooter but will there be a place to leave it while watching? Anyways, I just wanted to say that I feel your pain!
It’s gonna really suck if I cant make it for the three days I bought tickets because I get trapped by the hurricane 😐
John, Ugh I’m so sorry! I’ve got fingers crossed for you. P.J.
This was so helpful!
Thanks for all your tips!!
Thanks Misha, so glad! PJ
I can’t get to the us open until 1 Wednesday 8/30. Should I buy tickets in advance or can I buy tickets there when I show up?
Hi Michelle, prices are excellent right now for Wed 8/30 – so if you know for sure you’re going that day I would suggest buying now. There are also still several standard face-value tickets available in Ashe stadium (including great Loge seats) on Ticketmaster. P.J.
I plan on staying through the evening matches can I get one set of tickets for that? Would be cheapest just to wait and get tickets on site or am I then dealing with major lines?
Hi Michelle, once you’re in the grounds with any kind of day ticket (Ashe Day session, Armstrong or Grandstand reserved, or Grounds Admission) you’re in and can stay as late as you want – however you will not be able to get into Ashe evening session without a separate Ashe evening ticket. You can always purchase tickets on your mobile phone while you’re there if you decide to stay for an evening session. The only advantage to buying tickets on site is no service fees on standard seats (IF they are available)… However service fees on standard seats are pretty… Read more »
PJ, early forecasts seem to be indicating that of all the days within the next 10 days, Saturday the 2nd seems to have the greatest chance of rain (40% chance). Should that worry us Grandstand/Armstrong ticket holders?
Hey Paul, my advice having been through this for years: don’t worry too much in advance about potential rain (and likewise don’t be overly confident if clear skies are forecast). I have seen 10-day forecasts change dramatically time and again. Even forecasts 48 hours in advance can be wildly off! In short, too early to be too worried… P.J.
Thanks for the reply and also the blog, it is amazing and really helpful!!! Just a few more questions: Will the monday schedule be out the same day and time that the draw (friday 26 at 12pm ET) and if not, do you think it would be safe to assume the upper half of the draw will play on monday and the bottom half on tuesday and so on? (I would say that’s what happened in every major and tournament)
Thanks much!
David
David, thank you! I’m still not sure when Day 1 schedule exactly will come out – could be on Friday but might be over the weekend… But YES I’m 99% sure that’s going to be the case again — that those in the top half will get scheduled for Day 1 and bottom half for Day 2. Thank you so much for pointing that out! P.J.
Hey PJ! Thanks for this awesome blog! have been following it for some time now to keep myself updated on the latest happenings. We are a group of 12 friends going to travel to NYC for the Labor day weekend. We will attend round of 16 and definitely want to see Federer play. It’s our first time to US Open. 🙂 We have not bought our tickets yet and waiting for the schedule to show up this weekend to make an educated guess and then buy the tickets. Plan is to watch the day and evening session at Arthur Ashe… Read more »
Hey K, thank you so much!! How awesome 12 of you going together! You might consider “pooling” your resources to buy, say, 6 great seats and 6 mediocre seats and establishing a set time to “switch” (should be relatively easy if they print out chits with seat numbers as you enter stadium and scan your mobile ticket). I do this all the time with friends. Otherwise, most important thing is to click on the seat map (so you see the seat-level details, each seat as a dot) on the Ticketmaster website (shows both standard tix when available and resale). That… Read more »
Thanks PJ! This was very helpful.. would love to get your view as well when Federer is most likely to play in the Round of 16 once the schedule is announced. Will be tuned in!
So glad, thanks! P.J.
P.J., thank you so much for your prompt reply!
One more thing: any restrictions on camera lenses? It seems that they allow SLR Cameras (but not camcorders), I couldn’t find any rules for lenses. Do they allow telephoto lenses? I know many sports venues restrict lenses either by physical length of the lens (e.g., “no more than 6 inches”), or by focal length (e.g. “no more than 85 mm”). Does US Open have any restrictions on lenses? Thanks again!!
Hi Xuan, sure thing! I don’t think so. Here’s what a good friend told me when I asked a similar question: “I’ve been taking my larger setup (Canon 7D SLR with a 70-200mm telephoto) to the Open for years. If anything gets rejected simply check it in that luggage check area.” P.J.
Great to know! Thanks PJ!!
What an amazing work you’ve done preparing this post. Very appreciate that! We with my wife started playing tennis last year and became obsessed with the game. This year for the first time we’ve visited Roland Garros and understood that we want to repeat the experience, decided to go for US Open. I was very excited after reading this post, planned a big trip, purchased tickets and applied for a US visa. What a frustration it was to find out that our application was rejected 🙁 Now I’m trying to resell those tickets and was wondering if the price is… Read more »
Hey Denis, I’m heartbroken to hear your story. I know of one other fan from India who faced the same situation and it’s just awful. I am so incredibly sorry. For your Aug 30 tickets, I think you mean Ashe (neither Grandstand not Armstrong have a section 134)– and yes that’s a great price for those very good seats. Your Sep 3 Courtside Ashe seats are an excellent price and if it turns out Federer or Nadal play that evening should command much more. I have had tickets that I needed to put up for resale not get sold until… Read more »
Sorry, indeed it was wrong copy-paste =)
30/8 Grandstand, Section 16, Row H
3/9 Ashe, Section 134, Row C
I had fear that I put them up for resale too late. Again, thanks for this impressive post. We’ll definitely consider to come next year.
Hey Denis, got it. And thanks so much for your thanks! The going price for resale Ashe tickets will depend a lot going forward on who is expected to play. If it looks like Federer or Nadal could play that Sunday night in Ashe, should be no problem – if not, you may have to lower the price. Keep an eye on the individual seat map on Ticketmaster for those sessions to see the going price of other tickets around those seats. Similarly, for Grandstand it will depend on weather forecast and schedule announced the day prior. Right now looks… Read more »
Hey P.J. Didn’t manage to sell tonight’s tickets, even for a bargain price. So I just gave them away to my friends in NY. Anyway, if Federer was scheduled tonight I could definitely sell them, but then I would regret even more not visiting the game myself. Have a good time watching Venus’ play!
Hey PJ, I’m thinking if Fed wins there’s a better chance of him playing Wednesday day session. Do you agree?
Hey Jason, I’m really hesitant to guess… I think if Nadal wins tomorrow there would m be a lot of criticism if they didn’t put him on Night and Roger on Day. If Nadal doesn’t win, I could totally see them putting Fed back on night again. But truly your guess is as good as mine! PJ
To clarify, I was thinking better chance of Federer playing Wednesday during day. IF Fed and Nadal both win. It sounds like you agree.
Agree! It’s a gamble – but that would be my bet if they both win. PJ
Hi Denis, I’m the Indian fan that PJ was referring to. I had also visited Roland Garros 2017- my first and only Tennis tournament so far. I loved the experience and I wanted to visit the US Open too. I had tickets for the last three rounds of matches. I did print the tickets and take them with me for the US Visa interview. I also carried flight tickets. However, the Visa Officer denied me the Visa citing “immigrant intent”. He didn’t ask me to show my tickets- he just decided based on my current circumstances that I am a… Read more »
Hi Sarat. I’m really happy for you. My rejection reason is related to the fact that I recently moved to another country and from their perspective had not lived here enough to have solid ties. They explained me that new application will be no different, advised to apply next year.
I hope you’ll end up seeing Roger’s play. And hope that he’s gonna play next year so we’ll have a chance as well 🙂
What time does the draw will come out on friday 26th? Thanks much in advance!
Hey David, 12pm NYC time (ET). Note: I’m still not sure how soon after we will see the scedhuke for Day 1 (Mon). Might be later that day, might be over the weekend – haven’t gotten confirmation. P.J.
Amazing site! Wow, how detailed. So helpful. From a fellow USTA player (my brother in law and I play in the finals of our local club’s 4.5 doubles tourney this Friday — wish us luck) I was wondering — are Ticketmaster Exchange tickets priced as per the owner of the ticket? Presumably — you buy a blue-dot ticket for face value, and then if you want to resell it back on Ticketmaster, you set whatever price you want? Is that right? The reason I ask is — with Fed looking like a lock on being a #2 or #3 seed… Read more »
Hey Ross, thanks! 1) Yes sellers set the prices — but Ticketmaster exchange collects a fee on resale tickets, so if the seller wants to make back exactly what they paid for a ticket they would have to price it a bit higher in order to make back their original investment. 2) You will only be able to guess which day Fed plays based on day 1 schedule, once announced, not seeding: see my explanation on that with examples from past few years under Box 3 FAQ 2. 3) If you make a speculative bet, I suggest you do it… Read more »
Hi P.J.,
Thank you so much for the extremely helpful tips!!!
When will the schedule of play be released for the second day, Tuesday 8/29? Will it be Friday 8/25, Saturday 8/26. or Monday 8/28?
Thanks!
-XL
Hi Xuan, sure thing! It will be Mon 8/28. PJ
Hola PJ.
Te saludos desde Mexico te agradezco tu esfuerzo por tener este blog mucha informacion muy importante e interesante. En realidad es Excelente.
Te queria hacer unas preguntas vamos del 30-4 a la primera semana.
Mi pregunta es ahora q salga el calendario es posible comprar solo para un partido o es necesario comprar toda la sesion.
La segunda pregunta es si ya sabemos cuabdo sale el calendario
Y por ultimo es posible predecir cuabdo jugaria federer la 4a ronda ( ya sea en el dia en l noche ) con el calendario inicial
Gracias
Hola Jonathan, gracias por las palabras tan amables! 1. (1) No esta posible comparar boletos para cada partida – solamente para una sesión; (2) el “draw” se salira este viernes, y el horario para el primer día (28 de agosto) probablemente pronto después (el mismo día o durante este fin de semana). Cuando se anuncie el horario para el lunes (28 agosto), se puede saber cuáles días Federer va a jugar. Por ejemplo, si el primer partida de Federer es lunes, su proxima partida (si el gana) va a estar 2 días después (miércoles), y si gana esa partida su… Read more »
Thank you for your answer.
Hi PJ!
Thanks for this really detailed and helpful blog. Would you suggest attending this Friday or Sunday practice sessions (Aug 25 or 27) to get the best chance of viewing some top players? (I’m slightly obsessed with Andy Murray and would love to see him practice). My 14 yr old and I are planning a trip but we are not sure which day to head up.
Thanks for any tips that you might have.
Absolutely – free access this week and watching practices are among the best kept secrets. Check the practice schedule (see link above and also on the app) the day prior or morning of before heading over. Can’t guarantee you’ll see Murray but you’ll definitely see some amazing players and you’ll be around other hard-core fans. P.J.
Hey PJ, regarding the APP, I have it (the official one) and they still don’t display the practice sessions in there. I sent a tweet to the US Open official Account and they replied that they are working on it. Oh I already wrote a few times in here, once asking you about reselling my promenade tickets for the final and semifinal. well, today I just sold the one for the final (Yay!). Still haven’t sold the one for the semis but I have more hope now 🙂 Now what I’m left to do is to pack and pray to… Read more »
Hi PJ,
Thank you so much for this very detailed post! Where is the best place to go on the grounds for autograph signings from the top players? Also, if I have grounds passes for Thursday, August 31st, am I able to access the Grandstand and Armstrong and NOT Arthur Ashe or will I not have access to any of the big stadiums. Additionally, what is your guess of my chances seeing Fed or Nadal play on that Thursday? Thanks again!
Hi Kathryn, (1) Really tough to get autographs on grounds… Best to go to practice courts for players you care about (check the practice schedule here and go at least 30 min early before they are scheduled). If you have something they’d recognize – a photo of them, their branded shirt, etc — it’s likely to grab their attention. Be sure to have a marker and object in hand. It’s tough to get close to them at Armstrong or Grandstand after a match unless you have reserved Courtside seats. (2) With a grounds pass you can access everything except for… Read more »
Federer and Nadal will only play in Ashe, so you will not see them play a match with a grounds pass.
For the practice courts, the best viewing is from the stadium seating above, but you won’t get autographs from up there.
Hi P.J! This guide is awesome. Question for you- I’m planning to buy Ashe tickets for a night session on one of the quarterfinal days with a friend. I’m currently looking for tickets in one of the lower rows of the Promenade section. Are there specific sections you recommend more than others? I’ve been a longtime tennis fan, but this will be my first time going to the tournament. Thanks!
Hey Andrea, thanks! Check 339-340, 301-303 first row if you can – there are some standard priced tix available. P.J.
Hi PJ,
I’m planning on going on September 2nd and getting Ashe day session tickets. I plan on driving, but I haven’t been able to find out how much parking will cost. Do you know how much it costs to park in the Mets parking lot? Do you need to buy a parking pass in advance? How often do the shuttles run?
Hey Leanne, it’s $25 for Mets parking lot, which will be open that day (details here). It’s a quick walk from Citi field parking over to the US Open east gate. Not sure about shuttles but don’t think you’ll need. As far as I know you can’t purchase a pass to Citi field parking in advance – cash or credit card on site. P.J.
Sometimes, depending on the time of the day, I think, they will direct you to a lot on the park grounds. I think it costs the same. I think they have credit card readers, but best to have some cash on you just in case. The lot that I like to park in (just on the near side of the subway station right under the boardwalk) only took cash for a long time… If you end up being directed to a lot in the park that’s a little further, they will offer a shuttle, but it’s not always necessary. If… Read more »
This is terrific, Meredith, thank you.
There is a single seat available in sec 20 row B seat 2 in the grandstand for Thursday Aug 31 for only 90 bucks right now. Its a blue dot too and just popped up.
There are two more available in this same spot on Tuesday Aug 29th. But hurry because the ones available on Wednesday are already gone. I wonder why blue dot original seats like this show up so late?
Hey John, thanks for posting these! Yes, it’s inexplicable but continues to happen sporadically… P.J.
Hola PJ! Muchas gracias por todas la información y recomendaciones que compartís en tu pagina.
Voy a ir por primera vez y tengo la posibilidad de asistir el viernes 1 y sábado 2. Tengo un presupuesto de 600 dolares. Que me recomiendas?
Desde ya te agradezco.
Saludos
Hola Maxi! Acabo de chequear en Ticketmaster para ver las opciones en varios estadios. Tres ideas para ti (2 un poco mas de tu presupuesto): #1: 8/1 Ashe DAY Section 102 Row D $255 8/2 Ashe DAY Section 107 Row D $300 #2 8/1: Ashe DAY session, Section 122 Row L $195 (o also en “Promenade” seccion 300s para menos) 8/2: Louis Armstrong, Section 14 Row H $273 8/2: Ashe EVENING, Section 134 Row L $175 #3 8/1: Ashe DAY session, Courtside Section 47 Row F ($500) 8/2: Ashe Day session, Section 302 C ($160) and plan to spend most… Read more »
Muchas gracias por tu tiempo y por tu ayuda!
Un placer Maxi! Dejeme saber como todo se sale. P.J.
Thank you so much for this great blog! My sister and I are attending our first US Open this year on a budget and your tips were very helpful. We are extremely excited. We decided to go with Ashe tickets this year, but next year if we return I will definitely look into getting better seats on one of the smaller courts.
Hey Shannon, thanks so much for your kind note – so glad it was helpful. Have a great time! P.J.
Hi P.J.! Last year, I got GS Sept.4th tickets for $125 plus fees on Sept.2nd – row D section 19. I think I sat behind behind one of the coaches and entourage. I remember that even though I had this great seat last year, I spent so much of my time watching games on other courts. I am now seeing sort of equivalent seats for $175 plus fees. Should I buy now or wait and see if cheaper tickets show up? My ideal goal would be one day of grounds and one day of GS or LA. I get dizzy… Read more »
Hey Anya, prices are up across the board this year on average. I would personally prioritize Grandstand on Saturday if you can (more matches because R3 versus Round of 16 – however more expensive on average than Sunday Grandstand for that reason) or prioritize Louis Armstrong for Sunday (see section 11 row M seat 7 for a single standard courtside ticket now available, very good deal). Click the seat map for that session on Ticketmaster to see where it is exactly – a blue dot. If last year is a guide, there will likely be some resale seats that pop… Read more »
PJ – Can you tell me which seat is the best to buy fro Kid’s Day? Thank you!!
Hey Jenn, just checked what’s available on Ticketmaster. If just being on grounds to take part in activities outside of Ashe is most important, get the cheapest ticket you can ($10). If you want to treat the kid(s) you’re bringing to seats really close to the “shows” in Ashe stadium, which are part of the whole day, check out these courtside seats for $50 (here’s a screenshot of the ones I found) that are a really good deal relative to others being offered. (Note: any tickets numbered in the 300s are upper level Promenade seats, anything in 100s are Loge… Read more »
P.J.,
My wife and I have decided to go to AAKD this year for the first time, comparing section 49 row B to section 39 row E, which would you recommend? I think section 49 row B would have better chance of getting signature but section 39 row E would have better view, what do you think? Also, I need some advise on how to get there, we are thinking about driving but not sure if parking is going to be a problem (anyone know a good spot for parking?), or should we just take the LIRR?
Hey Scott, I’d personally go with 49B! (1) Closer and (2) yes, perfect place for autographs! They generally enter/exit through tunnel under 42.
On LIRR v driving: The LIRR is hassle-free and remarkably fast and drops you off right at the entrance. I love it. If you’re near Penn Station and that’s convenient, I’d strongly recommend it.
Street parking highly unlikely anywhere nearby. That day at least there isn’t a Met’s home game so you’ll be able to park at Citi Field (see this page).
P.J.,
Thank you so much!:)
Scott
Hi PJ! Thank you so much for this guide! I know nothing about tennis, but I wanted to surprise my wife (who is obsessed), so I got tickets for our 1 year wedding anniversary. We’ve been to the US Open before, but only in the early rounds. I know she’s always wanted to go to one of the final rounds, so I found tickets for around $80 each for the Women’s Final/Men’s Doubles on September 9th. They’re in section 313, row T, so I know they’re not fabulous, but they’re the best seats I found for the price. (I really… Read more »
Hey Kristen, you’re so welcome – and what an amazing gift for your wife! That’s an exceptional deal for finals. You will have a very good chance of moving up within your section; unless Venus makes the final, I suspect there will be several empty seats in Promenade given that Serena isn’t playing (which is unfortunate because so many other great women are playing). I’d recommend checking out the schedule the night prior to see what’s happening on outer courts during men’s doubles, if the ladies final is what you think she’ll enjoy most. Like last year (see here), there… Read more »
First thank you for sharing such a useful and comprehensive experience and I’d say it’s one of the best posts I ever seen especially much better than some Q&As to some degree! I’m a huge fan of Sharapova and plan to watch her match this year. But, first not sure if she will play or not (although US Open gives her wildcard, and then not sure which round she can go based on her struggling performance this year….So I plan first round now, which has higher percentage to watch her if she plays….Anyway, if anyone is also a fan of… Read more »
Thanks Jeff, really appreciate it! P.J.
Great blog — weird logistic question. This year we purchased reserved seats for grandstand. Do we get a printed badge to go in and out or will our phones need to keep their charge all day to show each time we enter?
UPDATED response. Joe, thanks and not a weird question at all… As Chris and Meredith point out below, they have had a system to print a little paper for those are leaving and need reentry with seat assignments. So should be fine! P.J.
Last year, a seat locator chit printed out when scanning a mobile grandstand (and Armstrong if I remember right) ticket on entry to the grounds. It’s likely the same will be true again this year but I don’t know if there have been any changes.
That’s amazing, Chris – thanks for letting us know, I guess I didn’t do any re-entry last year myself so didn’t notice. It would make sense they’d do this, especially now that they’ve done away with PDFs. Thanks again. PJ
I remember I once had a mobile ticket for Ashe and they printed a little slip of paper for me when they scanned my phone so I didn’t have to show my mobile ticket again when I arrived at the section.
No idea if they’ll do this for all courts/mobile tix… I always bring a charger anyway. Demand for service is so high there, my battery tends to drain quickly searching for service.
Thanks for the answers — have a great open everyone! Can’t wait to get there.
This overview was awesome. Thank you!
Thanks Thad, much appreciated!
Thank you for an amazingly comprehensive guide to attending the US Open. We’re (2 sisters and our friend) a little cash strapped and don’t want to spend more than about $140 or so for tickets on Labor Day Sep 4. We were considering General admission tickets but your note about long lines for restrooms, etc and the likelihood of not being able to re-enter Armstrong or Grandstand has given us pause. What’s your advice for the best tickets for that day at our price point?
Hey Toju, thanks very much for your thanks! I’d recommend grabbing some of the standard (face-value) seats available in 1st and 2d row Promenade for that amount in sections 306, 338, 339 – go to Ticketmaster and select that date, then click on the map for detailed seat view to see exactly which seats are available. Getting into Armstrong that day probably not realistic (or certainly not easy without a long wait), but it will probably be relatively easy to get into Grandstand general admission seats because only doubles will be scheduled that day on GS (which is so incredibly… Read more »
Really appreciate the advice P.J. We’ll Go ahead and get Ashe promenade seats.
My pleasure!
Hi P.J. – thank you so much for this detailed write-up. I have a quick clarifying question, on Aug 25 when the draw is announced, will the detailed Day 1 schedule also be announced i.e. the players that will play in the morning versus evening on Day 1? Also do you know the time for the announcement on Aug 25? Thank you!
Hey Rick, my pleasure. On the 25th, they usually also announced the Day 1 schedule – but don’t have confirmation they will again this year or exactly what time. Will try to find out but like everyone else will probably just be hitting “refresh” a lot on my computer that day and hoping to get a push notification from the 2017 US Open app. P.J.
What a great blog PJ! So kind of you to share your insights and answer so many questions. Thanks to your tips we decided to get Grandstand tickets for R1 (that’s when we are in NYC). I’m a court wanderer so that works for us particularly since we snagged some “official” tickets today. It seems that most are resold tickets. Hopefully this means that we will get a refund if the day gets totally wiped out by rain (although the long term forecast is looking positive). We got section 16 row B, right at the baseline, for $85. That seemed… Read more »
Hey Nancy, thank you so much! I think you’ll be glad you did that – there won’t be as much pressure on GS those first couple days, but the courtside seats are only accessible with reserved tickets and it is so thrilling to be that close. As for lines, one can never predict exactly (and they keep upping the number of people they let in through General Admission each year) but generally lines move pretty quickly. If you want to be absolutely sure you are in your seat at 11am for the beginning of warm-up for a match and not… Read more »
Thanks so much for the post(s), super helpful and insightful. I am going this year for the first time and I want to sit very close in Armstrong and/or Grandstand for first Wednesday day matches. Is it worth it to actually pay for a good reserved seat in Armstrong (currently around $175 on seatgeek)? Or am I better off paying the same money for a decent loge seat in like section 119 in Arthur Ashe for day session and then going over to Armstrong or Grandstand when I want to and trying to move down? To simplify, how easy is… Read more »
Hey Armaan, for that Wed I would probably recommend an Arthur Ashe Loge seat and going to general admission for LA or GS. You won’t be able to sit as close as with a courtside reserved at LA or GS (no, you unfortunately can’t access seats in those lower courtside reserved sections unless you have a reserved seat), but those stadiums are relatively small so even GA seats are relatively close — and you’ll have peace of mind if rain is in the forecast – and if Federer or someone you care about seeing is playing on Ashe you’ll have… Read more »
awesome, thanks again!
Hola JP! Excelente tu pagina! 2 consultas: 1) vamos con mi marido al Usopen los 4 primeros dias, de Lunes a Jueves, podremos comprar entradas en el día? siempre hay tickets habilitados para todos los sectores o se agotan?? me preocupa comprar con tanta anticipación, ya que dependiendo de quien juegue en cada session quisiera poder elegir una mejor ubicación o no. por ejemplo si juega RF me gustaria verle bien de cerca, pero si es algun jugador no tan importante escoger un lugar no tan preferencial. 2) La inauguración de este año seria el dia Lunes 28 en el… Read more »
Hola Lourdes, gracias! (1) Por las razones que mencionas, vale la pena esperar cuando tengas un presupuesto limitado y tengas preferencias para ver a jugadores específicos. Te recomiendo que compre los tickets cada día (durante el torneo) tan pronto como se anuncie el horario del día siguiente (normalmente a eso de 16:00 de la tarde). Si, siempre hay tickets (de reventa) por cada sesión – el único riesgo se relaciona con la variabilidad de los precios. Nunca se puede prevenir exactamente la situation… por ejemplo, los precios van a subir rápidamente para las sesiones por las cuales Roger Federer está… Read more »
gracias JP!
Hi PJ – thanks for all the useful info. I will be going to the qualis on 8/22 for the first time. I called the venue and was told the matches took place from 11am to approx 4pm each day. You however indicate 9:30am start. Can you please confirm which is correct? Thanks!
Hi Diana, matches never start before 11am – but gates open at 9:30am (on days when matches begin at 11am) for ticketholders who want to arrive early, avoid big lines, see grounds and shops, etc. Note: gates open later on Thurs Sep 8 and rest of finals weekend because matches start later – I think gates open at 11am then, because matches don’t start until noon (check ticket if you’re going those days for precise time). P.J.
Hi PJ,
Thank you for an amazingly comprehensive guide to attending the US Open. We’re (2 sisters and our friend) a little cash strapped and don’t want to spend more than about $140 or so for tickets on Labor Day Sep 4. We were considering General admission tickets but your note about long lines for restrooms, etc and the likelihood of not being able to re-enter Armstrong or Grandstand has given us pause. What’s your advice for the best tickets for that day at our price point?
PJ,
Is there a big difference between 134/135 and 102 in Ashe? It jumps about $100/ticket moving to 102 and didn’t know if it was worth it.
Thanks,
Clayton
Hey Clayton, no not really – stick with 134/135 (great corner seats) unless you particularly love sitting directly “behind the server.” Both excellent vantage points. P.J.
And those are towards the more shaded portion, correct?
Correct (i.e. they get shade earliest once shade begins).
PJ, just an update on what I’ve got:
Earlier, I found 2 Grandstand tickets for Sat, Sept. 2nd, in Section 6, Row M, for $180 each.. I just realized that’s behind the umpire’s chair- is that an issue, or are these good seats?
I also found several standard tickets for the Ashe Evening session for the same day (FYI to those searching) in Loge Section 105, Row L, for $175 each. Are these a good deal as well?
Should I be satisfied with these, or should I keep looking?
Thanks for everything!
Hey Paul, row M is back enough from the umpire chair in section 6 that it’s not a big deal. It’s only slightly an issue when you’re in the first few rows directly behind or on the side of the chair – but that downside is offset by the thrill of being really close. As an example, here are 3 photos I took last year sitting in front row of section 7 of Grandstand (just to left of umpire chair) where I loved the awesome experience of watching Gael Monfils against Baghdatis from a couple feet away (note, one is… Read more »
Hi, I am attending the open on Friday September 1st but will be leaving to see a play in the evening. Can I give my tickets to someone. I will have 3 tickets. We have seats at Ashe for the day session only so it will just be a grounds pass at night.
Please let me know.
Also, can we leave the grounds to go and get food during the day and get back in?
Are we allowed to bring food in?
Thanks,
Taryn
Hey Taryn, that’s a tricky question. Short answer: I don’t think so. Long answer: (1) this year’s new policy favoring mobile tickets will likely make it impossible off the bat (unless you elected to receive printed hard copies of your tickets); once you scan the barcode on your phone, you won’t be able to transfer those tickets to anyone else. (2) Usually for reentry to the grounds they give you a stamp or something that can’t be transferred to someone else. This year, transferring a hard ticket to someone already in the grounds will remain an easy option (e.g., if… Read more »
Thanks for that info.
Also do you think the fan pass is useful?
I am not clear what it does for us?
Hey Taryn, great question – I personally didn’t bother last year so don’t have any experience to share – I could only attend two days last year and went straight to the courts and skipped the various booths (activities, sponsors, etc). Some of those booths require that you’ve registered for “Fan Pass” – and when you register you get added to a sweepstakes to potentially win prizes. There are also scannable QR codes (those square symbols) at various booths and apparently the more you scan the more you can win “instant prizes.” They’ll also send you a “daily recap” email… Read more »
Okay, quick question. Section 4 Row B in the grandstand. Is that a good seat. Looks like its second row on the aisle. Hard to tell from the interactive viewer if the seat is a good one.
Thanks
Hey John, that’s actually one of my personal favorite places to sit — right next to player, side view but very very close. P.J.
Thanks for the advice. I purchased it for the Day 3 session for $149. Ticket is already in my app on my phone. I hadn’t seen a seat that close in grandstand anywhere near that low of a price so I went ahead and bought early. I am still holding out for better deals for day 4 and 5 sessions.
Sounds good!
And Let’s hope no one else withdrawals so there will still be higher ranked players on the grandstand. Thinking I should maybe get armstrong for the other 2 sessions but was concerned the temporary facilities wont be as nice as the grandstand
No matter what there will be excellent players on Grandstand… I would consider adding Armstrong on day 5 (Friday) when crowds will be greater. I’m sure the temp facility will be excellent, and because there are subscribers expecting value I anticipate they will continue to treat it as the #2 court this year and schedule players accordingly. PJ
Hi PJ, I’d like to bring to your attention the face that Federer may be seeded third it Murray plays the US Open as he is still 5 points behind Murray after Cincinnati.
That means Rafa and Roger may meet in the Semis if Andy is playing.
Hey Sarat, you’re absolutely right, thanks so much. If Murray rehabs hip successfully and is able to play, that will indeed be the scenario. Thanks again!! P.J.
PJ, what’s your personal gut feeling regarding Fed’s injury that caused him to withdraw from Cincy? Think there’s any chance he may miss the Open altogether? I was so bummed to hear he had to pull out of Cincy.
Hey James, my gut is that he will do everything he can to be in good shape for the Open – and pulling out of Cincy was one of the best ways to do that. I’m very hopeful! P.J.
Hey PJ,
Do you know if the players practice everyday, or the day before the matches, or only when they play that day?
Thank you!
Hey Rodrigo, depends on the player… Here’s a great overview. P.J.
Thank you very much! This is great!
I´ll be sure to keep checking the schedule online! I´ll even try to see if I can get some action on sunday 27th, since I will be arriving in NY on the 25th!
Hi PJ, As many have already mentioned, thank you so much for the information you have shared. There is a wealth of knowledge about the US Open in what you have shared and Q&A’s afterwards. I have been to the Open for the last 15+ years. Lived in NYC area for most of my life and moved to the Chicago suburbs in 2005, and I still have not missed a year. I can usually make it in for just one day b/c of home and work schedule, and therefore a tremendous risk in coming out (I’ve had days when it… Read more »
Hey Nasrullah, thank you so much for sharing this and for all the great insights! I’ve also had the full-day rain-out experience, which is why I was ecstatic when Ashe roof finally was completed and equally happy when they announced that new Armstrong (next year) will also have a roof. My feeling about Labor Day is that if you have reserved seats and plan to stay in them, it can be great – atmosphere is exciting and it’s round of 16 by that point. But it’s a terrible day to try to bop around from court to court to see… Read more »