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.












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