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, thank you so much for sharing all of this info! I’m bringing my 8 year old tennis fanatic next weekend (8/30 day session in Ashe), and this was so helpful. He’s been playing for a few years, and I became a tennis fan because of his interest. We had a disappointing men’s finals at Cinci on so we’re hoping for some really good tennis while we’re there!
Hey Kelly! I’m so excited for you and your son! Super sorry you had that big disappointment at Cincy, it was crushing to see… But hope your experience at the open more than makes up for it. Have a blast!
Hi! First time attendee. If I buy a ticket for Men’s Semifinal/womens double final do I get to see both? Do you think it’s better to attend above mentioned one at noon or the 7pm men’s semi final?
Hi Nicole! Yes both are included. The answer depends on your budget and preferences. The day semifinal as you noticed includes women’s dubs final. The evening semifinal will definitely feature what most consider to be the most popular players or most exciting crowdpleasing match (ie Alcaraz if he makes it though). It’s also always more pricey.
Thank you! Other question is if I buy the men’s semifinal ticket does that include a day pass to the grounds or will I need to purchase that separately?
Yes! Any day ticket gets you in the grounds – you juts also get a reserved seat you can use for as little or as much as you want.
Fantastic website. Really and truly. Thank you. You mentioned that Loge can “feel” high up. If I can splurge for Courtside at Ashe– is the back row of Courtside still worth it? Or is there a huge different between, say, the last row and halfway down?
Hey Rick, thanks!! Yes, 100%. There are two levels of suites between courtside and Loge — so the difference is much more stark than between the last row of Loge vs first of Promenade, which are much closer together.
PJ — thanks for the info here, first-time attendee.
If I wait until morning of to buy stadium tix, do I risk losing out — or do they not sell out?
Thanks.
Hi Michael, it’s rare for sessions to sell out entirely (meaning that there aren’t even any resale tickets available). But it can happen when the most popular players or highly anticipated match-ups are scheduled. The best advice I can give for those who are willing to wait to the last minute to spot a good deal: – Keep monitoring the session to track how many tickets are still available in sections you’re targeting – and keep monitoring until the schedule comes out for that particular session. – Keep refreshing your browser or checking the app until the schedule is announced… Read more »
Thanks, yes it does.
Is the day-of-play schedule announced the morning of, or well in advance?
Hi Michael, daily schedule of play comes out usually as follows:
– For round 1 Ashe and Armstrong, usually the Friday before (ie tomorrow) then full schedule the day before
– For rounds 2 and 3, usually mid-to-late afternoon the day before (sometimes earlier for Ashe and Armstrong followed by all other courts later)
– For round 4 and later, usually around noon or early afternoon the day before
Hello. Thanks for all the great tips. For Sun 8/31, If I’m not able to arrive for a Day session until Noon/1pm, would you say it would be wasteful to buy a Day Session pass and instead should consider Grounds, or there’s still plenty of tennis to see in Ashe/Armstrong and shouldn’t worry about missing the first hour+? What time do Day Sessions end before they have to clean/prep for evening?
Hi Brett, Ashe matches don’t actually get underway until around 12:20pm (sessions start at Noon but there’s intro to players and warmup first, which usually takes around 20 min). And Armstrong Sunday 8/31 will feature 4 matches. So if you want to get tickets for either I don’t think it would be wasteful at all. Keep in mind there will be tons of folks competing for Armstrong unreserved seats that day and you can’t get into Ashe with a grounds ticket. And outer courts will not feature singles. See 2024 schedule of play as example: https://www.roadto45tennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/2024-US-Open-Tennis-Daily-Schedules-All-Courts.pdf
Ashe sessions will be at 11:30am this year except for Sunday, Day 1.
Yikes, hadn’t seen that yet – thanks for pointing out!
Brett, you’ve probably seen already but just wanted to point out they changed schedule this year and are starting Ashe Day sessions at 11:30am (so matches will start around 11:50am after warmup/intros). Armstrong matches start at 11am.
Do you need ground passes for the day if you’re reserved tickets are for the evening?
Evening tickets enable grounds entry at 6pm. If you want to enter earlier, you’ll need some kind of day session ticket or grounds pass.
Does anyone know what time the blue and orange parking lots open during the first week (Rounds 1-4) relative to the US Open gates opening at 9:30am? Cannot find anything on the US Open site…
I don’t know for sure but I am in the lots by 9am and they are open then. My guess would be 8:30am.
Parking lot open at 7 AM. I spoke to an employee this morning, who confirmed it
Thanks, Tom!!
Hi PJ! Great guide, thank you so much! In your experience, how worth is it to buy Ashe tickets before the schedule is announced? For instance, if I were to get Ashe tix for Sunday Day for $160-180, is it worth jumping on before the schedule comes out, or will a poor schedule cause the Day prices to dip below that level? Thanks!
Hey Jordan, it’s kind of like advising folks trying to game the stock market… hard to give any strong rec on that one. I would just keep closely monitoring the seats / sections you’re interested in so you’re very familiar with the going rates so that if you wait until the schedule comes out you’ll be ready to make an educated decision immediately.
I remember I saw here a great tip about getting a nice view a the sunset with manhattan skyline. How can I approach this view, thank you in advance.
Take the escalators to the top of Arthur Ashe Stadium for amazing views!
Hi PJ, do you have any advice on how to get the cheapest Arthur Ashe day session tickets possible on August 25th? Are current prices reasonable or should I keep waiting?
Hi Rishi, My best advice: just keep checking monitoring overall supply of Promenade tickets over the next couple days to be very familiar with what’s on offer and be prepared to make your decision very quickly as soon as the Aug 25 Ashe Day session schedule is announced (which could be as soon as this Friday) – who gets scheduled will determine whether prices go up or down in any substantial way.
RE: Grounds Passes prices-
Before you buy thse Resale passes, keep looking every day multiple times a day for release of Standard Official priced grounds passes. Just looking now (Aug 19 2:50 pm) and seeing Standard official passes prices at $156 or lower!)
How do you think the quality of 1st round tickets will lessen this because of an extra day being added? Do you think there will now be a lot less matches taking place into the evening hours on the outer courts? I’ve always gone to one of the first two days for this reason. Plus, only singles matches being played.
Hi Mike, yes there will be fewer total matches on each day during round 1 (Sun-Tues this year) than in previous years. Weather of course will also impact things… If it rains on any of those days, matches would be delayed and pushed further into the evening (or even to the next day in case of extreme rain).
As of now, looks like 30 percent chance of showers after 2pm for Sunday. Rest of the first week looks good.
Answering Tami’s question where players enter on Armstrong and Grandstand:
Armstrong: between sections 2 and 3 (southwest corner tunnel).
Grandstand:
Between section 9 and 10 (northwest corner).
You beat me to it, thanks so much (and Tami, confirming these are correct)!
Thanks so much!!!
Thanks so much!!!
Incredibly helpful information – thanks!
I just want to be sure: if I have an Ashe day session ticket, can I leave the grounds to grab dinner and reenter to watch more games on the other courts?
Yes! You just need to re-enter BEFORE 6pm on the same day.
Is there a separate queue for evening ticketholders? I always arrive at 9am and leave 12+ hours later. I imagine the evening ticketholders start lining up at 5pm or so for entry at 6pm.
If I am walking in around 5:30pm, is there a separate queue so that I can bypass those waiting and re-enter with my day ticket?
Hi Tom, yes there is a lane to the side for reentry (or at least that’s how I remember it – I’ve only done that once). Anyone else have more recent experience to confirm?
I missed last year as I wasn’t living in NYC – back this year after going in 2022 and 2023 with great advice from this blog. I remember being able to get Day 1 or 2 Ashe nosebleed tickets for less than $100 just a couple years ago. Has the ticket price really more than doubled in just two years?? Cheapest I’m seeing are ~$250!
Hi Marty, yes average prices are way (!) up this year. As always, there are new standards popping up randomly every day – and sometimes that depresses resale prices, so you can sometimes find deals for even less than standards. My best advice: just keep checking and refreshing that browser!
US Open has just released a lot of standard price tickets for the first few days that are the more reasonable prices.
Hello everyone. Does anyone know what section the players enter/exit from for each stadium? The Arthur Ashe map shows it’s between sections 42/43 and 44/45. However, it’s not show on the maps for Armstrong and Grandstand. If anyone has that information, I would really appreciate it. Thanks!
Hi! Thanks for this awesome resource. Would love to go Wed the 20th to watch some free qualifying or practice. But really can’t arrive at the Open until about 615pm. Will I get to see any tennis? Will they let me into the grounds for free?
Hi Eric, apologies for the delay – yes they will, but check the weather forecast before you head out…
Thanks for the advice over the years. Here is my question: If you have tickets for a night game on Day 1 or 2 and you want to gain entry when the gates open, do you have to buy day tickets? If yes, any other advice? Thank you in advance.
Hi Larry, my pleasure. Evening session tickets allow entry at 6pm – so if you want to get in earlier you’d unfortunately need some kind of day ticket.
Hi PJ
What time do you suggest arriving for the mixed doubles event? It will be a race to the best seats. Gates open at 10:00, matches start at 11. When will they let us enter Ashe?
LIRR arrives from Grand Central only has arrivals to Met Willets at 9:05 and 10:09.
Hi Manisha, so sorry for the terribly late reply and not to be helpful in time… Hopefully you are there and enjoying!
It all worked out. Thank you! Your earlier advice was super helpful. The mixed doubles was so much fun!!! I highly recommend it if they do it next year. The energy was electric! To see so many top players was amazing.
So glad to hear it!! I’m loving watching the semis and finals on tv right now…
Incredible event! This format seems like a game changer for mixed doubles. So exciting to see top singles players against top doubles players.
Hi and thanks for all your help and the comments are great. My question is being a first timer do you ever go to day and night sessions or better just to go to one?
Hi Liv, sorry for the delayed reply! The answer totally depends on the individual. For me, I can be happy at the Open from the moment I step in the gates at 930am all the way through a nail-biter match that goes until after midnight. If you’re going during rounds 1 and 2 (Sun-Thurs week 1), I’d say just get a Day ticket then plan to stick around for outer court (non-Ashe) action as long as you feel like it. And/or if after the schedule is announced for the particular night in question you they schedule a player/match you REALLY… Read more »
My favourite USO experience is day ticket in Armstrong on middle Sunday or Labour Day and then Ashe evening ticket!
Same here, Tom! I almost always have to pull myself from Armstrong to get to the night session on Ashe in time, but I’ve never regretted that itinerary.
Hi there!
Wondering if you have tips on what to wear and/or changing clothes if attending day session and then going to one of the nicer restaurants for dinner. I’d love to not bring a bag . . but do people really go to dinner in the same sweaty shirt they wore all day?
I know this might be a ridiculous question . . total newbie here. Please be kind.
Any suggestions are much appreciated!
Thanks!
Hi! Not a ridiculous question at all. Unless it’s important for you to dress to impress, I recommend wearing whatever makes you most comfortable and happy! Even in the nicer restaurants you’ll both see people fully decked out and people in sweaty casual clothes and everything in between. Truly, anything goes and no one cares 🙂 But it IS important to check the forecast before heading out and bring layers if needed – both to protect against sun (or shed if it’s super hot) or to keep warm during potentially chilly/ windy evenings. The temp ranges can be extreme this… Read more »
FYI everyone – ALWAYS look at Ashe tickets before buying those absurdly priced resale Grounds Pass tickets. A few tickets here and there pop up all the time
I just got a Thursday AM Standard (non-resale) ASHE Loge row L ticket for $265 (+ tax/fees), whereas all the grounds passes are about $212. My ticket is just like a grounds pass, plus whoever plays on Ashe.
Hello P.J., Your blog is so helpful. We are first timers planning to go as a family trip on Tuesday Aug 26th. We are a group of 7 adults but 2 cannot come until the night session. Does it make sense to get 5 day Arthur Ashe and then 2 Armstrong night tickets? I am thinking then we could all sit together in unreserved for the night session in Armstrong. Am I thinking of this properly? Alternatively, we could get 5 day Ashe and then 7 night Ashe if that would be needed. One other question – we are all… Read more »
Hi Margaret, so sorry for the delay in replying! I think your plan makes great sense of buying 5 Day + 2 Armstrong evening (with the option of you all sitting together in unreserved Armstrong seats). I’d recommend getting those 2 Armstrong courtside (not upper deck) though, as prices are about the same and that way you at least have the option of a couple of you sitting in the lower bowl if you wish.
As for shade in Ashe, 301 is shaded the entire time – but those 306 seats may get some sun later in the afternoon.
Im so ready for tennis! How much longer will we have to wait for the Qualies draw to be announced and OOP for tomorrow? I keep looking all over the place!
Happy Sunday !
Hi Courtney, sorry for the belated reply – hopefully you saw it’s posted here!
Yup, Saw it Thanks 🙂
Thinking of getting reserved seats on Sept 3 for mens/women’s quarterfinals. Anyone know if the session would allow me to see two matches? Women’s and men’s — or just one?
Hi Kent, yes always 1 men’s and 1 women’s QF per session.
Thank you! I’m on a budget this year, so this overview helped me make a great plan: practice matches on 8/23 and possibly the grounds pass to watch the finals with other fans. I appreciate all these details!
Thank you, Michelle, so so happy to hear that!
Such great info! which Ashe sections do the coaches have? i love watching the players boxes!
Thanks! In recent years it’s been sections 8-9 and 28-29.
Hey PJ. Can’t thank you enough for this awesome site. Been coming back to it for years as I plan annual visit to my favorite event on the sports calendar. Last year for the first time, I got tickets in Armstrong on Sunday and Monday of Labror Day weekend. Single session both days with four matches each day. Two amazing days of tennis! Realize there’s no way of knowing for sure but it looks like it’s set up the same way again this year. Any idea why they don’t break those up into day and night sessions? Judging by ticket… Read more »
Hi Jeff, you’re most welcome and thanks for the kind words! Yes, thankfully Sun and Mon Labor Day weekend in Armstrong are still only one session per day and they haven’t broken those up like they did with the previous days. It used to be Armstrong tickets were ALL one session per day (like with Grandstand) – but after they built the new Armstrong, they realized they could bring in more revenues by adding an evening session. Not sure why they haven’t touched those sessions, but fingers crossed they won’t 🙂
Oh gosh, don’t give them any ideas. These are my 2 favorite days at the Open!
You and me both, brother!
2025 first timer! Planning on going to one day of round 2 matches. Would you say male players ranked 1-4 almost always play on Ashe??
Hey Courtney! Most of the time, but not always… Sometimes they will favor a lower-ranked (or even unseeded) player who is beloved by fans, having a comeback, or an interesting backstory — and they have often prioritized Americans players for Ashe. This year, for instance, I can’t imagine they wouldn’t put Novak’s round 2 match on Ashe.
I think Alcaraz and Novak and Coco are pretty much guaranteed Ashe at any point during the tournament.
Agreed!
Hi mate
Thanks again for these amazing info & details.
I’m gonna go the free week on thursday the 21st for the end of qualifying round. Gates will open at 10 am.
At what time do you recommend to arrive on site ?
I read everywhere that there is more people coming each year…
Thank you !
Hi Guillaume! It will likely draw some pretty significant crowds, but not like the actual tournament so don’t feel pressure to arrive at any time earlier than fits your schedule that day. Should be quick to get in and crowds will be disbursed over so many courts. You will have a blast. Enjoy!!
On Tuesday of Qualifying, I arrived at the South Gate at 10am for a 10am gate time. The queue was from the south gate, all along the fence down by court 17, up and around the Unisphere and back down to the fence along courts 8-9-10.
I can only attach one picture here, and maybe it doesn’t do it justice, but it was a one hour wait for entry and something I’ve only seen before at Arthur Ashe Kids Day in 2023. Never before have I seen this many people at gate time for the Main Draw. It was insane.
Whoa. Thanks for that, Tom. I can’t get out there this week because of work so deeply appreciate you sharing. It definitely is a huge difference this year!!
So I waited and waited and got a pretty good deal for the Women’s final! Thanks for your awesome info! Now what is the best way to get to gate 3??
Hi Allen, great to hear it! You’ll have plenty of time that day given that it’s so late in the tournament and there’s only one session in Ashe. Once you enter Ashe stadium signage is really clear.
Hi again! Can you clarify above mentioned information regarding $25 Grounds Admission tickets will be available for Finals Weekend is this a typo? –> (Fri-Sun Sep 5-87 on this Ticketmaster page. Thanks!
Hey Lily! They are now available and are running $30 each on Ticketmaster (I’ll update that section in the blog now, thanks for pointing out!).
I agree with Courtney, you’re our US Open Genius! One more question if you don’t mind … is access free on 8/27 & 8/28 for HBCU and Pride Day?
Lily, you’re too kind, thank you! Unfortunately access isn’t free those days – only free days are next week during Fan Week and Thursday Sep 4th.
I’m looking at Armstrong first round night session, behind the baseline row K. They’re listed for $125 directly from ticketmaster. Is this a good deal? should I wait until specific matchups are announced, or lock it in from now because it’s likely to be someone good?
Hi Moshe, average prices for evening sessions in Armstrong during round 1 tend not to go up much (and often go down) unless there’s a player(s) a lot of fans find popular (or if it rains because Armstrong has a roof!). There are still tons of seats for those early round evening Armstrong sessions. I’d personally wait until the schedule comes out.
OMG – PJ! The blog just gets better and better!!!!! The new info and updates in format are AMAZING! No questions at this time (for a change) but just wanted to tell you that you are a god!
Courtney, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the encouragement and support from someone who knows the tournament so well! Thank you!!!
Hi, What are your thoughts about the Overlook? Tickets include Loge in Arthur Ashe, buffet and wine and beer.
Thank you.
Hey Lisa, I actually haven’t done it myself so no meaningful insights to share myself – I prefer to put all my budget into the best seats I can… I’ve heard good things from a couple of folks who’ve done it in the past. Anyone other readers have experiences to share?
Hi. PJ, We can either go Monday August 18 , Wednesday August 20, or Thursday August 21 during Fan Week. Cannot beat the free admission.
Which day would you choose? Thanks.
Hey Linda! I’d personally choose Thurs among those options simply because it will be last day of qualies…
Thank you for this! I’m going to my first open and extremely overwhelmed at the options. This gave me a baseline to make some educated decisions. For transferring tickets, is one gate more successful than the other? Is there an etiquette to asking people leaving if they’d be willing to transfer over to you? Appreciate this very through overview!
Hi Alexis, you’re welcome! In Ashe, I’ve seen people ask (and have been asked) at the Courtside entrance at the top of the first flight of stairs on either side – by ticketholders who have either Promenade or Courtside seats (and therefore already have entry into Ashe). I have offered my Armstrong tickets sometimes to folks in line outside the Armstrong entrance. Usually people simply ask, “Excuse me, are you coming back… (and if they say no, something like “would you possibly consider transferring your ticket to me, I’m dying to get in there to see…)? Note: this doesn’t work… Read more »
Thank you for this! I was hoping to snag someone coming out of the grounds to transfer their ticket to get in a little early before a night session but seems that’s off the table! I saw Wimbledon has a ticket resale kiosk which would be nice if the open had something similar !
I’ve had the best luck already inside Ashe as you say by the Courtside entrance — some people are a bit shocked when they’re asked, some are totally cool and fine. (as for possible embarrassment, tell yourself you’ll never likely see these people again and suck up whatever shame haha!) One of the most memorable times it worked was when John Millman went five sets against Federer late night in Ashe and won! It was easier back when we had paper tickets though. I used to try to find people to take my Ashe seats if I knew I was… Read more »
Love it, thanks Maura!
That Labour Day night was very memorable indeed. It was so unusually hot and humid late at night, I didn’t know if I was going to make it!
On the weekend of the 30/31st, I’m thinking of getting some evening Armstrong tickets. Will there be matches still played on Grandstand and 17? How about any other courts?
Hi Jamal, see the comparable days on last year’s schedule here to get a sense of which matches are on which courts.
Your evening tickets will allow you entry onto the grounds at 6 pm. There are likely matches still being played on Grandstand and outer courts on Saturday the 30th at that time, but it’s not guaranteed. Sometimes play just goes really fast or there are retirements that cut the matches short. But sometimes you’ll get lucky too and a couple five setters will push a court well into the evening/night. Overall, very hard to predict how much tennis will be happening after 6 pm. Sunday is less likely as there will only be doubles on the outside courts and these… Read more »
Great insights, Lucas thank you for sharing!
Hi PJ, thanks for all the information. I just bought 2 tickets for Arthur Ashe session 14
Aug 30 2025 • 7:00 PM section S124 (suite) on Stubhub for $ 500 each. I am wondering if you have come across suite tickets sale before.
Thanks again.
Bobby
Hey Bobby, I haven’t seen too many people post Suite tickets for resale. That price seems suspiciously low, with average courtside prices for that session well in excess. Suite 124 IS a thing (see this suite map here) and it could very well be that the person selling can’t make it and is just trying to make sure the tickets get sold… Have you received the actual transfer of the ticket yet to confirm that it’s a Suite and not Loge section 124?
Hi, thank you so much for this information. I wanted to ask you, my dream is to see Sinner. If I can’t make it to the match, do they train on the smaller practice pitches that are accessible with the ground ticket even during the tournament or only during fan week? Because I’ll be there from the 24th. Thanks.
Hi Simona, yes indeed most of the top players do have practice sessions on P1-P5 during the actual tournament. Just check the practice schedule on the app — or the link to the practice schedule — the night before and morning of to see the exact times.
So, to have a better chance of seeing him, do you recommend to see training instead the match? What time do you recommend I arrive? Thanks so much for your replies.
Hi Simona, my pleasure. It all depends on your budget and schedule. See my response to “FAQ #1” in the post if you haven’t already for general recommendations on how to be sure to see favorite players. Practice sessions are definitely a great alternative if you can’t afford a stadium ticket or make it out on a day your favorite player will be playing.
thank you so much for this great site!
I will be in New York city for the first time and I want to spend a day at the Open to choose between Friday 29th. Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st. do you think that at this point it is better to wait until the last moment to buy tickets (especially GA ones) or buy the cheapest ticket now on Ashe, Armstrong or Grandstand?
Thanks from Italy,
Daniele
Hi Daniele, you’re welcome! And I’m incredibly sorry not to have been able to respond sooner (very busy weeks at work). As you’ve probably noted since you wrote, average price for most tickets for that weekend tend always to stay around where they are during the summer or go up as we get closer, as demand is super high and pretty inelastic because of so many tourists and people having the weekend off from work. However, average prices for Ashe Promenade seats for many sessions that weekend have declined, because the tournament released a lot of standard tickets that previously… Read more »
Hello PJ, thanks so much for all the amazing information you give us all.
I’m going with my dad, 84 years old. Are there any benefits for elderly persons?
For example to avoid lines to enter stadiums?
if he has some benefits, I would have them as well as being his companion?
hugs from Chile!
Cristian
Hola Christian! My apologies for the delayed reply – work has been super busy. Here’s the page to get all official tournament info about services for “guests with Disabilities.” For details and questions, you can call the US Open Command Center at 718-760-6264 starting August 18. Que lo disfruten mucho!!
I have evening session tix for Sept 3. My understanding is I cannot enter the grounds until 6pm. What options do I have to enter earlier to enjoy the grounds, restaurants…
Hi Meredith, unfortunately no other options to enter before 6pm unless you get some kind of day session ticket.
Thanks for this information. I’m particularly interested in HBCU live day. Have you ever been? Is it better to go during the day or the evening? What’s it like? Thanks!
Hi Tina, I have gone on HBCU and Pride days in recent years, but honestly I’m so focused on the tennis that I haven’t engaged in any special activities on those days to offer any helpful insights on your questions, sorry!
^Ditto to PJ’s feedback, but I can add that HBCU Day is an opportunity to dress up, gear up to represent your college colors, moscot, frat, etc! It’s a festive vive with music and foods to match the day’s theme. Enjoy.
Love it. Thanks, Lily!
Thanks Lily! Do you know if I should get a day pass or evening Arthur Pass to enjoy the experience? I’ll be repping HU and my hubs FAMU!
With a day pass, whether its a Grounds pass ticket, or an Ashe day session Reserved ticket, you can enjoy the celebration throughout the BJK Center, – not just in Ashe – from the time the gates open in the AM and thereafter. Because HBCU is a day long celebration, you can probably arrive anytime and still catch the vibe. P.J. please correct me if I’m wrong, but with a day pass, Grounds or Ashe Reserved, you can come any time, in the day time, and stay for the evening games too. But remember, day session reserved tickets are only… Read more »
I happened to be there for one HBCU day and they had schools’ marching bands along the entryway as you were being screened for security so livelier than the other days. I confess I don’t remember much else as i tend to be focused too much on tennis and getting thru lines and crowds.
Thank you so much for all the work you do on this site, it is the definitive source of information! I usually get tickets at the end of July, for the first Friday in Armstrong. The high prices and low availability I’m seeing this year feel completely unprecedented. Am I imagining that??
Hey Jennifer, thanks for your thanks and kind words!! I’ve had the same reaction – it is truly unprecedented. Wishing you luck as you navigate the options this year!
PJ! Please, take a bow. I starting reading your very helpful and interesting blog in 2014! I live/work in DC, so I must read your blog year over year to properly prep for three weeks of tennis in Flushing! : ) Thank you!
Hey Lily, thank you for the kind words!! You made my day 🙂
Hi P.J. Hope you’re having a wonderful week and a great time at the US Open!! I realize it’s prime week, but if you have a moment, could you help me understand: while at the Open last week, I purchased two Ground Passes directly from the Center’s Box Office for Wed., September 3rd. However, when I search online, there are only reserved tickets for quarterfinals at Ashe and Armstrong. Because the tickets were purchased at the box office, I suppose I feel comfortable about the transaction. Thoughts, or intel is much appreciated! : )
Hey Lily, thank you!! There actually are now grounds pass tickets now listed on Ticketmaster (here) for every day next week except Thurs (which is free) – so yes that is legit, but hopefully you didn’t pay more than $30 for them? There will be juniors matches and doubles on outer courts to see at that point in the tournament (all singles matches will be QF and on Ashe).
Thank YOU!! Hope you’re enjoying the tourney.
Thank you so much and super helpful!! I decided to splurge on the courtside as I’ll only have 1 day for US Open this time. I’m pretty lucky that I got both the day and night session ticket at face value, but now feel I’d only want to keep the day session ticket and may sell the night session and trade for a lower priced ticket. I’ve listed the ticket on stubhub for a week now at a breakeven price (still but higher than the original face value due to all the fees associated) but still not sold yet –… Read more »
Hi there, you’re welcome! It depends on overall demand for particular sessions, which is a function many factors – including who ultimately gets scheduled. I’d just keep an eye overall on availability for that session on Ticketmaster and average prices there to make any decisions.
If you bought it on the official US Open/ticketmaster site, I’d use the resale option there as I think many more people look there for seats (I never look at Stubhub for example). I’m someone who tends to look at the courtside seats a few days beforehand to see if people are selling for reasonable prices (not the ridiculous markups) and when I know the draw and who would likely be playing that year. I’ve also seen the Open release a few standard courtside seats the week of so those tend to be cheaper than what might be up for… Read more »
Great advice, Maura, thank you for sharing.
Thanks for all the great information! Are the only entrances the South and East Gate? I know the President’s Gate is mainly where the players enter along with the celebrities. But is there a common gate there that fans are able to enter as well; with a grounds pass or an Ashe ticket? Thanks!
Hi Tim, sure thing! South and East are the only options (unless you have credentials or have a special invitation).
Hi PJ Thanks again! I finally bought a couple tickets for Men final session. Row G 323 section, hoping to see something :-D… (the price was appearently “good” around 750dollars per ticket). Do you think we have a decent view? I wonder if could be good purchase a binoculars, do you know if is this a prohibited item? Thanks a lot for all the precious information!
Oi Paolo, you’re most welcome! As far as Promenade seats go, those definitely have a decent view and won’t feel too high up! Prices are truly insane, but it’s always exciting to be at the Men’s Final so I’m sure you’ll have a great time. You can bring binoculars in, but there are also gigantic jumbotron screens that show close-ups and replays between points so you really won’t need them – only if you want a level of detail like seeing a player’s facial expressions while they’re playing points. Hope you have an amazing time.
The entire promenade is awful. You will see soon enough. The loge is nothing to write home about either. The problem with Ashe compared to any other tennis stadium is the corporate suites which are located just above courtside push all the seats above them too far away for good viewing of a tennis match.
Why rain on someone’s parade?
And you are wrong…promenade for a final between two great players (fingers crossed) is better than sitting at home watching on TV.
Thanks a lot Courtney!:) A big hug from Italy
Hello everyone, this is great site with lots of information and lively discussion. I have followed and benefited from the information, so thought of sharing that I was today able to purchase on SeatGeek, Ashe day session tickets for Sep 1 for 250 each (lower promenade in the shade). Kept looking at availability for about 10 days now!
Hi Narayana, thanks for sharing!
HI
I have friends coming in to see for the first time. Is it better for Labor Day weekend on Saturday to go in the day session or the evening session? Which will have the best matches?
Hey Michele, as a first step I’d recommend looking at last year’s schedule here and the 2023 schedule here for that same Saturday to get a sense of which matches are being played where. However, please also read my FAQ #1 response for why it’s hard to predict much about who will be scheduled for Day vs Night.
The “best matches” can not be determined in advance and only rarely do the best on paper turn out to be the best in practice. In addition, your enjoyment of a particular match will likely be effected not only by the match itself but by weather (temp, humidity), sun position, what court, how good are your seats, the behavior of the people around you, the audience vibe, whether you have to wait online for food, water or toilet before or during and a multitude of other factors. Another fact is the vast majority of the tennis matches throughout the entire… Read more »
I’d get the day session since you can still stay on the grounds and watch all the other action (except Ashe evening session inside stadium, can watch on tvs and screens all over the place, like at bars and restaurants, in the plaza, etc.) and get a full day of tennis and everything else.