This post is an in-depth US Open guide.
When I moved to New York City, I was not a tennis fan in the slightest.
In fact, I had no clue that there was a huge tennis tournament in NYC.
My sister was going to a match between Novak Djokovic vs. Matteo Berrettini (who at that point meant nothing to me) and invited me to join her.
I’ll admit I spent a lot of that match googling how tennis scoring works, but as soon as I we left I excitedly asked, “When will we come back?!”
Since then, I haven’t missed a US Open and have become an avid fan. Going to the US Open is now an annual tradition and it’s possibly my favorite time of year in New York City.
If you’re a New Yorker who has never watched tennis or you’re a die-hard tennis fan traveling to see your favorite players, this US Open guide will cover everything you need to know.
I’ll answer how to get there, where to stay, where to buy tickets, when the best time to go is, and even how to go to the US Open for free.
What is the US Open?
Ending the year’s circuit of tennis tournaments, the US Open is one of the most exciting events that takes place in New York every summer. Tennis fans travel from around the world to enjoy two weeks of top-level tennis in the greatest city on earth.
The US Open is the last of four annual Grand Slam Tournaments (following the Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon). When it started in 1881, it was held in Newport, Rhode Island and was called the U.S. National Championship. It’s now a two-week tournament with matches for women’s singles and doubles, men’s singles and doubles, and mixed doubles.
When does the US Open take place?
The US Open starts on the last Monday in August and runs for two weeks, with the final around Labor Day.
Where does the US Open take place?
The US Open takes place at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens. It’s the largest tennis stadium in the world and was renovated in 2018 to increase the seating capacity with space for 22,000 spectators in the main Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The main courts are Arthur Ashe Stadium, Louis Armstrong Stadium, and the Grandstand, and there are 19 additional/practice courts.
Where to stay for the US Open?
You may opt to stay in Queens if you prefer to be close to the stadium and La Guardia Airport and want to save a bit of money on accommodation.
However, most people (and even players) stay in Manhattan. There’s a direct train route from the stadium to Manhattan, making it a great landing place to be able to experience the city as well.
If you’re curious about where players stay, the InterContinental New York Barclay, the Lexington Hotel, and Lotte New York Palace have been official hotels in the past and are pretty popular during the weeks of the tournament.
How to get to the US Open?
The train is the fastest and most affordable way to get to the US Open.
The 7 train runs from Grand Central to Mets-Willets Point Station, which is right by the entrance to the grounds. The ride takes about 30 minutes.
Where to park at the US Open?
If you opt to take a car, be prepared for some traffic. There is parking at the stadium for $25 per vehicle.
View more information here on how to get to the US Open and where to park.
What to do on the US Open grounds?
There’s much to explore on the US Open grounds. In addition to the main courts, there are 19 courts where you can catch exciting matches. There are also a lot of stores with exclusive US Open items and great food stands too.
Check out the full map of the grounds here.
Where to eat at the US Open?
There are many food trucks and vendors at the US Open’s Food Village, but like every other part of the experience, it’s elegant and sophisticated. The chefs have created tasty menus of restaurant quality.
You can’t go wrong with:
- Los Tacos No. 1 tacos
- Fuku chicken sandwiches
- San Matteo pizza
- Oakberry acai bowl
And of course, you have to get a Honey Deuce, the official drink of the US Open made with vodka, lemonade, chambord, and topped with melon balls to mimic tennis balls.
If you prefer to bring food from home, that’s completely okay. Just note that you can’t bring beverages with you.
How to get tickets to US Open tennis matches?
Ticketmaster is the official distributor of US Open tickets.
There are several ticket options depending on your budget and what you’d like to see.
Grounds Pass: This is the most affordable option and gives access to the grounds and all of the courts except for Arthur Ashe. You can enter Louis Armstrong and Grandstand on a first-come, first serve basis. These tickets are only sold for the first eight days of the tournament.
Arthur Ashe: This gives you access to the grounds, side courts, and reserved seats to the Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Louis Armstrong: This gives you access to the grounds, side courts, and a reserved seat in Louis Armstrong (note, this ticket doesn’t allow access to Arthur Ashe Stadium).
Grandstand: This gives you access to the grounds, side courts, and a reserved seat in the Grandstand (note, this ticket doesn’t allow access to Arthur Ashe Stadium).
It can be tough to predict who will play in which match. If you’re planning to attend a reserved ticket match, try to go to Arthur Ashe starting the 3rd or 4th night when the games become more competitive.
Of course, the quarterfinals are always a great game to catch and they usually take place on the Tuesday and Wednesday of the second week.
As the tournament progresses, the side courts are less active as the matches take place in the main courts.
How to go to the US Open for free?
Visiting the US Open can be a pricey activity, but if you’re able to, US Open Fan Week is a great time to visit for free!
It’s the US Open qualifying matches that take place the week before the Round 1 matches kick off. You can watch competitive matches, get access to the grounds, and even bump into some of your favorite players at their practice sessions.
Get more info on Fan Week here.
Also keep an eye on the practice schedule to know where to find players.
What is the US Open prize money?
The winners of the US Open aren’t just walking away with a shiny trophy, they’ll also get a significant cash prize. Here’s a break down of the US Open prize money by round.
Last year, the total prize money was $75 million, with the champion taking home roughly $3.6 million (and a huge nod to Billie Jean King, who advocated for the US Open awarding equal prize money to both men and women).
Where can you stream the US Open?
The US Open will be streamed by ESPN, fuboTV, YouTubeTV, Sling, and Hulu so you can catch all of the matches if you’re not visiting in person.
That wraps up this US Open guide.
It’s really one of the most exciting events of the summer. For more information on the tournament, check out the official US Open site.
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