All You Need to Know About Visiting the US Tennis Open 2018

Each year tennis fans descend upon Flushing Meadows in New York City for the US Tennis Open – one of the city’s most popular sporting events. Traditionally, the tournament starts on the last Monday in August – this year that lands on August 27, 2018, with the competition straddling Labor Day weekend. If you are planning to attend when you visit New York – here’s all you need to know about the tournament.

The US Open: 

It’s a big ticket event – the US Open in New York is one of the sport’s four Grand Slam tournaments, so it will be attended by the world’s best players as they battle it out for glory, the trophy and $3 million prize money.  

Your US Tennis Open Ticket: 

There are various options open to you if you wish to attend the US Tennis Open. You can buy tickets via the box office (online or telephone) or Ticketmaster – the only authorized online seller. There’s a mixture of assigned seating or first-come, first served seating available. Also, on the first eight days of the tournament, you can purchase a Grounds Admission ticket – this allows you to see the tennis at the Louis Armstrong Stadium, the Grandstand and all the field courts – which means it’s slightly cheaper than all the other ticketing plans, and you’ll still be able to see the pros up close. 

The US Tennis Open is one of the sport’s four Grand Slam tournaments and attracts the game’s top players (Unsplash @christopher_burns) 

World-class tennis at a discount: 

In addition – buying a ticket for opening-night, early evening sessions, or the Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day on August 25 is a very affordable way to catch a taste of this tournament, which is impressive considering it’s world-class tennis. Other options include attending the qualifying tournament – before the competition starts – for free, or Community Day when you can see wheelchair tennis, men’s and women’s doubles sometimes for free or discounted prices. 

The incredible point about the US Tennis Open is that it’s so accessible – tickets are usually available up until the tournament starts and there are some very well discounted  / free options. (Unsplash @superflou)

Making the best use of time: 

The best way to travel to the US Tennis Open is to take the Subway  – from Midtown out to Queens. Alight at Mets – Willet Point stop, and you’ll have a quick walk to Flushing Meadows. Another way to save on time is to leave your bag at home – the line to have your bag checked by security is lengthy. Also – lines at the South Gate is shorter than those at the East Gate entrance, so it pays to walk a little further around the stadium to gain access.  

Best way to travel to Flushing Meadows is usually by Subway (Unsplash @oliver_photographer)

The weather: 

When you visit New York City in late August and early September, it will be summer. The weather will usually be hot, with some chance of rain. You will be sat under the sun throughout the day, so do make sure you dress appropriately – bring a hat, your shades, sunscreen etc. and check the forecast before you go, just in case you need to bring a showerproof jacket or an umbrella for the rain (but don’t use the umbrella during the match or those around you won’t be able to see the action). The main stadium – the Arthur Ashe Stadium and the Louis Armstrong Stadium both have new retractable roofs – so if you have a ticket for a match there – it won’t be affected by the weather. 

Lunch and Dinner: 

There’s a fantastic selection of restaurants and bars inside the grounds for you to enjoy. It all adds to the experience. However, if you want to pick up a bargain, you can leave the stadium to eat at the restaurants around the Queens area.  

After the Tennis: 

Once you’ve experienced the Tennis – there will be plenty of time to explore the city – like many of the tennis athletes do after their tournament. The city’s highlights are available to you via our Gray Line New York sightseeing tours. At Gray Line New York, we can transport you all around town with our hop on, hop off service, or get you access to some of New York’s most famous landmarks and attractions via our Freestyle Pass. We look forward to helping you and your family during your time in the Big Apple!