The 2019 Men's Wimbledon Final between Djokovich and Federer was epic by all the standards. Whether or not you are a tennis fan, it is impossible not to admire the mental and physical strength both players, ages 32 and 37 respectively, demonstrated consistently for 5 hours. Djokovich's mental strength, being down, and having the whole crowd rooting against him, is a lesson for us all, that our internal strength and mindset affects our external results. Being able to win comes from within.
Hopefully, Wimbledon has gotten you excited for the last calendar Grand Slam of the year, the US Tennis Open in NYC, which is my all time favorite event. Having attended over 60 times, I have put together the ultimate guide to the US Open, including at least three ways to attend the Open for FREE. If you are on a tight budget, but want to treat a client to the US Open, check out the Qualifying Rounds, Practice Day and Community Day. You will almost certainly see some of the top seeds like Federer, Williams, Halep, Nadal and more at least practicing. The practice courts at the Billie Jean King Tennis Center are amazing.
The US Open can be confusing. There's both Day and Night sessions, 4 types of tickets and multiple sellers and resellers. Some tickets are only good for some sessions. We put together a US Open Schedule and Tickets Guide for you to view and download to make things easier.
Here are some of the top questions generally asked about the US Open:
1) Are Grounds Passes worth the Price?
Generally, you are better off getting an Upper Promenade ticket for the same or less money than a grounds admission ticket. If it rains, you can still watch some tennis and have a safe place to take cover. Another option is a Grandstand or Armstrong ticket, which again will be slightly more in price, but during the early rounds, you'll catch some amazing matches and get to see some of the big names.
2) Can you Bring Food and Drink Into the US Open?
As of 2019, the answer is yes. Be modest about what you bring, and check the website for prohibited items. You may not bring glass bottles or alcohol on to the grounds.
3) When is the Best Time to Buy US Open Tickets?
Unfortunately, there is no precise answer to that question. Ticket prices fluctuate based on demand from the day they go on sale in early June, to the day of the matches. It all depends on availability and who is playing. For example, several years ago, my friend bought Ashe Quarter Final tickets several months before the tournament. It turned out to be a Williams' Sisters quarter final, and we probably could have resold our tickets for 4 times the price. Of course, we went to the match though.
3) Where Can I get the Best Ticket Deals?
Shopping around is always best because prices change regularly for US Open tickets. The primary seller is Ticketmaster, which sells both primary and resale tickets. Ticketmaster also runs the TicketExchange, which is where annual subscribers, usually those with the best seats, can resell their tickets. Ticketmaster will show both kinds of tickets when you search their site, plus they have a great seating chart so you can see exactly what is where. StubHub often has pricing very similar to Ticketmaster for the same seats, but the reason to look there is that you are able to set a price ticket alert. Choose your session and if prices go down, StubHub will alert you.
5) Who is Playing on Which Courts?
There is no advance schedule for the US Open, other than the day before each match. The US Open organization will put out the full schedule for all courts and players and usually the practice schedule the evening before.
Lastly, if you are traveling from out of town, need a place to park your car, or what to stay at the players' hotels in NYC, make sure to check our guide to the Best US Tennis Open Hotels.
If you have any questions about NYC or the US Tennis Open, please don't hesitate to ask.
