Gametime
Published: Aug. 17, 2022

Your Guide to the Ultimate US Open Experience


While tennis may not be a favorite of every sports fan, major tournaments like the US Open are huge events that should appeal to all sports fans. If you’ve never gotten your hands on US Open tickets and experienced the event in person, you’re missing out on something special without even realizing it. Of course, lifelong tennis fans already know what makes the US Open such an incredible event to experience in person. You just have to know how to get the most out of it. Whether you’ve been to the US Open before or you’re thinking about attending it for the first time, we wanted to share some helpful tips on having the ultimate US Open experience.

undefined

Attend Training Sessions

One of the best tips you can get when it comes to seeing the elite players at the US Open is going to their training sessions. Via the official US Open app, you can sometimes find out when players are practicing the day before their match. Obviously, it’s not the same as witnessing an actual match, but it does give you a chance to get closer to the players than you are likely to do at one of the courts hosting the tournament.

Soak in the Early Days of the Tournament

For the most part, casual fans start paying attention to the US Open during the latter rounds, making sure they see the quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals. Those on a budget may also use most of their money on tickets for a high-profile match late in the tournament. Of course, that can make for a memorable experience. But it can also be a good idea to hang around the US Open during the early days of the two-week tournament. The first five days of the US Open, in particular, will have smaller crowds and countless matches to attend. This means it’ll be a little easier to sit closer to the court, getting a better vantage point of the players, including some of the elite players, while they play early-round matches against lesser opponents who they are likely to dominate. Plus, it’s easier to find cheap tickets for the first handful of days.

Attend Matches at Different Courts

It goes without saying that Arthur Ashe Stadium is the primary venue at Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, where the tournament is hosted. At some point, you’ll want to experience a match at Arthur Ashe Stadium. But to get the best US Open experience, you should attend some matches at the smaller courts. It’s unlikely that you’ll see the top players in the world at any of these venues. However, you will get a chance to sit close to the court and likely see competitive matches by players who are playing the most important matches of their life. Even if they’re not well-known players, they’re still talented tennis players playing some of the most entertaining matches of the tournament. Plus, this is just another way to experience a part of the US Open that most people tend to overlook.

Get Day Session Tickets

If you have the option between day session tickets and night session tickets, always choose the day session, especially if you plan on being at the venue for as long as possible. Granted, the high-profile matches are typically scheduled at night. However, there are fewer matches to choose from at night, not to mention bigger crowds, making it harder to find good seats in general admission areas. With day session tickets, you’ll have more matches available to you. More importantly, you won’t get kicked out of the venue, so you can stay for the night session if you want, soaking up as many matches as you want throughout the day.

Sit Courtside at Arthur Ashe Stadium

For most people, the ultimate US Open experience will include seeing a high-profile match at the legendary Arthur Ashe Stadium. Even if you spend most of the tournament trying to see as many matches as possible, make sure there is room in your budget for courtside seats at one of the matches at Arthur Ashe Stadium. While the stadium can fit over 23,000 fans, the upper levels can feel a little steep. The 100-level seats can be a happy medium for budget-conscious tennis fans. However, there are few things in sports on the same level as sitting courtside during the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium. If you can somehow find a way to sit down there for a match between two well-known stars, it’ll be an experience you never forget.

Check Out Louis Armstrong Stadium

undefined

While Arthur Ashe Stadium is the crown jewel of US Open venues, you don’t want to completely ignore Louis Armstrong Stadium, which only opened in 2018 and offers some of the best sightlines of any tennis venue in the world. There are 14,000 seats, and there isn’t a bad seat in the entire stadium, providing a far more intimate setting than Arthur Ashe Stadium by keeping you closer to the action. Also, if there’s bad weather in the forecast, getting tickets for Louis Armstrong Stadium is ideal because it has a retractable roof, which means every match will be played as scheduled. This can help prevent the weather from ruining an otherwise amazing US Open experience.


Questions? Let's chat: feedback@gametime.co