Billing itself as the country’s most heavily attended annual sporting event, the 2024 U.S. Open officially starts Aug. 26 in Queens, N.Y. The savvy fan knows this is not so. The U.S. Open starts Monday when the qualifying draw begins.
Up-close-and-personal viewing of familiar players trying to claw their way back, future stars seeking a breakthrough and Art Donaldson types. Top-shelf tennis. The thrill of victory, the agony of defeat. You’re also likely to watch stars on the order of Coco Gauff and Carlos Alcaraz on-site practicing before their call time.
All for $0.00.
This is one of the foremost tips and hacks for attending the tournament. GO TO U.S. OPEN QUALIFYING WEEK. It’s like free access to MLB spring training. It’s like getting into the arena to watch your favorite band’s sound check. FOR FREE.
Here are dozens of other tips, culled from previous years with some new ones thrown in for 2024. Thanks to the hundreds of you who weighed in over these past few years … Enjoy the event, everyone.
• We'll get the icky self-promotion out early. The SI.com tennis page will feature the work of various and sundry colleagues.
• Tennis Channel’s daily U.S. Open live pre-game show starts at 9 a.m. ET. Steve Weissman, Chanda Rubin, Prakash Amritraj, Paul Annacone and I—plus daily drop-ins—will be gabbing each morning before the matches. Conflicts aside and disclosed, it’s good fun and crackling television.
• Andy Roddick and I will be doing assorted Served podcasts, including some TBD live shows.
• ESPN is your go-to for match coverage, first ball to last.
• As sporting event websites go, USOpen.org is strong. Bookmark it. Play around with the stats, not the momentum-based player ratings. And note the practice schedules, which are posted daily.
• @T_tennis_tennis: “Download the U.S. Open app in advance and check out the order of play the night before to make a game plan of what you'd like to see.”
Who to watch and how
• Root for all Ukrainian players.
• Root for any and all players outside the top 100. Winning that first round—and getting the six-figure payday that accompanies reaching Round 2—could be the difference between financing another year on tour and quitting the sport.
• Root for players who are parents. Root for players born in the 1980s. (They grow old; they grow old …) Root for the undersized, the underaged, the underdogs and the undergrads.
• Root for the players who could use it. This year, candidates include Chris Eubanks and former major champions Sloane Stephens and Sofia Kenin.
• New for 2024, @ericperkinslaw writes: “Please don’t glue your feet to the concrete floor to disrupt a match. Unsportsmanlike.”
• Last year @Ascharfmind asked: “Perhaps name up-and-comers we should watch on the back courts before they become stars.”
Off the top of my head (and adding some fun-to-watch ascending vets) … how about: France’s Arthur Fils and countryman Gio Mpetshi Perricard and American Robin Montgomery. Play the odds and note anyone under 25 who happens to be Italian.
• As always, the program contains a compendium of the finest tennis writing. This year the program is available for order at www.tennisprograms.net.
• Check out your U.S. Open knockout pool.
• Watch the top players in the boys and girls singles draw. One day soon they’re likely to play on the big stages (or not). Either way, it makes for good theater. (A few years ago, it could’ve been Gauff.) Adds @meganfernandez: “And watching them play let serves is different, fun—and sometimes heartbreaking.”
• @zootennis adds: “I know you always recommend watching the No. 1 seeds in juniors, but I would add: make time for the finals (on Saturday this year). In just the past [eight] years you would have seen [Taylor] Fritz, [Tommy] Paul, [Miomir] Kecmanović, [Félix] Auger-Aliassime, [Lorenzo] Musetti, Kenin, Gauff, [Amanda] Anisimova and Xiyu Wang.”
• If you notice a scoring console and see that a match is deep in the fifth set (or third set for women), watch the conclusion, regardless of whether you've heard of either player. It will give you a good sense of just how brutal tennis can be.
• The robots calling the lines … they are here to stay.
• There will be no event this year because of the concurrent Paris Paralympics, but keep in mind for the future. Watch wheelchair tennis. Not out of any sense of obligation, but because it’s super awesome—terrifically entertaining tennis and filled with the kind of shotmaking we all love.
• We used to advise buying the grounds pass over the seats in Arthur Ashe Stadium. No longer. The USTA issues way too many grounds passes. (“It’s so crowded no one goes there anymore.”) The cheapest Louis Armstrong seat is comparable in price, gets you roving privileges and is insurance in case of rain.
• I started in on some ticketing tips, but this page is terrific and will answer all your FAQs.
• @galloots: “If you want great value, go see matches on the Tuesday after Labor Day, [when] everyone [goes] back to work and tickets on are Stubhub less than face.”
Transportation
• Take the safest play: the MTA’s much-maligned No. 7 train from the new Hudson Yards, or Times Square, or Bryant Park or Grand Central in Manhattan to the Mets–Willets Point stop. Be prepared to stand on your ride, especially if the New York Mets are playing.
• @sufed4ever: “If you are taking the subway, be friendly to other passengers. Struck up a conversation with a doctor, wife and his mom who were fellow U.S. Open attendees and they gave me an extra ticket to one of the suites.”
• Our preferred alternative: Ride the Long Island Rail Road from both Penn Station and—note this update—Grand Central. It’s much faster, though trains run only three or four times an hour, so check the schedule.
• @clarkcomedy notes: “You can take a bus to the Open straight from LaGuardia.” At the risk of sounding like a tourist bureau, you’ll be surprised how civil and efficient the trains are. If you insist on private transportation, take an Uber or cab over a car service, which drops you off somewhere near Montauk. (Or where Daniil Medvedev returns serve.)
• Here’s Esha Bhandari: “For the cycling-inclined, biking to the U.S. Open is an excellent option. If you come up through Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, you can park at bike racks outside the Queens Museum, putting you right by the ‘back’ entrance to the tennis (the one that subway riders don’t use). Not only is it very pleasant to avoid long lines on the way in, but at the end of the day you can walk out, hop on the bike, and avoid the hordes waiting for the subway.”
• Note that subway MetroCards are no longer needed. You can swipe your phone to get through the turnstiles. (Long Island Rail Road, on the other hand, is so old-school it uses a hole puncher for your paper ticket.)
• If money is no object, the helicopter service is five minutes from Midtown Manhattan to LaGuardia.
• @morrowtv: “Buy a cheap ticket to a Mets game and catch a few innings during a lull in the action.”
While at Flushing Meadows
• @iirene_ricci: “Bring a small umbrella for shade during changeovers.”
•@johnsonea: “Bring a towel to sit on. The metal bleachers and plastic seats get hot!”
• Arrive way too early. Or fashionably late. But there’s a crush at 11:00 a.m. ET, when matches usually start.
• @hidehiro: Bring a drawstring bag and a water bottle
•@ddotmarcus: Grandstand (back) & 17 (right) shade seats go quickly.
• @IanKatzTennnis: “Don't go in through the main front entrance by the boardwalk. Too crowded. Go around to the left and enter through the side.”
• @Cdhort: “While there are charging stations on-site, bring a Mophie or other charging device.” @ChewyYorkie adds: “If you have a Chase credit card or account, you can get a free portable phone charger. Definitely a must!”
• Get off your screens, look up and experience life. You’re at the U.S. Open. You paid for this. Everything else can wait. And speaking of phone etiquette …
• Your fund is crushing it, the Hamptons were amazing, your kids loved camp and your buddy got you these tickets. If you insist on a changeover conversation, keep it down, tiger.
• Check out the Court No. 5 viewing platform.
• @brad_duester: “When going from [Arthur] Ashe to [Louis] Armstrong, walk the back way, not the main way.”
• @ali_mu_tennis: “If going to night sessions, NEVER plan something the next morning! If going in the middle of the week, take the next day off work.”
• @mariayealdhall: “If you have a Chase card, reserve a spot in the Chase Lounge. You get AC, snacks [and] a free hat each day. Also great during a rain delay.”
• Good hack from @idontmindk: “Go to the Cadillac booth and watch the video [and] take a survey for a free $15 food voucher.”
• Little-known fact: Most of the players—including some stars—practice near the main gate and the miniature golf course. Mosey on over. Recently, one of you stumbled upon Fabrice Santoro hitting with Mats Wilander.
• And yes, your eyes are not deceiving you; there is a miniature golf course—and a par-3 with lights—mere yards from the back entrance. You’re welcome.
• If you own an American Express card, investigate whether you're entitled to a free radio that enables you to hear the TV commentary. (Aside: Whoever does the AmEx U.S. Open sponsorships gets it. These are consistently creative, fun and feel completely non-intrusive.) If not, bring binoculars. Particularly during changeovers—I think Stefanos Tsitsipas’s dad is on his phone—they can come in handy.
• @scottzabielski: “The free AmEx radios are surprisingly awesome. They might not look cool but they make the match so much more interesting. There's nothing like the Armstrong night sessions—so much fun.”
•@jinkeudel is among those who note that Chase also has assorted benefits for cardholders, including power banks for charging phones.
• Complain at least once about the lack of intimacy in Arthur Ashe Stadium and the overselling of grounds passes. And complain at least twice about the lucky ones in the luxury suites who have prime seats yet fail to show or have their backs turned away from the court as they eat their canapés and knock back scandalously marked-up wine. It’s your inalienable tennis right.
Food
• Maybe it’s desensitization to overpriced ballpark food or New York prices in general, but the food-court fare—once the subject of so much derision—no longer seems so overpriced. The food ranges from passable to quite good. The terrific Sam Sifton cooked this up a few years back. The Indian joint has always been my personal favorite. Also, at the wine bar near the main fountains, try the burrata—if only because burrata is the single greatest substance known to man.
•@robinsonandrew: “The Pat LaFrieda hot dog is the best you’ll ever have at a sporting event.”
• Alternatively, @danwolken: “Take the 7 train one stop further from BJK and have lunch in downtown Flushing Chinatown. Some of the best Chinese food in the country.” Says @veryape: “Queens has the best food in the city. On the way back, stop off at Sunnyside or Woodside for authentic everything!”
@Mel1612ancholia: “Go to Astoria for some good Greek food”… A few of you mentioned the Queens beer garden.
@mkopelman: “Main Street Flushing pre or post for great Chinese food. We usually do dumplings.”
@griffthewhiff: “Hit up Ebbs Brewing at Citi Field off the 7 line.”
@edmcgrogan: “Visit Forest Hills, the U.S. Open’s old home. Accessible by subway, train—or even a long walk, from Flushing—it abounds in neighborhood cuisine (Nick’s Pizza [currently closed for repairs], Pahal Zan, Eddie’s Sweet Shop), charming history (West Side Tennis Club, Tudor homes, Station Square) and Queens culture.”
• @steve_weissman: “Get the Pat LaFrieda steak sandwich.”
• @jasongay: “The Momofuku chicken sandwich line is worth the wait.”
• @marclucvero: “Hit @brunosoares82 acai stand @oakberryacai to fuel up.”
• For those not working, alternative beverages, as @Pschrags says goadingly: “Have at least two of those Honey Deuces.” Note, too, that various New York bars—including The Campbell in Grand Central Terminal, a personal favorite—serve Honey Deuces during the event.
• @philbyers: “Do not POUND two honey deuces because you're thirsty and hot. You will regret it.”
• @bradmiles33: “Try the Italian Ice on the Boardwalk.”
Other tips
• @andrewikesports writes: “Keep an eye on the sunset behind the New York City skyline—Manhattan-henge, the kids call it—from the top of [Arthur] Ashe as the night session gets going.” As @stu-fraser puts it: “If you’re in the top tier, head up to the back row of Ashe on the west side for a tremendous view of the sunset over the city just before the night session begins. One for the tourists perhaps.”
• @tomtebbutt: “If you’re top tier in [Arthur] Ashe Stadium—sit in the up-and-down [end] axis of the court—much better view of play.”
• Note the Bud Collins Media Center—and pause a moment to acknowledge the eponymous. And pay homage to the good, hard-working pool reporters inside. Realize the vile abhorrence of the term “enemy of the people.”
• @liznyny: “Bring an empty plastic bottle to fill up at the water fountains.”
• @glamspintennis: “The water situation is bleak. There used to be one good water fountain with cold tasty water but it’s gone. [In 2021] all the water fountain water was warm with a sedimentary taste. Mentally prepare to spend $$$ on water.” [Ed. note: The USTA responds that there are 48 water fountains on the grounds.]
•@santo2259: “You’re allowed to bring in a plastic water bottle as long as it’s empty, so buy a Gatorade at Penn Station, slug it down on the train ride over, then fill it with water for free all day.”
• Indulge my pet peeve: If association is a large reason to buy products and show loyalty to brands, my spending an extortionate $8 on a bottle of water is grounds for me never to buy that brand again. Wouldn’t reasonably priced—or heaven forfends, free—water on a hot day be the better marketing play here?
@joseinbk: “Bring an electric mini fan!!”
• Unless you have a match that day, there's no excuse for dressing like a player when you attend the U.S. Open. You don’t wear stirrups to New York Yankees games and leotards to the ballet. Leave the wristbands at home, champ.
• Alvaro from Madrid: “To speed through security, put your stuff into a small plastic bag. Also bring a more durable, comfortable bag that you can fold or zipper compactly—keep it out of sight until after the security check … and bring tightly wrapped food (like an overstuffed deli sandwich, so your bag isn’t bulky), and a plastic water bottle to refill at fountains.”
• Speaking of good habits, wear sunscreen—though bring cream, not aerosol, as some of you have told me that a can won’t always make it past security.
• SS: “Feel free to share this, but as it’s a workaround I ain’t posting it on Twitter [now X]: I stuff my pockets with my extra glasses, money, phone and a small tube of sunblock, and wear my hat (which may come off later). Plus: one of those string bags that go over both shoulders and scrunch up into almost nothing. I enter through the “no bag” line—much, much quicker—and then once inside take out the shoulder bag, etc. Sneaky? Yes. Legit? Kinda. Works? Yup.”
• @likethemovie19: “Do NOT bring those metal/insulated Swell-type bottles, as they will not let you bring them in.”
• @magicjewball: “I bought a cheap chair cushion at Ikea and brought it in my tote. It’s good for the hot benches but also more comfortable.”
We’re serious about the sunscreen.
Enjoy, everyone!
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Tips for Enjoying the 2024 U.S. Open: Hacks, Pointers and Recommendations.
