Overview
The US Open Tennis Championships is the fourth and final tennis major or Grand Slam of the year. The other three in chronological order: the Australian Open in January, the French Open in May, and Wimbledon in July.
The US Open takes place at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens every year starting on the last Monday in August for two weeks.
This year’s tournament will be held from August 27 through September 9.
This year the Open celebrates its 50th anniversary with the completion of the USTA’s five-year, $600 million renovation of the National Tennis Center. The final centerpiece of the new and improved tennis center makes its debut at this year’s open: A brand new 14,000 seat Louis Armstrong Stadium. The USTA knocked down the original and rebuilt it with a retractable roof.
Arthur Ashe Stadium got a retractable roof two years ago.
The roofs allow the matches to continue when it rains and helps keep the schedule of the tournament on track, something that was a problem in years past when inclement weather often disrupted the schedule.
All eyes on Serena Williams
Serena Williams has won 23 Grand Slam titles, six of those are US Open titles. She did not play the Open last year because she took time off to have a baby.
Her daughter was born during the US Open last year.
Williams is now 36 years old. The last time she won the U.S. Open was in 2014.
She won her first US Open title in 1999.
If Williams wins this year’s tournament she will tie Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slam titles - the most for women and men. (Roger Federer has won 20 Grand Slam titles.)
(AP photo)
More tennis for your buck
Consider buying a grounds pass, especially during the first week of the Open. The pass gives you access to all the matches day and night at Louis Armstrong Stadium, the Grandstand and all the smaller courts. It excludes the matches at Arthur Ashe Stadium, but you can still see some great matches especially during the first few days of the Open.
If you want to experience Arthur Ashe Stadium and don’t want to spent a log of money, consider buying an upper level seat (they are more affordable). With that ticket you can also watch the matches at Louis Armstrong Stadium, the Grandstand and the smaller courts too. (Keep in mind there are tickets sold separately for the day and night matches at Arthur Ashe.)
Get tickets at usopen.org or ticketmaster.
Getting there
Use mass transit if possible.
Subway: The 7 train provides service from Grand Central Terminal to the tennis center. Get off at the Mets-Willets Point Station, the tennis center is directly across from CitiField. Service is also available from the Port Authority Bus Terminal.
Long Island Rail Road: LIRR provides service to Mets-Willets Point Station from Woodside, and connections from Penn Station.
For the latest schedules visit mta.info.
If you’re driving use either the Grand Central Parkway exit 9E or Whitestone Expressway Exit 13D.
For more info on directions and parking, visit usopen.org.
Shh! Stadium etiquette
Keep your cell phone on silent, avoid flash photography and don’t bring large signs to the matches.
Remember this isn’t a football or basketball game. Unlike most other spectator sports, once play has started, you need to keep quiet and stay in your seat.
If you have to use the bathroom you will need to wait until the point is over.
Check out the full code of conduct and prohibited items here.
Food options
You can work up an appetite watching tennis.
The Food Village at the US Open offers everything from burgers and fries to Indian and Italian food - cuisine literally from all over the world.
Each stadium also has concessions. There are also several restaurants and bars located on the grounds of the tennis grounds.
A toast to tennis
The Kentucky Derby has the mint julep, and the US Open has the Honey Deuce.
It’s a combination of vodka, lemonade, and raspberry liqueur.
The cocktail is topped off with frozen honeydew melon balls that resemble tennis balls.
(Photo courtesy: US Open)
