US Open 2012!!!

[tnnisfan]

My husband just surprised me for my 40th birthday with a "coupon" (made it himself even!!) for a trip to this year's US Open! A trip to a grand slam is a dream come true. I am beyond excited! However, this is most likely the only time I will get the opportunity to attend a slam and I want to do it right! My husband asked me to plan the entire trip. as he is not a tennis player, but supports my obsession completely. I have no idea where to begin! I am a USTA member and noticed a presale has begun, is this the best way to go or are the "package" deals the best? If any of you have been to the US Open and have advice for a newbie, I would be very very grateful.

[DCaicedo]

Ask away- what are you looking to know?
- Hotels?
- Food?
- Tickets? (I'm no help here- I wait until August to buy mine)

Some folks here have been there numerous times, and some of us live locally and attend every year

[Wuppy]

Tell him that the USTA requires diamond earrings to get into Arthur Ashe stadium too. Little-known rule.

[Will Wilson]

I've been to the Open a few times and enjoy the first days with a basic grounds pass. You can see many great players up close and get a wide variety at the same time. Tickets to Ashe are usually very high up and really isnt great for really watching tennis.

The Sunday before is a great day to come out and watch practice as well.

[tnnisfan]

LOVE the diamond earrings idea...but that might be pushing my luck!

I've only been to New York once so am very "green" with the lay of the land... Let's start with the best hotels and area (in the city or out of the city) to stay at during the Open...


Thanks for the ground pass idea, I will do that as I would love to see the players practicing and I have heard this is the best way to just wander up to the practice courts...correct or am I hearing inaccurate advice?

Also, is there a decent section within Ashe that would make it worth it? I want to see at least one center court match...

[DCaicedo]

I echo Will Wilson's post.
Grounds passes are great, free tennis all week the previous week, and AA Stadium absolutely stinks unless you're the 1%.

Get the Waffle Fries.

There's a Holiday Inn within walking distance, but there's no sightseeing in the vicinity. If it's your first trip to NYC- stay in Manhattan, and take the #7 train in. Crowded, though.

If you're a USTA member, check to see when Member Appreciation Day is. They have a nice little event that day- picture taking with the trophy, etc.

[fedfan86]

Hi - I went to the Open last year and really had a brilliant experience. I'm from the UK, so went all out for Ashe tickets right at the back lol, was really worth it though. Managed to get tickets for the men's semis (so saw the sensational Federer-Djokovic match) through ticketmaster general sale. For the final, I paid a bit extra on stubhub.

Stayed at the Pan American hotel. It wasn't great, the area not too nice, but the location was great for the tennis and sightseeing as it was pretty much equal distance between the two. Lots of people were staying there for the tennis. Would have much preferred to stay in Manhattan tbh, but it's so expensive...

I found that on Ashe people don't really sit in their allocated seats. If you are at the end of a row, it can be a bit frustrating as people continually walk up and down and obstruct your view...

I would have loved to have seen some matches on Armstrong or outside courts, but there was so much rain that it became too risky to spend a whole day waiting for play to start again...! So sorry I can't offer any advice on that.

[millicurie999]

Just so you know, the first two days are all singles (maybe day 3 too, I can't remember), so if you want to see doubles, get tickets for Day 4 onwards. If you get tickets for two days in a row, then you will pretty much cover the upper and lower brackets of the draw. Ticket for the Day session also allows you to stay and see most of the night matches (at the outside courts, Grand Stand and Amstrong).

Stay in Manhattan (especially if your husband is not a tennis fan, he can go wander off as you spend >10 hrs each day at the USTA). It's about 40 min from Time Square to the USTA by subway. Safety should not be a concern as there are plenty of people riding the #7 train at all times.

I am sure you will have a great time.

[zapvor]

you have a nice husband! The Open is one of a kind. if you can i would go 2 days so you get to see just about everyone. the practice courts are a treat too. everyones given pretty good advice. the one thing i do differently is i stay with a friend so i save money on the hotel. taking the train to flushing is also a lot easier than parking.

[DCaicedo]

Originally Posted by fedfan86

Stayed at the Pan American hotel. It wasn't great, the area not too nice, but the location was great for the tennis and sightseeing as it was pretty much equal distance between the two. Lots of people were staying there for the tennis. Would have much preferred to stay in Manhattan tbh, but it's so expensive...

Just out of pure curiosity, what was not so nice about the area?

[Hominator]

What time do they let you in if you have tickets for the day session? Thanks in advance.

[zapvor]

i believe 10AM?

[DCaicedo]

^^ Yup. Gates open at 10am, matches start at 11am

[Borrelli]

As everyone else pretty much stated, if you can stay in Manhattan and just get grounds passes for the first 2-3 days then that's about as good as it gets unless your husband is a millionaire or knows somebody on wallstreet? Hang about in Manhattan (food/drinks/dinner?) and stroll around the grounds leisurely watching awesome matches. Take the train or cab in and out of Manhattan.

[tnnisfan]

Thanks again everyone! If I get grounds passes am I able to just wander around the outside courts and watch matches or is a separate ticket required for each court? Is Armstrong a better stadium for a big match? Also, do they announce who will be on the practice courts or do you just "get lucky" with whom you see? I have a few favorites I would like to stalk, uh, I mean watch.

[DCaicedo]

Originally Posted by tnnisfan

Thanks again everyone! If I get grounds passes am I able to just wander around the outside courts and watch matches or is a separate ticket required for each court? Is Armstrong a better stadium for a big match? Also, do they announce who will be on the practice courts or do you just "get lucky" with whom you see? I have a few favorites I would like to stalk, uh, I mean watch.

A grounds pass gets you in everywhere, except for AA Stadium. That means all the outside courts, the Grandstand, and Louis Armstrong. Plus the recently built-up Court 17. All seats are first-come, first-serve.

They'll put some big names on Armstrong, but the Grandstand (to me) provides for a richer experience. Less seats, more intimate.

I'll say you just get lucky with who's practicing. Life is like a box of chocolates, no?

[tyu1314]

If you want to buy hot dog, pretzel, water, chips,coffe,..etc get it out side the site,there are mini food cart where you can buy it for less than half the price.

[tyu1314]

If you want to buy the big usopen tennis ball for autograph or souvenir ,order it at TW. I have seen over hundreds of people walk in to the wilson store and leave right after they found out the price of the ball.It is 40+tax.

[rommil]

Originally Posted by tnnisfan

Thanks again everyone! If I get grounds passes am I able to just wander around the outside courts and watch matches or is a separate ticket required for each court? Is Armstrong a better stadium for a big match? Also, do they announce who will be on the practice courts or do you just "get lucky" with whom you see? I have a few favorites I would like to stalk, uh, I mean watch.

If you go to the practice courts , there is a monitor/screen that has the names and time who is practicing that day. Usually, whoever has an official match that day hits at the practice courts about 3 hours before their match too.

[West Coast Ace]

Originally Posted by tnnisfan

Is Armstrong a better stadium for a big match?

Armstrong will still have good matches - just not the Rogers, Rafas, Novak's - and you'll be in a much more fan friendly setting - aka close enough to the action to really enjoy it.

Originally Posted by fedfan86

I found that on Ashe people don't really sit in their allocated seats. If you are at the end of a row, it can be a bit frustrating as people continually walk up and down and obstruct your view...

I've been all over the world to tournaments - happens everywhere. Adult attention deficit disorder is rampant. Not a USO thing, not an assigned seating thing - not everyone is a hardcore fan or can sit through a lot of tennis without getting up.

Originally Posted by tnnisfan

Let's start with the best hotels...

I'd recommend Priceline.com, name your price. You pick the star rating, location and price - and a hotel will accept it or not. You can google to find out what a reasonable bid is. But you can only do Priceline and get a good deal closer to the actual date. So find a hotel at a price you can live with - that allows for a free cancellation. Then you can work the Priceline angle to try to get a better deal or higher star rating.