The 2024 US Open. Photos by Tracy Zwick

By Tracy Zwick

It’s the time of year Upper West Side tennis fans have been waiting for: the US Open launches Monday, August 18th, and UWSers will have access to all the action, much of it free this week, via the subway or the LIRR. Here’s how to get there, what to see and do once you’re on the grounds, some new offerings for 2025, and a peek at some UWSers who make sure the tournament lives up to its branding: “Spectacular Awaits.”

Follow WSR during the tournament to learn more about UWSers you’ll see in prime time and others who work behind the scenes. Local legend Aleksander Kovacevic, currently ranked 62nd in the world, is competing again in the tournament’s main draw (which begins August 24 and ends September 7), while Columbia’s number 1 player, NCAA Champion Michael Zheng, will try to fight his way into the main draw through this week’s qualifying competition (the “qualies,” which are free to attend). We’ll be following their campaigns and bringing you interviews and color about UWSers who are in the thick of the competition, who work on ball crews, who string rackets for the players, and much more.

Watch this space! Now let’s focus on your pre-tournament strategy.

When does it start?  Monday! And the US Tennis Association (USTA) wastes no time getting the sport’s biggest stars on its biggest stages. You can watch players practicing on-site all this week for free. Starting Monday, the sport’s headliners, like Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, Jessica Pegula, Ben Shelton, and Taylor Townsend begin competing for the mixed doubles title and the cool $1 million that comes with it. Unlike this week’s qualifying tournament, which affords players just outside of tennis’s top tier a chance to scrap their way into next week’s main draw and is free and open to the public, the reinvented 2025 mixed doubles championships require tickets that start around $40. There’ll be free family activities all week, a silent disco, DJs, sponsor booths, and more. You can download the app to get up-to-the-minute player practice schedules, maps and scores, and sign up for a free Fan Access Pass to get easy access to all the complimentary offerings this week.

How to get there from the UWS?  Take the 1/2/3 to the 7 at Times Square. It’s a straight shot from there. Get off at Mets-Willets Point Station and follow the signs and the crowd. The LIRR also provides service to Mets-Willets Point Station; catch it at Penn Station. It lets you off a little closer to the tournament’s entry gates than the 7. You can drive and pay for parking on site, and when I’ve stayed for late matches, which can go until the wee hours of the morning, that’s been handy. There are also pick-up and drop-off points for car services like Uber and Lyft, but prepare for long wait times.

Do I need tickets?  Not to get through the gates for Fan Week, which runs from Monday through Saturday. You can watch the world’s best players practicing and see those who didn’t get automatic berths in the main draw fight to earn a place through this week’s qualies. And that’s all free, as is Media Day this Friday, the US Open Block Party Friday night, and Arthur Ashe Kids Day on Saturday the 23rd. But, as mentioned earlier, you will need tickets to watch the mixed doubles championships this week. Round 1 of the tournament’s main draw starts for the first time on a Sunday, August 24th; everyone will need a ticket to enter the grounds then and for the rest of the competition. Your best bet is a grounds pass, which can set you back about $150.

Who’s competing? The draw, the schedule that indicates which players will compete against each other and when, will be revealed on Thursday, August 21st. But we already know the field boasts 18 former Grand Slam singles champions, including 10 former US Open champs. World number 1s Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka will be back to defend their 2024 US Open titles. They’ll be joined by 2023 champ Coco Gauff and 2022 US Open titlist Carlos Alcaraz. If the US Open makes you feel patriotic, there are Americans aplenty to cheer for: Francis Tiafoe, Madison Keys, Amanda Anisimova, Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, and Venus Williams among them.

What to Eat: Tennis may be the main attraction, but it’s not the only draw at the US Open. Dozens of notable restaurants and top chefs will be serving and returning, including Kwame Onwuachi of Lincoln Center’s Tatiana. New this year will be James Beard-nominated Robbie Felice with pastaRamen, offering izakaya-style finger food along with ramen, and two dessert options: zeppoli bao buns and a new strawberry yuzu Japanese-Italian ice. Chef José Andrés will be back in Queens with Oyamel’s barbecue pork tacos, as will Simon Kim’s COQODAQ with its elevated fried chicken paired with caviar. Also in this year’s culinary draw: David Burke, Pat LaFrieda, Carnegie Deli, King Souvlaki, Eataly, and Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto. I’m partial to Poke Yachty’s poke bowls, Red Hook Lobster Pound’s lobster BLT, Korilla BBQ and Nourish Spot’s salads and smoothies. And don’t let the high price deter you from experiencing the delicious signature cocktail of the US Open, the raspberry lemonadey Honey Deuce by Grey Goose, garnished, as always, with tennis ball-shaped honeydew scoops and served in a collectible cup.

How to Watch from the UWS: ESPN is where NYers can watch the tournament from home. Expect first-to-last-ball coverage across ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2. Tennis Channel will have daily US Open preview shows, and if you’re more interested in love than tennis, the USTA  is entering the world of reality-show dating with an 8-episode series called “Game, Set, Matchmaker” that’ll be filmed at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center during Fan Week. The series will air on YouTube during the main draw.

TZ’s Tips: 

  • Utilize the US Open website and app to understand the rules, plan your day, and find your way.
  • Wear and bring sunscreen. The tournament’s promising more shade and hydration this year, but a hat can’t hurt.
  • Save a little money by bringing some snacks and water.
  • Wear comfortable shoes; you’re gonna be walking a lot.
  • Don’t talk loudly during matches. It’s a distraction to your neighbors and the players. These are professionals with big money on the line ($110k for those who play in Round 1 alone), and your neighbors coughed up for their tickets. So be cool UWS, and be quiet.

Have fun! Add your tips, advice, US Open stories, and must-see matches in the comments!

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