Tennis is coming back to the Big Apple.  

The U.S. Open, one of the biggest sporting events in the world, returns to Flushing, Queens this month. 

Each year, the tournament begins on the last Monday in August and stretches through the second weekend of September. This year’s tournament runs from Aug. 26 through Sept. 8. 

The Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, located in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, hosts the annual event, which is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of tennis fans from around the world. 

The tennis championship is the fourth and final “Grand Slam” of the year. It follows the Australian Open in January, the French Open in May and June, and Wimbledon in July.

If you want to visit the Open, here’s what you should know beforehand.

Fan Week

To get access to the U.S. Open grounds free of charge, consider attending Fan Week from Aug. 19 through Aug. 25. During this week, the grounds are open to the public, and planned events and activities occur daily for people of all ages. 

A fan access pass will be needed to particiapte. 

Here are some of the events to look forward to:

• A concert with country music artist Dierks Bentley on Sunday, Aug. 18, the day before Fan Week begins. 
• Appearances by current and former players at events like “Legends of the Open,” “U.S. Open Mixed Matches” and “Stars of the Open” will give audiences the opportunity to watch their favorite players on the court.  
• A meet and greet with Marvel characters on select dates will celebrate the “power of tennis” with 15,000 copies of a comic book that features superheroes and  tennis players.
• Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day will be held on Aug. 24 starting at 9:30 a.m. Families will be able to enjoy a variety of activities, including watching top players practice ahead of the main draw, witness musical performances and see other player appearances. 

Tickets may be required for some of these events.

Men’s Singles preview

The defending men’s champion is Novak Djokovic, who won his fourth U.S. Open title last year.

Djokovic, who is currently the second-ranked player in the world behind Jannik Sinner, lost in the Wimbledon final this year against current No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz, but he avenged that loss by beating Alcaraz in the Olympic gold medal match earlier this month.

Sinner won his first Grand Slam title earlier this year at the Australian Open. He lost to Alcaraz in the semifinals of the French Open, and to Daniil Medvedev in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon.

Four Americans are currently ranked in the top 20 – Taylor Fritz (12th), Tommy Paul (13th), Ben Shelton (14th) and Sebastian Korda (15th).

Coco Gauff, of the United States, during the third round of the 2023 U.S. Open tennis championships. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Women’s singles preview

The defending women’s champion is Coco Gauff, whose tournament victory last year was her first career Grand Slam title. Gauff is currently ranked second in the world behind Iga Swiatek. She was defeated in the semifinals of this year’s Australian Open and in the fourth round of this year’s Wimbledon. She lost in the third round at the Olympics.

Swiatek won this year’s French Open, her fourth title in Paris and fifth Grand Slam victory overall. She won the bronze medal at the 2024 Olympics, defeating Anna Karolína Schmiedlová in the bronze medal match after losing to eventual gold medalist Zheng Qinwen in the semifinals. Swiatek was the 2022 Open champion, but lost to Jelena Ostapenko in the fourth round of last year’s Open. 

Three Americans — Gauff (second), Jessica Pegula (sixth) and Danielle Collins (10th) — are ranked in the top 10. 

Pegula lost in the second round of both this year’s Australian Open and Wimbledon. She withdrew from the French Open this year because of an injury. She was defeated by Madison Keys at the U.S. Open last year in the fourth round.

Meanwhile, Collins announced this year will be her last season as a professional tennis player. She made the announcement after she lost in the second round of the Australian Open. She was ousted in the same round later at the French Open. At Wimbledon, Barbora Krejčíková defeated Collins in the fourth round. 

It’s recommended to buy tickets the first week of the matches since tickets tend to be more affordable. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)

Ticket options worth your buck

It’s recommended to buy tickets for the first week of the matches since tickets tend to be more affordable. Each tournament date has a day and a night session, with separate tickets required for each session. 

A grounds pass gives you access to matches at Louis Armstrong Stadium, the Grandstand, and all the smaller courts. This ticket is only available during the day session, and excludes matches at Arthur Ashe Stadium. 

For Arthur Ashe Stadium access, a day session and/or night session ticket is required for reserved seats for each specific session. If you want to experience matches at this stadium with a cheaper value, consider buying an upper-level seat.  

Get tickets at usopen.org or ticketmaster.com.

The U.S. Open stresses mass transit is the best way to get to the tournament. (Marc A. Hermann/MTA)

How to get there

The U.S. Open website stresses that parking is limited, and that mass transit is the best way to get to the tournament.

Subway: The 7 train provides service to the tennis center. Visitors will have to get off at the Mets-Willets Point station, which is right across from Citi Field.

Rail: The Long Island Rail Road provides service to the Mets-Willets Point station along its Port Washington branch. Most commuters coming from Long Island will have to transfer at Woodside. Connections are also available from Penn Station for visitors coming from New Jersey Transit or Amtrak, and from Grand Central Terminal for Metro-North riders.

Rideshare: If you are headed to the U.S. Open via Uber/Lyft or via black-car services, you will be dropped off by the New York State Pavilion, where there is a direct walking path between the New York State Pavilion and Champions’ Entry. Shuttle access will be available for guests who need assistance to and from the Champions’ Entry.

Car: Tournament organizers recommend that drivers use Grand Central Parkway Exit 9E, Whitestone Expressway Exit 13D or Long Island Expressway Exit 22B. The NYPD will then direct drivers to the parking areas. A parking fee of $40 for vehicles and $80 for buses will be required. Visitors can also reserve a parking spot at the Shops at Skyview for a discounted rate. 

Visitors with disabilities are recommended to get off the LIRR train at 61st Street-Woodside Station and transfer to the 7 train to get to Mets-Willets Point Station. 

U.S. Open attendees are required to follow a code of conduct during matches. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Stadium Etiquette

U.S. Open attendees are required to follow a code of conduct. Among other things, the code prohibits attendees from using offensive language, or wearing clothing with offensive messaging; opening umbrellas during play; and entering any tennis court. Guests must also consume alcohol in a responsible manner. If a guest does not oblige by the rules, they will be asked to leave without a refund and can risk a possible arrest by the NYPD. 

A list of prohibited items, and the code of conduct, can be found here. 

Flavors of the Open

The U.S. Open offers a wide selection of food options, from quick-service options to sit-down dining. 

The Food Village, located on the grounds, has a variety of American, Asian and Latin cuisine. Kosher options are also available. 

Restaurants and bars are also located on the grounds. Some sit-down dining locations require reservations. 

Each stadium also has concessions. 

“Honey Deuce” is the signature cocktail of the U.S. Open. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

A toast to tennis

The signature cocktail of the U.S. Open is the “Honey Deuce.”

The drink is a mix of vodka, lemonade, and raspberry liquor, topped with frozen honeydew melon balls that resemble tennis balls. 

The drink is offered at multiple bars on the grounds, as well as inside Arthur Ashe Stadium and Louis Armstrong Stadium. 

Information from Rocco Vertuccio was used in this report.