The US Open is the last of the four tennis majors and takes place annually in late August and early September at Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park - known simply as Flushing Meadows - in Queens, New York City.
The great thing about going to watch a tennis major? How about the sheer variety of the event? The tournament squeezes in five main events - men’s and women’s singles and men’s, women’s and mixed doubles, and there are additional competitions for juniors, seniors and wheelchair players. Over the course of a fortnight, this provides a huge range of entertainment and there’s never a dull moment.
For all that action, the other great thing about tennis majors are the simplicity of the event.
On the singles side, 128 of the world’s finest tennis players from countries all over the globe qualify and it’s straight knockout - no second chances. You win, you advance; you lose, you’re booking a flight home. The stakes couldn't be higher as entire reputations hinge on the majors and the prize money is astronomical. As a result, the action is of the highest quality.
The mix of fans in the stand is as diverse as the line-up of players on court, as folk flock from all over the world to cheer on their favourite players, soak up the electric atmosphere or simply to enjoy the best the game has to offer.
There are plenty of ways to enjoy the tennis as a fan at Flushing Meadows. It’s incredibly easy to get to from downtown NYC - just hop on a subway from Grand Central and you’ll be there inside 25 minutes. Flushing Meadows has 22 courts inside the main area and 11 in an adjoining park meaning there’s always action going on. You can get set tickets to watch the very best players on the show courts or a ground pass to flit in and out of games and get a true feel for the event at every level on the outside courts.
Arthur Ashe Stadium is the premier show court and the biggest tennis arena in the world, holding a capacity of 23,200 people. Tickets become even more in demand and the atmosphere ever more raucous as the tournament progresses and finals loom. In 1997, Arthur Ashe Stadium replaced Louis Armstrong, which has a capacity of over 10,000, as the tournament’s primary venue and the location of the finals. The Grandstand, which holds 6,000 people, is attached to Louis Armstrong Stadium, and is the tournament’s third-largest venue.
Almost all of the game’s finest players have triumphed at Flushing Meadows. Swiss legend Roger Federer has won the Men’s Singles five times consecutively between 2004-08, while Americans Pete Sampras and Jimmy Connors have won he same number and John McEnroe won it four times. On the Ladies’ side, the American Williams sisters have enjoyed great success at the event, with Serena winning it six times in total and all of the last three, while Venus is a double champion and they've also won the ladies’ doubles together twice. America’s Chris Evert has also won it six times and Martina Navratilova has won a record 16 US Open titles across singles and doubles. Another pair of siblings, USA’s Bob and Mike Bryan, have won the men’s doubles five times together.
The US Open: there’s something for everyone. Come have a taste!
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