Going to the US Open in Flushing Meadows

In its 135^th year, the 2015 US Open starts Aug. 31. Here are some tips for attending.

Qualify

The weeks leading up to the Open has a series of qualifying tournaments free to attend. There might be a few superstars down in the rankings, but most of the players you probably have never heard of, though you will get to see some of the higher seeds practicing in preparation for the tournament

Fuel and Transport

Like all sporting events, the food is overpriced, and it would be a shame to waste money on subpar stadium food while in New York. Eat outside the grounds and take the No. 7 train from Times Square, Grand Central or Bryant Park to Willets Point-Citi Field or the Long Island Railroad from Penn Station.

Head South with No Bags

No purses either, or paper bags. The security here is notorious for being strict, so leaving the bags at home will get you inside a lot faster. Also, everyone’s going to be getting off the subway and going to the East Gate. Walk around to the Unisphere to enter through the much less-crowded South Gate.

Mind the Grounds

Attending the later round in the stadium is great, but the true Grand Slam experience is in the early rounds. Get a cheap grounds pass for one of the first five days and see your favorite players up close on the field courts. Mind the changing schedule though, which is regularly updated on the US Open app.

Dress for the Heat

It’s not quite autumn in New York yet, so the days are hot and humid, with little shade on the grounds, so bring a hat or umbrella, which could be useful for the occasional thunderstorm as well.