A memorable year of sports in the New York region has reached the third-quarter mark. A Knicks basketball championship gave way to an entertaining World Cup, and now it is the highest megawatt tennis tournament of them all, the U.S. Open.

Coincidentally, the theme for this year’s tournament is “Celebrating Our New York Story.” It is a story that dates back over 100 years — long before Honey Deuces, $300 grounds passes and $108 million in total prize money.

Accessible by subway and featuring late nights, exorbitant prices and raucous crowds, the Open is New York to the core. As such, the United States Tennis Association hopes this year to project the tournament beyond the grounds of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, Queens, with a host of tennis-related activities at Hudson Yards in Manhattan.

It might be as close as many New Yorkers get to the event, considering the high demand for tickets on the secondary market. As of Sunday, tickets to the women’s singles final on Sept. 12, for example, could be had for $350 in the high-altitude seats of Arthur Ashe Stadium, or for roughly $2,500 in the lower bowl. But all of it will be televised, from the morning matches until the last ball is struck under the lights.

Qualifying rounds are already underway, and the main draw begins Sunday, Aug. 30.

Here’s what to know about this year’s U.S. Open.

Getting there: Train, bus, car

The No. 7 train is the classic and budget-friendly way to travel to the U.S. Open. The subway line runs about every five minutes during non-rush hours, and a ride costs $3. During the tournament, extra trains will be staged nearby in case crowds form, and after late-night matches, seven additional trains will run express to Manhattan.

Tennis fans should be aware that Mets fans also rely on the No. 7 train, and get off at the same station: Mets-Willets Point. This summer, tennis and baseball events will overlap Aug. 25-30 and Sept. 4-6. Expect crowds.

Pro tip: If you want better chances of finding a seat, head to the West Side terminus in Manhattan and get on at 34th Street-Hudson Yards. And maybe check that Mets schedule.

For those coming from Flushing, or straight from LaGuardia Airport, the Q90 bus also stops at the entrance to the tournament on Roosevelt Avenue. It also costs $3. There is a paratransit pickup and drop-off area there.

And for a few extra dollars, fans in Manhattan and Queens can take the Long Island Rail Road to Mets-Willets Point. Trains on the Port Washington Branch leave Manhattan from Penn Station and Grand Central. The ride is much faster than the subway, taking under 20 minutes. An off-peak ticket costs $5.25.

Ride-share services like Lyft and Uber are also an option. But unless you’re staying nearby, traffic and surge pricing can make that an expensive trip: Tales of $200 rides have circulated on social media.

Looking for tickets?

If you already have a ticket, you know how expensive it was. If not, you still might be able get one without taking out a home-equity loan. As of Monday, there were tickets on the secondary market for the way-up-there seats in Arthur Ashe for the quarterfinal matches for around $300; one site had a few for $200.

There were also tickets available for the early rounds of the main draws for under $200. The prices can be infamously inflated, but they also can fluctuate. Fans can check the secondary market as prices sometimes change depending on who is playing on a particular day.
To help combat the high cost for a select few, the U.S.T.A. and Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on Tuesday that 1,000 discounted tickets would be made available for New York City residents on a first-come, first-served basis beginning on Wednesday at 10 a.m. at usopen.org/NYCtickets. The tickets cost $100 each and residents can buy up to two.

Grounds passes are also a great choice for fans who don’t feel the need to be inside Ashe for the highest-profile matches. A grounds pass provides first-come-first-served access in the upper deck of the Louis Armstrong Stadium, as well as the grandstand and all the outer courts. The first week of the tournament offers plenty of exciting early-round matches on those courts, where fans can bounce from match to match and sometimes get within a few feet of the action. But the courts can get crowded, too.

Fan Week, which started on Aug. 23 and includes the qualifying matches before the main draw starts on Sunday, is free and open to the public. But this year, fans are required to have a Fan Access Pass to get in, and tournament organizers say that if it gets too crowded during Fan Week, they could restrict access, even if you have a pass.

Under construction

Arthur Ashe Stadium is in the midst of a major interior renovation that won’t be completed until next year. It’s kind of an engineering marvel, considering crews worked through the year, then had to clean up and be out of the way in time for the guests to show up. Construction will resume when the tournament is over. Basically, they took the lower level of luxury suites and moved those atop the old second level of suites. But with over 23,000 seats, it’s still the biggest and loudest tennis stadium in the world.

Gear up for the elements

You can hit the lottery and have a beautiful, breezy, 75-degree day at the Open. You can also get a heat wave. Or a late-summer deluge. Look at the forecast and plan accordingly.

Dress in layers, as the day can go from sweltering to chilly and rainy. Pack sunscreen, a hat, shades, something warm like a hoodie, and an umbrella or rain jacket. And wear comfortable shoes: A lot of walking and stair climbing is involved.

There are plenty of water stations. Fans are allowed to bring reusable plastic or metal bottles that hold up to 24 ounces. Glass and cans are prohibited.

For those who need a break from the sun, there are some shady spots under trees in the plaza just south of Arthur Ashe Stadium. There are also misting machines throughout the tennis center.

Pro tip: Embrace your inner athlete and pack some powdered electrolytes to mix in with your water. And if you forget sunblock, tournament sponsors often distribute travel-size versions. Load up, slather on.

All the food and that drink

The U.S. Open offers many food options, many of them pricey: a $38 French dip sandwich or $39.50 lobster roll (with chips). But the star of the show remains the heavily trademarked Honey Deuce, the tournament’s signature cocktail. The mix of vodka, lemonade, raspberry liqueur, lemon juice and honeydew melon costs $23, but folks still line up to quaff them down.

Pro tip: During the tournament’s first week, the food court (adjacent to Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong Stadiums) can become tough to navigate with bustling crowds, especially starting about an hour before the night sessions begin. For those looking to avoid the lines, stroll over to the Grandstand or Court 17, where concession stands are often less jammed.

Another great option is to grab a bite on the way to the tournament. Downtown Flushing, just one train stop away, offers some of the best Chinese and South American food in the city and there are plenty of good Mexican and South American options on Roosevelt Avenue.

Save the date(s)

Qualifying matches for the U.S. Open began on Aug. 23 and run through Aug. 27.

The main draw of the tournament begins on Aug. 30, with quarterfinal matches in the singles competition scheduled to start on Sept. 8.

The women’s singles final will be played on Saturday, Sept. 12 at 4 p.m., and the tournament ends on Sept. 13 with the men’s singles final at 2 p.m.