Arthur Ashe Stadium seats close to 24,000 people and is the largest tennis arena on earth, and Fan Week is the only stretch when you can sit in it without tournament crowds. Stars of the Open puts marquee players on the main court in a loose, mic'd-up exhibition format, with rallies and on-court interviews instead of a scoreboard grind. If you have wanted to see the Open's showcourt from the inside, this is the low-friction way.
What to expect
You enter the same Flushing Meadows grounds the tournament uses, with the food village and practice courts already active, then take a seat inside Ashe for an evening exhibition. Players are mic'd, points are played for the crowd rather than the ranking, and the roof and lighting rig are running at full tournament scale. The whole site is noticeably calmer than main-draw week.
Good to know
- Take the 7 train to Mets-Willets Point or the LIRR to the Mets-Willets Point stop; both put you on the boardwalk to the gate.
- The grounds are large and mostly outdoors, so wear shoes you can walk the whole complex in.
- Ashe has a retractable roof, so the session runs regardless of weather.
- Bag rules follow US Open policy, which is stricter than a normal arena, so travel light.
- Arriving early lets you watch practice-court sessions on the outer courts before the main event.
- The site is fully accessible, with elevators and ramps throughout the Ashe concourses.
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Common questions
Is this part of the actual US Open tournament?
No. Stars of the Open is a Fan Week exhibition held on the same grounds before the main draw begins, so the tennis is competitive but the result does not count.
Can I walk the rest of the grounds with this ticket?
Fan Week access generally includes the wider grounds, so plan to arrive early and see the practice courts and food village around the stadium.
How do I get to Flushing Meadows from Manhattan?
The 7 train from Midtown runs directly to Mets-Willets Point in roughly 35 to 45 minutes, and the LIRR from Penn Station is faster on event days.
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