Being a US Open fan is starting to feel almost as difficult as returning a Federer backhand. After weeks of hunting for tickets, chasing discounts and finally securing a pass to Flushing Meadows, fans might think the hard part is over. Apparently, not quite.
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Fan Week has long been one of the best ways to soak up the US Open atmosphere, but the 2026 edition has opened with a few bumps in the road. Fans at the venue have reported overcrowded areas and unclean seating, taking some of the shine off the experience.
It has now prompted one frustrated spectator to take to social media and give the organizers some rather blunt feedback.
“Dear @usopen I know these are nosebleed Arthur Ashe seats (329) but they were not cheap. I think the 2 tickets together were a little over $400. The views were great. The seats were however so dirty that we had to clean both them down with about 3 sanitizing wipes each.” said a fan on X. “We also had to give the guy in front of us wipes too.” Perhaps that’s one more headache for fans who have already paid a premium just to get through the gates.
In fact, some resale prices for ground passes and showcourt tickets exceed $300. However, one of the main attractions of Fan Week is unrestricted access to the grounds, as ground passes are free during this week, allowing fans to see the qualifying matches on the outer courts and get a peek at the practice sessions of the top-ranked players. But there’s one catch.
The headline-making Mixed Doubles event is ticketed, and resale prices are equally high, as free access to the event means a large crowd. Nonetheless, fans have shared long queues and overall crowded conditions on the grounds, which have diminished the value of the fan week.
“Literally abolish fan week atp…I’m out of here can’t even watch a match without kids pushing me off the bleachers or there being lines to get INTO THE PARKING LOT… can’t get a picture without kids and elderly men shoving me aside,” posted another fan on X. “It’s time to start charging for tix!”
Another key attraction at the US Open in recent years has been the collaboration between the USTA and Marvel Comics. Almost 40,000 free copies of a Spider-Man comic are being given out at Flushing Meadows this year, with huge queues stacking up at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
“The line for the Marvel @usopen Spider Man comic giveaway stretched almost all the way to Armstrong,” shared a fan on X. “They’re apparently reselling for big bucks online, much like the grounds passes are. Madness!”
As per reports, the comics have also gone the way of the free ground passes, being resold at exorbitant rates, despite being handed out for free on the grounds.
“There’s about 5-7 people in front of me and 3 behind me who are not here for the tennis at all,” shared a spectator on X. “They are here to get the spider marvel comic book to resell.” However, not only off the courts, but many also experienced a disruption in their on-court experience.
The scoreboards were down in many of the outside courts during the qualifying contests, which caused the audience some trouble while keeping track of the scores.
However, amid all this, there may finally be a little relief for New Yorkers trying to get through the US Open gates without emptying their wallets.
Mamdani Gives US Open Fans a Price Break
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, alongside the USTA, has introduced a limited batch of 1,000 tickets for $100, reserved specifically for city residents. The catch? It’s first come, first served, and fans will need a verified New York ZIP code to qualify.
The tickets also can’t be flipped on Ticketmaster, meaning they won’t simply end up back on the resale market at a much higher price. The sale began at 10 am on Wednesday, August 26, covering main-draw sessions from August 30 to September 8.
Each buyer can pick up a maximum of two tickets, with the offer covering seats at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Louis Armstrong Stadium, and ground passes for access to the rest of the tennis center.
Perhaps, a week before the main draw, the Fan Week at the US Open became a cultural phenomenon after the pandemic, with the organizers attempting to rebrand the competition as a festival rather than a tennis tournament.
Free ground passes, Arthur Ashe Kids Days, exhibitions featuring top-ranked players, and the new mixed doubles have made the first week of the Open as exciting as the main draw action and have boosted the overall attendance at the event. Last year, the total attendance in New York was 1.14 million, with 239,307 attending the Fan Week itself.