The US Open tickets are known to sell like hotcakes in every edition. But are they actually worth the price? Usually, the tickets for the opening week are less expensive than those for the second week because the later rounds of the tournament take place during that time. However, the prices for the opening day of the US Open are already on the higher side, and tennis journalist Simon Cambers exposed how the ticketing system is getting out of hand.

“A grounds pass ticket for day 1 at the @usopen is currently $363,” he wrote on X. “Some might call it market forces, but in simple terms, it’s an outrage.”

Cambers pointed out that the other Grand Slams have way cheaper ground passes in comparison. For context, a grounds pass for any day in the opening week of Wimbledon costs $44.70. The pass costs $45 at the French Open and $35 at the Australian Open. This just shows that the US Open is charging the attendees way more than the other majors.

The average get-in price at this year’s US Open sits at $311. In comparison, it was $262 last year, which is still very much on the higher side. On the other hand, the average price to attend a day session at Arthur Ashe Stadium is $348, a 21.4% increase over the last 30 days. The average price for a night session is $231. But this isn’t any big surprise, as the tournament has always been the most expensive one of the four Slams. But still, a line needs to be drawn at some stage.

The expensive ticket prices become even more illogical when two of the most popular players of the sport are doubtful about participating in the tournament. Both Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are still recovering from their respective injuries, and there is no guarantee whether they will regain their fitness in time for the US Open. The two have also not signed up for the mixed doubles event, so the situation does appear to be serious.

Alcaraz is the defending champion of the tournament, while Sinner was the one who he had defeated in the final. If the two do end up missing the Grand Slam, then the ticket sales can seriously be affected. Both of them have huge fan bases, and they won’t be paying exorbitant prices to watch some other player in action.

So, it won’t be a shock if some venues in the opening week do not get sold out. With there being so many matches and not all of them involving top players, it is expected that there will be a number of empty seats at the venues. The tournament will begin with the mixed doubles event, which will be held from August 24 to 26 during the Fan Week. The main draw will then begin on August 30.