US Open 2026: Here's why ticket prices at New York's must-attend event of the summer are rising for tennis fans

As a native New Yorker and a tennis fan, the US Open was always a staple: a signature tentpole, must-attend event that marked the end of every summer. 

The week before the main singles and doubles draws is free to attend, and getting a grounds pass over the tournament's first few days meant not only a seat at Arthur Ashe or Louis Armstrong but the chance to zip up and down the side courts to catch a riveting match or a future star. When you snagged a seat for a great match at a small court, it felt like you and a few dozen others were in on a secret together, like you were early to discover a band that went mainstream as fans from other courts scramble and scurry to get a glimpse of what you're witnessing. This writer will never forget getting Andy Murray's autograph on a side court before everyone knew him as a world No. 1 and a three-time Grand Slam champion.

That magic still exists decades later — it's why the Open is still one of the very few best sporting events to attend each year — but the demand for tickets has made it more difficult to affordably access the tournament than ever before. Ticket prices have drastically risen in the past few years, from an average sold price of $196 in 2022 to $346 this year, according to data compiled last week by GameTime. The average Armstrong ticket price is up 52% year-over-year, 24% on Grandstand, 10% at Ashe, and a general admission grounds pass is up 5%.

"Price increases for the US Open this year reflect big names like Serena Williams, Carlos Alcaraz and Alex Eala, setting records in anticipation of getting to see these huge stars perform," Michael Stock, GameTime's director of pricing and business strategy, told Yahoo Sports.

In addition to all the social media buzz and FOMO from New Yorkers and tennis fans traveling from all over the world to watch America's lone grand slam, ticket prices for live events have skyrocketed across the board since the pandemic. Live events are becoming more of a premium luxury every year, and the demand for a one-of-one spectacle like the US Open is only going up. Over the three weeks of the event last year, the United State Tennis Association sold more than 1.14 million tickets.

"Multiyear trends are a continuation of the most in-demand events," Stock said, "with record-shattering events this year like the World Cup and the NBA Finals in New York. But affordable options at the low end still exist as well."

Grounds pass admissions this week remain free, while the cheapest get-in price for an Ashe session is $128. If you're into doubles matches and the junior tournament in the third week, you can grab a daytime grounds pass for under $20. The median prices, however, are steep. It'll set you back $314 for a grounds pass, $599 at Grandstand, $648 at Armstrong and $795 at Ashe, which as part of an $800 million renovation project is adding 2,000 courtside seats while drastically reducing loge level capacity.

i like andy roddick and @Served_Podcast but i disagree that inaccessible #usopen ticket prices is only a problem of secondary mkts. the "new" arthur ashe has maybe half of sections 100+ seats to make space for suites pushing prices for those tickets insanely up even at face value pic.twitter.com/KKiKYqq6Fm

While the USTA makes tickets available for as low as $38 for select sessions and for $65 for the lowest priced grounds pass, those are quickly gobbled up by fans, bots and secondary market resellers.

"The reality is that we can't control the secondary market, as ticket resale is legal in New York," Brendan McIntyre, the US Open's head of communications and content, told Yahoo Sports. "We've seen unprecedented demand to attend the US Open. That is why we have made such a concerted effort to make the US Open as accessible to as many people as possible." 

One additional effort the USTA made this week was working with New York mayor Zohran Mamdani to make 1,000 main draw tickets available for $100 for eligible residents. That number, however, is still a drop in the bucket compared to the hundreds of thousands of fans who will need to pay top dollar if they want to attend the US Open this year. As the main draw gets underway on Sunday, New York's premier summer-ending tradition will again create memories for both kids and adults that will last a lifetime. It just so happens that it'll cost fans more than ever before to get a foot in the door.