Just In: US Open grounds passes being sold for outrageous price 10x more than Wimbledon
The price of ground passes for the US Open has been branded “scandalous” ahead of the final grand slam of the year. The action begins on August 23 with Fan Week, during which qualifying will take place before the main draw commences on August 30.
Tens of thousands of fans will flock to New York’s Flushing Meadows to sample the action. Attending grand slams is never cheap but can be cost-effective if you purchase a ground pass, which gives fans access to the outer courts but not the show courts. At Wimbledon, a ground pass for the first week of Wimbledon costs a reasonable £33. However, a ground pass for day one of the main draw in New York will cost £268 via Ticketmaster’s resale platform, as highlighted by tennis reporter Simon Cambers on X.
Another reporter, Jose Morgado, shared the post and wrote: “It’s actually scandalous.” Fans also weighed in to slam the pricing structure. One said: “Good for you for calling out this outrage. As you say, the resellers are capturing outsized profits.”
Another added: “I just don’t get how this is sustainable. Three years ago, you’d easily still get day 1-3 tickets without needing resale, now it’s absolutely impossible.”
That is also far above the cost of early-tournament ground passes at the other grand slams. At the French Open, it’s around £34. Meanwhile, for next year’s Australian Open, a ground pass will cost just £25.
It was noted that it may be cheaper for US Open fans to purchase tickets in the gods for one of the stadium courts, as these seats also provide ground access.
As for the on-court action, it remains to be seen whether Carlos Alcaraz will be fit enough to defend the men’s title. The Spaniard has missed the last five months since suffering a wrist injury at the Barcelona Open in April, keeping him out of the French Open and Wimbledon.
Alcaraz was due to return to action at the Cincinnati Open earlier this month, but withdrew due to his “ongoing” injury. In the women’s draw, Venus Williams, 46, has been handed a wild card into the main draw, but it is unclear whether her sister Venus, 44, will play.
The eldest Williams sibling made her debut at Flushing Meadows in 1997. Former champion Sloane Stephens is also granted direct entry into the first round, with the organisers keeping people guessing whether Serena Williams will make her New York comeback
