Do I consider myself a tennis expert? Absolutely not. Topspin, dead balls, open stances, footwork -- up until yesterday, those terms meant next to nothing to me. I play occasionally for fun, but ask me about anything other than the Federer-Nadal rivalry, and I'd probably give you a blank stare. That didn't leave me any less interested in attending the 2025 U.S Open, which is essentially a rite of passage for any New Yorker.
After stepping off the shuttle (yes, there's a shuttle from pickup to the arena), I quickly determined what I deemed to be the best part of The Open: expertise is optional. Sure, some diehard fans were on the edge of their seats for every rally. But just as many were in my boat, eager to throw on their best piece of plaid, eat a tub of $100 caviar-coated COQODAQ chicken nuggets, and get the perfect Instagram shot with Arthur Ashe Stadium in the background.
If 95% of the crowd is here for the game, the other 5% are probably hoping to catch sight of an influencer or celebrity. In just the first few days of The Open, we've spotted Anna Wintour relaxing in her signature oversized sunglasses, Spike Lee rocking an all-white outfit, and Tommy Paul's influencer fiancée, Paige Lorenze, caught watching her beau in a blue Adidas dress -- sparkling engagement ring on full display.
And no, none of that glitz makes The Open any less of a serious sporting event.
The star power of many of these players is hard to miss, even if you don't know their career records. This was only day two of the two-week-long tournament [Editor's note: this story was originally written on Monday, Aug. 25], and there was plenty of buzz about the evening’s lineup: Karolina Muchova vs. Venus Williams, and the highly anticipated Carlos Alcaraz vs. Reilly Opelka matchup at 7 p.m.
We had the chance to sit down with American tennis star, No. 14-ranked Tommy Paul, who caught us up on a few standout moments 24 hours before winning his first round -- including an incident the day before, when a cameraman stormed the court mid-play during Daniil Medvedev's now infamous match. While the media presence at the U.S. Open is massive, Paul says the energetic fans and longstanding traditions are what make the tournament such a memorable experience. He was just happy to entertain some of our lighter questions, too -- like whether he's ever tried the iconic melon ball-garnished Honey Deuce cocktail. Spoiler: he hasn’t. Yet.
When it comes to his own game-day rituals, he's got a few non-negotiables -- his New Balance sneakers, Yonex racquets, and of course, a protein-packed performance shake. "I obviously play my match and go straight to Dymatize," he told us. His strength and conditioning coach, Franco Herrero, doubled down on this take, adding that fueling up ahead of the game is also key: "matches are long, so you have to be physically ready -- your muscles, your joints, everything needs to be prepared for the action."
Are you prepared for the action and want to be there too?
If so, you're in the right place.
We've got everything you need to know and more about the 2025 U.S. Open in Flushing below.
A complete list of all U.S. Open session dates, locations, ticket types and links to the cheapest inventory available can be found here: