There are a few different ways to attend the U.S. Open. You can either attend the U.S. Open the right way or the wrong way.

Go as many times during the first week of play. Avoid Arthur Ashe, print out a schedule of matches before heading to Flushing and have a gameplan. If there are four incredible matches at court 11, stay there. Watching a match at a small court at the U.S. Open is like sitting right behind home plate at a major league baseball game.

You can see the players, hear the players. They can hear you too. Who knows you could be sitting next to Brad Gilbert? It certainly beats Arthur Ashe.

But if there are can’t-miss matches at either Armstrong or the Grandstand, get there early. These courts get overcrowded and with more and more people attending the Open every year, be prepared to miss out if you don’t get there early.

I saw both Maria Sharapova and Andy Roddick play at Armstrong in recent years, but got there early enough to get a great seat.

Any other way to watch the Open during the first week is just flat out wrong. And no matter what, never leave your seat in the middle of a great match. You’ll never get it back.

When should you go?

Thursday, Thursday, Thursday. Most of the top-notch men open action on Monday, which means they’re next up on Thursday. There are still great matches all over the grounds. For example the first Thursday will feature Andy Roddick, Andre Agassi, Marcos Baghdatis, Lleyton Hewitt, Rafael Nadal, Justine Henin-Hardenne and Martina Hingis to name a few. Go Thursday.

What do I do the second week?

Make sure you have a good seat in Arthur Ashe, which is quite challenging. The better tickets open up closer to the event, so I’d wait about a month before to grab tickets. The absolute best day to go is on Labor Day. This allows for some good matches still on Armstrong, but you still need a decent ticket at Ashe. I recommend section 312, I’ve sat there the last two years. And this year is Agassi/Roddick, so that’s a perfect time to attend.

If a night match is what you are looking for, go the second Wednesday night. This is quarterfinal day for both men and women. It’s when Agassi and Pete Sampras had their classic tiebreaker quarterfinal.

What should I bring?

It’s worth it to wait in the bag lines and fill your bag with lots of water and food. Prices are quite expensive at the Open and with no shade to speak of it’s important to keep hydrated and not find yourself starving.

Take it all in

Lastly, take a trip around the practice courts. It’s great fun to watch superstars like Agassi and Roddick go through a practice session. You can witness how serious Agassi is and how relaxed Roddick seems to be before a big match. It’s not a bad time to try to get some photos and autographs either. You never know who you’re going to see on a practice court.