The U.S. Open is the best sporting event you can attend in the city of New York. The top players are here, competing for one of the top prizes in the sport. So are the up-and-comers, the also-rans, the former champs, the comeback kids – not to mention the rich, the beautiful, and many who’d like you to think they’re both.

Attending the Open, however, is a sport in itself. Matches start at 11 a.m. and often carry on until after midnight. The August sun beats down and there’s little or no shade. Or there’s a downpour and you have to scatter for cover. In the meantime, you’ll dash from center court to Louis Armstrong stadium to catch a close match, then to the practice courts to catch a glimpse of the latest Russian upstart. It can be exhausting.

And you won’t be alone. Each year more than 600,000 people travel to the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing for the Open, making it the highest annually attended sporting event in the world. That’s right: the world. That means lots of people competing with you for food, for drinking fountains, for bathrooms, and, of course, for a view of the action.

Like any world-class competitor, you need a coach, someone to talk strategy, help you keep your cool, and make sure you’ve got everything you need. So strap on your fanny pack. Grab your oversized, fuzzy tennis ball. And don’t forget our ground-level guide to the grounds.

THE PRICE OF ENTRY

Newbies sometimes don’t realize that their ticket to center court gets them not only into Arthur Ashe stadium (that the big one that looks like an origami project) but also into all the matches on the outer courts as well as in Louis Armstrong and the Grandstand (those are the two off to the side of Ashe; Armstrong, until a few years ago, was actually center court).

In addition, tickets are sold according to session, and there are two of these – day and evening – every day. You’ll be kicked out at the end of your session, even if all the matches get rained out. And if you have tickets for both sessions in one day, you may have to change your seat for the later one.

Tickets vary in cost depending on session, day, and location. A number of ticket packages are available on the Open’s website (www.usopen.org).

The value pack includes four day-sessions and six evening-sessions and costs $200 per person. The Armstrong Plan includes courtside seats to every day session at the Louis Armstrong Stadium and costs $1,020 per person. And a subscription for everything in Arthur Ashe is $1,506 for upper promenade seating and $1,221 for lower promenade.

If you’re going to catch just a single session (as you very likely will), a day session ticket for Armstrong is going to run you from $75 to $120, while the day sessions at center court (Arthur Ashe) will go for $47 to $94. Evening sessions for center court go for $22 to $94. If you can make the time to see a day session rather than a night, do so. It’s longer, and you’ll see a wider variety of players play.

THE BEST SEATS IN THE HOUSE

The best place to sit in any court is slightly elevated, just behind one of the players (besides giving you an ideal view of play, it’ll keep the sun out of your eyes and off your back). In many of the outer courts, there are just a few rows of bleachers behind the players, but it’s worth waiting in line to sit there, especially if you’re settling in to watch a long, close match.

Players hate Ashe, which they call big and drafty. You won’t like it much, either, especially if you spring for the cheap seats – you might as well be watching from Shea. Armstrong is more cozy, but the Grandstand, which was renovated last year and now has more seating, is the best place to watch tennis on the entire grounds.

Both Armstrong and the Grandstand occasionally “sell out” – that is, they fill up with fans who are crowding in to see an especially close match. There’s not much you can do in that case, other than watch on one of the enormous televisions that dot the grounds. But particularly eager fans know that when the Grandstand sells out, you can still catch the action by climbing up to the top of Armstrong’s east bleachers and peeking down into the stadium next door.

One thing you might consider in the early part of the tournament is a grounds admission pass (it’ll cost you about $40-$46 for each day or even session), which gets you in the center for the whole day and night, but not into either Ashe or Armstrong.

Early on, a ticket to Ashe is worth less – all you’ll see is stars beating up on qualifiers. By skipping Center court entirely, you’ll be able to see juniors, seniors, and doubles play some very good tennis, not to mention more serious matches on courts 11 and 7 – two larger courts located just inside the southern entrance of the grounds.

THE PROPER EQUIPMENT

If you arrive early, bring a light breakfast (muffins, pastries, fruit) and buy a cup of coffee in the food village or from one of the restaurants. Sure, they sell food there (more on that later), but one look at the prices has a way of putting a damper on the entire experience; best to wait until later. Food, “except in small quantities, or for medical, dietary, or infant purposes” is prohibited, so pack lightly.

Also, a plastic bottle for water is a good way to stay hydrated and save money – the 500-milliliter bottle on the grounds costs $3. Regardless of whether you buy your bottle or bring it, refills can be obtained at one of the 30 water fountains located on the grounds.

Other necessities include an umbrella – not only for the rain but also for the midday sun. Hats and sunglasses are also a must, as is sunblock and a light windbreaker for the evenings.

If you don’t belong to Chase, bring cash. Otherwise Chase ATMs are located next to the bathrooms near Courts 9 and 10, 14, and 15, and also on the southeast corner of Louis Armstrong stadium.

DOS AND DON’TS

Once again, American Express is the official sponsor of the US Open; the main benefit you’ll glean from this if you’re a cardholder is that you can pick up one of the radios they loan out for the duration of each session. Besides letting you know where the best tennis is happening at all times, you’ll never miss a breakpoint or a close set.

Four sets of bathrooms are located off the corners of the South Plaza, which is in front of Arthur Ashe, as well as on the west side of Louis Armstrong. If you have a ticket to Ashe, though, we recommend using the restrooms there, which are likely to be the cleanest and have the shortest lines.

If you want to get a signature from your favorite player, your best chance to do that is at the practice courts near the west gate. Also, this upcoming Sunday is a practice day and free to all.

Open officials claim they have “enhanced and expanded” security this year. One can never say just how strictly rules will be enforced, but here’s what’s not allowed: backpacks, knapsacks, briefcases, or any bag larger than 12 inches wide by 12 inches high by 16 inches long are prohibited.

Judging from all those criteria, we’re going to recommend a bowling-ball bag – sans ball, of course – as the most efficient possible conveyance for all your stuff.

Also, leave your laptops, pets, and bicycles, scooters, skates, and skateboards at home, and no outside alcohol – don’t worry, there’s plenty inside.