A memorable year of sports in the New York region has reached the third-quarter mark. A Knicks basketball championship gave way to an entertaining World Cup, and now it is the highest megawatt tennis tournament of them all, the U.S. Open. Coincidentally, the theme for this year's tournament is "Celebrating Our New York Story." It is a story that dates back over 100 years -- long before Honey Deuces, $300 grounds passes and $108 million in total prize money.

Accessible by subway and featuring late nights, exorbitant prices and raucous crowds, the Open is New York to the core. As such, the United States Tennis Association hopes this year to project the tournament beyond the grounds of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, Queens, with a host of tennis-related activities at Hudson Yards in Manhattan. It might be as close as many New Yorkers get to the event, considering the high demand for tickets on the secondary market.

As of Sunday, tickets to the women's singles final on Sept. 12, for example, could be had for $350 in the high-altitude seats of Arthur Ashe Stadium, or for roughly $2,500 in the lower bowl. But all of it will be televised, from the morning matches until the last ball is struck under the lights. Qualifying rounds are already underway, and the main draw begins Sunday, Aug. 30.

Getting there: Train, bus, car The No. 7 train is the classic and budget-friendly way to travel to the U.S. Open. The subway line runs about every five minutes during non-rush hours, and a ride costs $3. During the tournament, extra trains will be staged nearby in case crowds form, and after late-night matches, seven additional trains will run express to Manhattan.

Tennis fans should be aware that Mets fans also rely on the No. 7 train, and get off at the same station: Mets-Willets Point. This summer, tennis and baseball events will overlap Aug. 25-30 and Sept. 4-6. Expect crowds.

Pro tip: If you want better chances of finding a seat, head to the West Side terminus in Manhattan and get on at 34th Street-Hudson Yards. And maybe check that Mets schedule. For those coming from Flushing, or straight from La Guardia Airport, the Q90 bus also stops at the entrance to the tournament on Roosevelt Avenue.

It also costs $3. There is a paratransit pickup and drop-off area there. And for a few extra dollars, fans in Manhattan and Queens can take the Long Island Rail Road to Mets-Willets Point.

Trains on the Port Washington Branch leave Manhattan from Penn Station and Grand Central. The ride is much faster than the subway, taking under 20 minutes. An off-peak ticket costs $5.25.

Ride-share services like Lyft and Uber are also an option. But unless you're staying nearby, traffic and surge pricing can make that an expensive trip: Tales of $200 rides have circulated on social media. Looking for tickets? If you already have a ticket, you know how expensive it was.

If not, you still might be able get one without taking out a home-equity loan. As of Monday, there were tickets on the secondary market for the way-up-there seats in Arthur Ashe for the quarterfinal matches for around $300; one site had a few for $200. There were also tickets available for the early rounds of the main draws for under $200.

The prices can be infamously inflated, but they also can fluctuate. Fans can check the secondary market as prices sometimes change depending on who is playing on a particular day. To help combat the high cost for a select few, the U.S.T.

A. and Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on Tuesday that 1,000 discounted tickets would be made available for New York City residents on a first-come, first-served basis beginning on Wednesday at 10 a.m. at usopen.org/NYCtickets. The tickets cost $100 each and residents can buy up to two. Grounds passes are also a great choice for fans who don't feel the need to be inside Ashe for the highest-profile matches.

A grounds pass provides first-come-first-served access in the...