1. Keep checking Ticketmaster (866-673-6849; ticketmaster.com). Tickets reenter inventory at unpredictable times almost daily—if a big-name player exits early, freeing up guest seats, for example, or if seats held for the disabled are released.
2. Hit the box office. Once the tournament begins, some tickets for the following day may be available only at the National Tennis Center. Have friends check when they go, or go during the free qualifying tournament held August 22 to 25.
3. Surf the Web. eBay, StubHub.com (dedicated to fan resales), and Craigslist.org (newyork.craigslist.org/tix) hold a variety of tickets sold locally.
4. Get there early. Arrive by 9 a.m.—gates open at 10 a.m.—to be sure of a grounds pass to all areas except Arthur Ashe Stadium.
5. Contact the New York Junior Tennis League (718-786-7110, ext. 150). It has a cache of tickets at all levels—including courtside—sold at a 60 percent to 250 percent premium. The amount over face value is a valid charitable deduction.
6. Call tour companies. At least one, Championship Tennis Tours (800-468-3664; tennistours.com), sells individual tickets at a wide range of premiums.
7. Haggle. If you resort to buying from a scalper, arrive by 11 a.m. for day tickets, 6:30 p.m. for night (which you can get for less than face value during the first week). Don’t negotiate until the matches are under way. For anything in the upper tier, set a goal of not more than face value—chances are the scalper paid less and can still make money.