The hottest ticket in sports these days? It’s Serena Williams’ next match at U.S. Open
Serena Williams defeated Anett Kontaveit in a second-round match Wednesday at the U.S. Open in Flushing, New York, and it was something new for Kontaveit.
The sold-out Arthur Ashe Stadium was decidedly pro-Serena, which rattled Kontaveit.
“You can expect something, I saw it from the previous match,” Kontaveit told reporters after the match. “But when you’re on the court, I mean, it was hard... it was something I never experienced before.”
Williams’ 7-6 (7-4), 2-6, 6-2 victory secured her a spot in the third round and likely means there will be a spike in prices on the secondary market for tickets for her next match.
The hottest ticket in sports these days is Williams’ next match in the U.S. Open. The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion is playing in her final U.S. Open, and the demand for tickets has been huge.
Fox Business, quoting the U.S. Tennis Association, said “the ‘Serena Effect’ is creating a surging demand for tickets, with the average price on the resale market jumping 68% to see her take court solo in Flushing Meadows. Prices for this year’s women’s final increased from $768 to $1,289, a 37% markup from the previous most expensive final in 2019.”
The frenzy began Monday.
Williams played that evening, and Front Office Sports said the attendance of 29,402 for that session was the most for any night in the tournament’s history.
The stars have come out to see Williams in her first two matches with Zendaya, Tiger Woods, former President Clinton, Mike Tyson, Hugh Jackman, Wendell Pierce and others on hand to watch Williams.
But not only celebrities have been flocking to see Williams.
StubHub spokesman Adam Budelli told Front Office Sports there was a large increase in ticket prices ahead of the second round.
“The Wednesday night session at Arthur Ashe Stadium — which includes Williams’ match at 7 p.m. ET — saw a 75% increase since Monday night and accounts for almost 40% of ticket sales for the entirety of Round 2,” Front Office Sports wrote.
Tickets for Friday, when Williams next plays, are significantly more expenseon Stub Hub’s site than Thursday’s sessions.
The Serena Effect remains in full force at the U.S. Open.
