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Free Ferries To U.S. Open, Which Starts Today Despite Hurrican't
By
John Del Signore
Published Aug 29, 2011
Modified Aug 29, 2011
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By
John Del Signore
Published Aug 29, 2011
Modified Aug 29, 2011
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Arthur Ashe stadium in Flushing, Queens has made it through Sunday's nastiness intact, and the U.S. Open tennis tournament will kick off today as planned. According to the U.S. Open website, the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center "was mostly spared of any major damage." The first match, between Tobias Kamke (GER) and Mardy Fish (USA), is set to start at 1 p.m. (with brawling in the stands T.B.D.). The grounds crew stayed overnight at the facility on Saturday in order to to make repairs as quickly as possible, and one worker sums it up thus: “It was a little rain storm. We got pretty lucky."
Tickets are still available for many of the matches, and if you're planning to attend, you may be interested to know that Delta is sponsoring free (almost) Water Taxi rides from Pier 17 at the South Street Seaport. The "Tennis Taxis" depart from there 90 minutes before each scheduled tennis session, and make a stop at the East 35th Street dock 75 minutes before the session begins. (The trips are timed to deliver passengers at the World’s Fair Marina 30 minutes before play starts.) Unfortunately, there's no return ferry service, so you'll have to fend for yourself.
Note that because of flooding at the East 35th St. Ferry Landing Closure, there's no ferry service today. Service is expected to resume tomorrow, and there are still tickets available online. Delta calls the tickets "free," but there is a $1 service fee. No charge for carry-on luggage, though!
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delta water taxi
hurricane irene
us open
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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