To reach the last row of Section 323 in Arthur Ashe Stadium — one of the highest vantage points from which to watch U.S. Open matches — is something of a marathon.
It starts off easy with a quick flight of stairs, followed by three escalator rides. (There are stairs but it’s best to pace yourself.) From there, fans must trudge through a crowded promenade level that gets tighter when lines for gift shops and concession stands collide.
The final ascent is a flight of nine steps, then a turn, followed by another six steps, another turn and then a heart-pumping 71 steps to Row Z.
But once at the top, fans have two expansive views: before them, a match unfolding on Arthur Ashe, and behind them, an unbroken landscape of New York City, with planes touching down or taking off from La Guardia Airport, and trains passing through Mets-Willets Point station and Citi Field, home of the Mets.