The morning lines at the East Gate, right off the subway/LIRR, are the longest and slowest. Walk around the crowd and to the South Gate, which is directly in front of the Unisphere. Then you will be one of the first to enter and you can get some of the best seats in tennis at Louis Armstrong stadium. 

Want to be close to the action? You aren't you going to get that in Arthur Ashe Stadium unless you have a corporate connection or big bucks. You're better off skipping the expensive upper tier at Arthur Ashe (and its infamous poor views) and getting a grounds admission pass during the first week of the US Open. Grounds admission lets you see matches at Louis Armstrong Stadium, the Grandstand ,and all of the up-close-and-personal field courts. Who plays there? Some of the best