US Open Tennis 2026: Dates, Schedule, TV Coverage and Tickets
US Open tennis 2026 runs from Sunday, August 23 to Sunday, September 13 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York. Main draw singles begin Sunday, August 30. The women’s final is September 12, the men’s final September 13.
This is the 146th US Open and the longest ever staged at 22 days, eight of them with free grounds admission.
Quick Facts: US Open Tennis 2026
| Edition | 146th |
| Full event | Aug 23 to Sep 13, 2026 (22 days) |
| Main draw singles | Aug 30 to Sep 13 (15 days) |
| Women’s final | Saturday, September 12 |
| Men’s final | Sunday, September 13 |
| Venue | USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Flushing Meadows, Queens, New York |
| Surface | Outdoor hard court, Laykold |
| Singles draw | 128 players, 32 seeds |
| Defending champions | Carlos Alcaraz, Aryna Sabalenka |
| US TV | ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, ESPN Deportes |
| 2025 prize money | $90 million, a tennis record |
US Open Tennis 2026 Key Dates
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Sun, Aug 23 | Fan Week opens with Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day. Free entry |
| Mon, Aug 24 | Singles qualifying begins. Mixed doubles qualifying, free in Grandstand |
| Tue, Aug 25 | Mixed doubles first round and quarterfinals |
| Wed, Aug 26 | Mixed doubles semifinals and final, night session |
| Thu, Aug 27 | Final qualifying round. Main draw made |
| Sun, Aug 30 | First round begins |
| Sep 6 to 7 | Round of 16, Labor Day weekend |
| Sep 8 to 9 | Quarterfinals |
| Thu, Sep 10 | Women’s semifinals. Open for All Day, free entry |
| Fri, Sep 11 | Men’s semifinals |
| Sat, Sep 12 | Women’s final |
| Sun, Sep 13 | Men’s final |
What is New at the US Open in 2026
Longest edition ever. Fan Week opens August 23 with Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day leading off for the first time, making 22 event days.
Mixed doubles qualifying added. An eight-team draw plays Monday, August 24 for two main draw spots. Free to attend in the Grandstand.
Fan Access Pass required. Every fan 18 and over needs the free digital pass to enter during Fan Week. Get it in the US Open app.
USTA takes over broadcasting. From 2026 the USTA produces the world feed itself, a job ESPN held for over a decade. Your local channel is unchanged.
Arthur Ashe rebuilt. Phase two of the $800 million project replaced the courtside bowl and suite levels, expanding courtside seating from 3,000 to 5,000. The full redesign lands in 2027.
US Open Tennis 2026 Schedule
Here is the full round-by-round breakdown at a glance.
| Round | Dates |
|---|---|
| Singles qualifying | Aug 24 to 27 |
| First round | Aug 30 to Sep 1 |
| Second round | Sep 2 to 3 |
| Third round | Sep 4 to 5 |
| Round of 16 | Sep 6 to 7 |
| Quarterfinals | Sep 8 to 9 |
| Women’s semifinals | Sep 10 |
| Men’s semifinals | Sep 11 |
| Women’s final | Sep 12 |
| Men’s final | Sep 13 |
Day sessions start at 11 a.m. ET on outer courts and around noon ET in Arthur Ashe. Night sessions start at 7 p.m. ET.
Qualifying sends 16 men and 16 women into the main draw. The draw is made Thursday, August 27, with seeds set from the August 24 rankings.
Full day-by-day detail, TV windows and local start times: US Open 2026 schedule.
US Open 2026 Players to Watch
Jannik Sinner is world No. 1 and won Wimbledon in July for his fifth major. A right knee problem then forced him out of Canada and Cincinnati. After shockwave therapy in Turin he is set for almost two weeks of training in New York, and his camp says he will only play if fully fit.
Carlos Alcaraz defends the title but has not played a match since injuring his right wrist in April. He won the Australian Open in January to complete the career Grand Slam at 22, then missed Roland Garros, Wimbledon, Canada and Cincinnati. He remains on the entry list, with a decision on his title defence expected within days.
Alexander Zverev is world No. 2 after winning his first major at the French Open and reaching the Wimbledon final. With Sinner and Alcaraz sidelined, he leads the Cincinnati field as top seed.
Aryna Sabalenka has won the last two US Opens. A third straight title would be the first since Serena Williams, though her long run at world No. 1 is under threat this week.
Elena Rybakina beat Sabalenka to win the Australian Open and reached the Canadian Open final. A deep Cincinnati run could make her world No. 1 before seeds are set on August 24.
Iga Swiatek found form at the right moment. She beat Rybakina in the Canadian Open final in Toronto for her first title of 2026 and her 12th at WTA 1000 level.
Ben Shelton defended his National Bank Open title in Montreal and leads the home charge in New York.
Mirra Andreeva won Roland Garros at 19, the youngest champion there since Monica Seles in 1992.
Linda Nosková won Wimbledon at 21 for her first major. Three different women have taken the three majors so far in 2026.
Also worth tracking: Novak Djokovic, Coco Gauff, Taylor Fritz, Félix Auger-Aliassime, Naomi Osaka and Alexandra Eala. Emma Raducanu is out with a stress fracture.
Seeds and the full field: players guide.
US Open Mixed Doubles Championship 2026
The reimagined event runs August 24 to 26 with 16 teams and a primetime ESPN slot.
Confirmed direct entries include Aryna Sabalenka with Novak Djokovic, Iga Swiatek with Casper Ruud, Elena Rybakina with Taylor Fritz, Diana Shnaider with Daniil Medvedev, Belinda Bencic with Flavio Cobolli, and Amanda Anisimova with Learner Tien. Wild cards so far: Alexandra Eala with Félix Auger-Aliassime, Elina Svitolina with Gaël Monfils, Leylah Fernandez with Frances Tiafoe, Taylor Townsend with Alexander Zverev, and defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori, chasing a third straight title. Three wild cards are still to be named, and qualifying fills the last two places on August 24.
Matches before the final are short sets to four games, no-ad scoring, with a 10-point tiebreak replacing a third set. The final is played to six games.
Full format and teams: mixed doubles guide.
How to Watch US Open Tennis 2026 Live
ESPN holds exclusive US rights through 2037. Coverage runs on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC, with Spanish commentary on ESPN Deportes.
One detail most guides still get wrong: ESPN+ no longer exists under that name. It is now ESPN Select at $12.99 a month, and it does not carry the ESPN linear channels. To stream every court you need ESPN Unlimited at $29.99 a month.
| Country | Where to watch |
|---|---|
| United States | ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Unlimited |
| UK and Ireland | Sky Sports Tennis, Sky Go, NOW |
| Canada | TSN, RDS, TSN Direct, TSN+ |
| Australia | Nine and 9Now free, Stan Sport for every court |
| India and South Asia | Star Sports, JioHotstar |
| South Africa | SuperSport, DStv Stream |
| New Zealand | ESPN via Disney+ or Sky Sport |
| Most of Europe | Eurosport channels, HBO Max streaming |
| MENA | beIN Sports |
| Japan | WOWOW |
Australia has the best free option anywhere. Nine airs selected matches free to air and 9Now streams them at no cost.
Travelling? Your home service checks your location and will block you. Prices, apps and local detail for every market: US Open 2026 live stream guide.
US Open 2026 Tickets and Free Days
Buy through usopen.org or Ticketmaster, with resale on the official US Open Ticket Exchange. Use those sources only.
Grounds admission is free for all seven Fan Week days, August 23 to 29, and again on Open for All Day, Thursday, September 10. Eight free days total. Adults need the free Fan Access Pass.
Sessions, prices and seating advice: tickets guide. Free day detail: Fan Week guide.
US Open Prize Money
The 2025 US Open paid out $90 million in total player compensation, a tennis record and 20 percent up on 2024. Each singles champion earned $5 million. For the first time, the winning men’s doubles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles teams each took $1 million.
The USTA has not announced the 2026 purse yet, and another increase is expected. We will update this page the day the figure drops. Round-by-round breakdown: prize money guide.
Inside the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center
Arthur Ashe Stadium seats 23,771, the largest tennis stadium in the world. Louis Armstrong seats about 14,000. Both have retractable roofs. The Grandstand holds 8,125 and offers the closest view on the grounds.
The 2025 tournament drew a record 1,144,562 fans, up 9 percent on 2024 and the second straight year above one million.
History of the US Open
The US Open is the fourth and final Grand Slam of the season, after the Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
The first US National Championship was played in 1881 at the Newport Casino in Rhode Island. It moved to Forest Hills in 1915 and to Flushing Meadows in 1978, where it has been played on hard courts ever since.
Explore the Tournament
- Schedule and TV times — round dates, ESPN windows, order of play
- Live stream — every country, service and price
- Tickets — sessions, prices, safe buying
- Draw and bracket — printable sheets
- Prize money — round-by-round breakdown
- Mixed Doubles — format, teams, how to watch
- Fan Week — free days and the Fan Access Pass
- Players and seeds — the field and where they land
FAQ about US Open Tennis 2026
When does the US Open 2026 start?
The 2026 US Open runs Sunday, August 23 to Sunday, September 13 in New York. Fan Week and qualifying fill the first week, with free grounds entry through August 29. Main draw singles begin Sunday, August 30. The women’s final is September 12, the men’s final September 13.
How do you get to the US Open?
Take the 7 subway train or the Long Island Rail Road Port Washington Branch to Mets–Willets Point. The station sits a short walk from the gates. Driving is possible but parking near Flushing Meadows is limited, especially on New York Mets home dates.
What is the US Open bag policy?
One bag per guest, no larger than 12 inches wide by 12 inches high by 16 inches long. Backpacks are banned except single-compartment drawstring bags. Reusable metal or plastic water bottles up to 24 ounces are allowed, glass is not. There is no bag storage inside the grounds.
What happens if it rains at the US Open?
Play continues in Arthur Ashe Stadium and Louis Armstrong Stadium, which both have retractable roofs. Matches on the Grandstand and the outer courts are suspended until the courts dry.
How long is a US Open match?
Men’s singles matches are best of five sets, women’s singles best of three. If a final set reaches 6-6, it is decided by a 10-point tiebreak, the standard across all four majors since 2022. Most matches run two to four hours.
Is there a curfew for US Open night matches?
No. Unlike Wimbledon, the US Open has no official curfew, and night matches sometimes finish after 2 a.m. Plan your journey home if you hold night session tickets.
Who has won the most US Open singles titles?
Richard Sears, William Larned and Bill Tilden share the men’s record with seven each. Molla Mallory holds the women’s record with eight. In the Open Era, Jimmy Connors and Pete Sampras lead the men with five, and Chris Evert and Serena Williams lead the women with six.
What is a Honey Deuce?
The signature US Open cocktail: Grey Goose vodka, lemonade and raspberry liqueur, garnished with three honeydew melon balls. It cost about $23 in 2025, when a record 738,459 were sold.
We update this US Open tennis 2026 guide throughout the tournament. Schedules, results, start times, TV listings and printable brackets, refreshed daily once play begins.
Bookmark this page and check back each morning.