US Open Tennis Qualifying 2026: Results, Dates, TV Schedule
Updated 30 August 2026
US Open Tennis Qualifying 2026 ran from Monday, August 24 to Friday, August 28 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows. Heavy rain on Thursday pushed the final round back a day.
Two 128 player draws produced 32 qualifiers, 16 men and 16 women. They join the main draw that begins Sunday, August 30. Grigor Dimitrov and Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen both came through.
Every match aired on ESPN2 or ESPN+, and grounds entry was free with a Fan Access Pass. Below: the full qualifier list, results, prize money, the first round matchups the qualifiers drew, and how the format works.
US Open Tennis Qualifying 2026 at a Glance
| Dates played | Monday, August 24 to Friday, August 28, 2026 |
| Venue | USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Flushing Meadows, New York |
| First serve | 11:00 a.m. ET daily, gates at 10:00 a.m. |
| Draw size | 128 men and 128 women |
| Qualifiers | 16 per draw, 32 in total |
| Format | Best of three sets, three rounds |
| Admission | Free with a Fan Access Pass |
| US TV | ESPN2 and ESPN+ |
| Qualifying payout | $32,000 to $66,000, plus $140,000 for qualifiers |
| Main draw | Sunday, August 30 to Sunday, September 13, 2026 |
Who Qualified for the 2026 US Open Main Draw
The final round finished on Friday afternoon, August 28. These 32 players earned the last main draw places.
Men’s qualifiers
Nishesh Basavareddy, Coleman Wong, Hugo Gaston, Jurij Rodionov, Tomás Barrios Vera, Francesco Passaro, Toby Samuel, Dalibor Svrčina, Grigor Dimitrov, Andrea Guerrieri, Federico Cinà, Zsombor Piros, Tristan Schoolkate, Harry Wendelken, Lloyd Harris and Rei Sakamoto.
Lucky losers: Jacob Fearnley and Shintaro Mochizuki.
Women’s qualifiers
Robin Montgomery, Lucie Havlíčková, Francesca Jones, Storm Hunter, Arantxa Rus, Harriet Dart, Polina Iatcenko, Elvina Kalieva, Lucrezia Stefanini, Tamara Zidanšek, Gabriela Knutson, Himeno Sakatsume, Mary Stoiana, Zheng Qinwen, Anouk Koevermans and Kristina Liutova.
See where each one landed on our 2026 US Open draw page.
Qualifying Results and Storylines
- Zheng Qinwen came through. The 2024 Olympic gold medallist, playing major qualifying for the first time since 2022, beat Elena Pridankina 6-4, 3-6, 6-0 on Friday after rain suspended the match with Pridankina ahead in the second set.
- Kei Nishikori said goodbye. The 2014 finalist and former world No. 4 lost his final major match 6-4, 7-6(3) to 20 year old compatriot Rei Sakamoto, who reached his first US Open main draw.
- Grigor Dimitrov advanced on Thursday when Otto Virtanen withdrew before their final round match. The former world No. 3 had beaten Lorenzo Giustino and Timofey Skatov to get there.
- Kristina Liutova, 16, made history. Her 6-4, 6-0 win over Martyna Kubka made her the first player born in 2010 to reach a Grand Slam main draw.
- Bianca Andreescu fell one match short. The 2019 champion lost 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 to Tamara Zidanšek in the final round.
- Robin Montgomery was the first American through, recovering to beat Carson Branstine 2-6, 6-2, 6-2.
- Federico Cinà closed the week with a 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 win over Bu Yunchaokete, one of two first time qualifiers in the Next Gen top 10 alongside Sakamoto.
Where the 2026 Qualifiers Landed in the Main Draw
Qualifiers go into the draw unseeded and are placed at random, so three of them drew headline first round matches.
| Qualifier | First round opponent | When |
|---|---|---|
| Hugo Gaston | Daniil Medvedev, No. 7 seed | Sun, Aug 30, Arthur Ashe day session |
| Zheng Qinwen | Kristina Liutova, fellow qualifier | Mon, Aug 31, 11 a.m. on Court 17 |
| Grigor Dimitrov | Alexei Popyrin, wildcard | Mon, Aug 31 |
Zheng against Liutova is the pick of the three. Two qualifiers, a first meeting, and a 16 year old who has won nine matches in a row after taking the Memphis title on her WTA main draw debut.
Day by Day Schedule
| Day | What was played |
|---|---|
| Sun, Aug 23 | Qualifying Wildcard Challenge finals; Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day |
| Mon, Aug 24 | First round begins; Mixed Doubles qualifying in the Grandstand |
| Tue, Aug 25 | First round completed |
| Wed, Aug 26 | Second round |
| Thu, Aug 27 | Final round started, then suspended by rain and storms |
| Fri, Aug 28 | Final round completed; 32 qualifiers confirmed |
Qualifying sat inside US Open Fan Week, August 23 to 29. Matches were played on the field courts, the same surface the main draw uses a week later.
The rain delay was not unusual. In 2025 qualifying also spilled into a fifth day. If you plan a 2027 trip, keep the Friday free.
US Open Tennis Qualifying 2026 TV Schedule
ESPN carried every qualifying day in the United States. ESPN2 ran a daily window and ESPN+ streamed up to 14 courts from first ball to end of play.
| Date | Time (ET) | Coverage | Channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon, Aug 24 | 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. | First round | ESPN2, ESPN+ |
| Tue, Aug 25 | 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. | First round and Mixed Doubles | ESPN2, ESPN+ |
| Wed, Aug 26 | 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Second round | ESPN2, ESPN+ |
| Thu, Aug 27 | 11 a.m. to rain suspension | Final round, part one | ESPN2, ESPN+ |
| Fri, Aug 28 | 11 a.m. to end of play | Final round completed | ESPN+ |
Replays remain on demand in the ESPN App. Cord cutters reach ESPN2 through YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo, DirecTV Stream or Sling Orange. The free US Open app carries live scores and the daily order of play.
Outside the United States, coverage varies by broadcaster. Our US Open live stream guide lists the rights holders country by country.
How US Open Qualifying Works
Each 128 player draw splits into 16 sections of eight. Every section produces one qualifier, so three wins earn a main draw place and one loss ends the week.
- Format: best of three sets for men and women, with a 10 point tie break at 6-6 in the deciding set
- Seeds: 32 per draw, two per section, so the highest ranked pair can only meet in the final round
- Field: 119 direct acceptances by ranking plus nine wildcards
- Entry deadline: 28 days before the tournament, which is why the field keeps shifting
- Typical cut: roughly world No. 105 to No. 260
The 128 place main draw is built from 104 direct entries, eight wildcards and the 16 qualifiers. Qualifiers stay unseeded and are drawn at random into the Q slots, which is why one often lands opposite a seed on day one.
A player beaten in the final round joins the lucky loser pool. If a main draw entrant withdraws after qualifying starts, a lucky loser takes the spot and collects the full first round payout. In 2026 that pool held Jacob Fearnley and Shintaro Mochizuki.
Full rules sit in the 2026 Grand Slam Rulebook.
US Open Qualifying Prize Money 2026
The USTA raised total compensation to a record $108 million for 2026, up 20 percent. Qualifying payouts rose with it.
| Round lost | 2026 payout | Change vs 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| First round (Q1) | $32,000 | +16.4% |
| Second round (Q2) | $48,000 | +14.8% |
| Final round (Q3) | $66,000 | +15.4% |
| Qualified, main draw first round | $140,000 | +27.3% |
Losing an opening qualifying match still pays $32,000, more than most Challenger champions earn. For a player ranked near No. 200, one week in New York can fund months on tour.
Full round by round numbers sit on our US Open 2026 prize money page.
Watching Qualifying Free at Flushing Meadows
Qualifying is the cheapest tennis in New York. Grounds admission during Fan Week costs nothing, but 2026 added a step: a free Fan Access Pass registered in advance.
The pass covered the field courts, the Grandstand, practice courts and the food village. Also free with it: Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day, Mixed Doubles qualifying and Media Day.
Three 2026 sessions needed a separate ticket: the Roger Federer tribute night, the Mixed Doubles Championship in Arthur Ashe Stadium, and Stars of the Open. Main draw seats are covered on our US Open tickets page.
Planning ahead: qualifying is always the Monday to Thursday of the week before the main draw, so expect late August 2027.
Why Qualifiers Are Worth Following
Qualifiers enter the main draw with three matches already played on tournament courts, in tournament conditions. Seeds arrive with practice sets.
That edge occasionally rewrites a fortnight. Emma Raducanu came through qualifying in 2021 ranked No. 150, then won seven more matches without dropping a set and beat Leylah Fernandez 6-4, 6-3 in the final. She is still the only qualifier to win a Grand Slam singles title. Botic van de Zandschulp reached the quarterfinals from the same draw.
FAQs
When was US Open qualifying 2026 played?
Monday, August 24 to Friday, August 28, 2026. It was scheduled to end Thursday, but rain and storms suspended the final round and pushed the last matches to Friday.
Who qualified for the 2026 US Open main draw?
Sixteen men and sixteen women. The men include Grigor Dimitrov, Rei Sakamoto, Federico Cina, Coleman Wong, Hugo Gaston and Nishesh Basavareddy. The women include Zheng Qinwen, Robin Montgomery, Kristina Liutova, Harriet Dart, Arantxa Rus and Tamara Zidansek. Zheng and Liutova drew each other in the first round.
How much did US Open qualifying pay in 2026?
A first round loss paid $32,000, a second round loss $48,000 and a final round loss $66,000. Qualifiers banked at least $140,000, the main draw first round payout, from a record $108 million total purse.
What channel was US Open qualifying 2026 on?
ESPN2 in the United States, with full day streaming from up to 14 courts on ESPN+ through the ESPN App. Replays are available on demand.
Is US Open qualifying free to attend?
Yes. Qualifying falls inside Fan Week, so grounds admission is free. Since 2026 you must register a free Fan Access Pass to enter.
Is qualifying best of three or best of five sets?
Best of three sets for both men and women, with a 10 point tie break at 6-6 in the deciding set. The men’s main draw returns to best of five.
What is a lucky loser at the US Open?
A player beaten in the final qualifying round who is drawn into the main draw when someone withdraws after qualifying starts. Jacob Fearnley and Shintaro Mochizuki filled that pool in 2026. Lucky losers receive full main draw prize money.
When does the US Open 2026 main draw start?
Sunday, August 30, 2026. The women’s final is Saturday, September 12 and the men’s final Sunday, September 13.
US Open Tennis Qualifying 2026: What Happens Next
US Open Tennis Qualifying 2026 delivered 32 new main draw names, a record payout scale and one farewell in Kei Nishikori. Hugo Gaston opens against Daniil Medvedev on Arthur Ashe, and Zheng Qinwen meets 16 year old Kristina Liutova on Monday. Watch how they handle a fortnight they reached the hard way.
Follow the brackets on our 2026 draw page and the daily order of play on the US Open 2026 schedule.