US Open 2026 Tennis: Full Schedule, Results, Tickets and How to Watch

Tennis  |  September 1, 2026

Quick Answer

The 2026 US Open runs August 23 to September 13 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York — the longest edition in tournament history at 22 days. The singles main draw started Sunday, August 30. Women's singles final is Saturday, September 12; men's singles final is Sunday, September 13. On Day 2 (August 31), Frances Tiafoe and Naomi Osaka joined Ben Shelton, Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka in the second round.

When Does the 2026 US Open Start and End?

The 2026 US Open begins with Fan Week on Sunday, August 23, 2026, and runs through the men's singles final on Sunday, September 13, 2026 — a 22-day stretch that makes it the longest edition in the tournament's near-150-year history. The tournament is staged at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, Queens, New York City.

Fan Week (August 23–29) includes singles qualifying, player practices, the revamped Mixed Doubles Championship and family events including Arthur Ashe Kids' Day. The main draws for men's and women's singles both begin on Sunday, August 30, with 128 players in each. Finals weekend lands on September 12–13 to crown the new champions of the Big Apple.

The qualifying rounds run Monday, August 24 through Friday, August 28 across the outside courts and grandstand courts, and they are free to attend. In total, the 2026 edition offers eight days of free grounds admission — seven during Fan Week plus a designated 'Open for All Day' on Thursday, September 10 — the most free days in tournament history.

What Are the Full Round-by-Round Dates?

The singles competition follows a fixed calendar once the main draw begins. The first round is spread over three days (August 30 through September 1) because 128 men and 128 women open the event. The second round takes the next two days, September 2–3, followed by the third round on September 4–5.

The Round of 16 runs Sunday, September 6 through Monday, September 7, and the quarter-finals fill Tuesday, September 8 and Wednesday, September 9. The semi-finals split by gender: women's semi-finals on Thursday, September 10 and men's semi-finals on Friday, September 11. The women's singles final closes the fortnight on Saturday, September 12, and the men's singles final is the Sunday finale on September 13.

Doubles and wheelchair events run alongside the singles throughout the fortnight. Men's and women's doubles begin during the opening days of the main draw and conclude on finals weekend. The Mixed Doubles Championship was moved to Fan Week under a revamped format introduced in 2025, with 16 teams competing for a $1 million prize.

Where Can I Watch the 2026 US Open on TV and Streaming?

The 2026 US Open is broadcast in the United States across the ESPN family of networks and the USTA's own platforms. Daytime and primetime sessions from Arthur Ashe Stadium air on ESPN and ESPN2, with additional matches on ESPN3 and the ESPN app. Spanish-language coverage is carried by ESPN Deportes for Latino audiences across the country.

Internationally, the tournament is shown on ESPN (Latin America), Sky Sports (UK & Ireland), beIN Sports (parts of Europe and the Middle East), Eurosport (continental Europe) and TSN/RDS (Canada). In Chile and much of Latin America, ESPN Latin America holds the rights, which is why the tournament dominates trending searches there alongside local coverage.

For fans who want every court, the official US Open digital platforms stream live matches across the outside courts for free, while the show-court sessions require a cable or streaming login. The tournament's schedule of play page (usopen.org) lists every match with its court assignment, start time and broadcast channel.

What Happened on Days 1 and 2: Results So Far

The first round of the 2026 US Open produced early drama and a comeback that ran past midnight. On Day 2 (Monday, August 31), No. 11 seed Frances Tiafoe survived a five-set thriller against fellow American Martin Damm, winning 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in close to four hours, finishing shortly before 1 a.m. Damm arrived in New York with the biggest win of his summer after beating Daniil Medvedev in Winston-Salem the prior week.

Four-time major champion Naomi Osaka also advanced on Day 2, defeating Anastasia Zakharova in straight sets to reach the second round. Carlos Alcaraz marked his return to competition — his first match in four-and-a-half months after an injury layoff — with a win, and Aryna Sabalenka advanced to set up her title defense. Ben Shelton joined them in the second round.

The biggest shock of the early rounds came on the men's side when Stefanos Tsitsipas knocked out Cincinnati champion Arthur Fils in the first round, 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-1, 6-4. Fils had beaten Tiafoe in the Cincinnati Masters 1000 final just eleven days earlier, and his first-round exit reshaped the men's draw.

Who Are the Favorites and Key Storylines in 2026?

Carlos Alcaraz is the headline story of the 2026 US Open. After more than four months away from competition due to injury, the two-time major champion returned to the court in New York saying he is 'pain-free finally.' His comeback adds a marquee name to a men's draw already featuring top seed Alexander Zverev and home favorite Frances Tiafoe.

Aryna Sabalenka enters as the defending women's champion and a leading contender for the world No. 1 ranking, with Elena Rybakina challenging for the top spot during the tournament. Naomi Osaka, a two-time US Open champion (2018 and 2020), is chasing a return to the deep rounds in her comeback era, and her Day 2 straight-sets win keeps her on course.

Frances Tiafoe arrives with the most ATP-level wins on American soil of any active player except Novak Djokovic (242) and Taylor Fritz (128) — his 126 career wins at home include two US Open semi-final appearances. He will face Japanese qualifier Rei Sakamoto, 20, in the second round in what projects as a big-serve matchup.

The key storylines to follow in the second week: whether Alcaraz's body holds through seven matches, whether Sabalenka can defend her title under pressure for the No. 1 ranking, whether Osaka can reach the second week for the first time in her comeback, and which American man — Tiafoe, Fritz or Shelton — makes the deepest run.

Where Is the US Open Played and on What Surface?

The US Open is played on hard courts — specifically Laykold acrylic surfaces — at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, Queens. It is the fourth and final Grand Slam of the year and the second played on hard courts after the Australian Open in January.

The venue features three show courts. Arthur Ashe Stadium is the largest tennis stadium in the world with 23,771 seats, hosting all day and night sessions. Louis Armstrong Stadium is the second-largest court and a fully enclosed arena with a retractable roof. Grandstand is the third show court, an intimate setting for early-round matches and Mixed Doubles qualifying. More than a dozen outside courts spread across the grounds complete the facility.

The fast, consistent Laykold surface rewards powerful serving and aggressive baseline play, which is why the US Open historically favors big hitters and why marathon five-setters like Tiafoe–Damm remain a signature of the fortnight. The court speed at night, when the surface plays slightly quicker under the lights, has become one of the event's defining tactical talking points.

How Much Do US Open 2026 Tickets Cost and How to Buy Them?

US Open tickets are sold through the official USTA ticket office and the tournament's authorized resale marketplace. Prices vary widely by session: grounds admission passes and Fan Week qualifying are the most affordable, while night sessions in Arthur Ashe Stadium for the finals command the premium prices.

Grounds passes give access to the outer courts and Grandstand early in the tournament and are the cheapest way to experience the event. Arthur Ashe day and night sessions include stadium seating. The 2026 edition introduced eight free admission days — the most ever — with Thursday, September 10 designated 'Open for All Day' for free grounds admission.

For the second week and finals, tickets historically sell out weeks in advance. The safest path is the official USTA site (usopen.org/tickets), which lists all sessions, prices and availability, and the authorized resale platform for verified secondary tickets. Beware of unofficial scalpers: the tournament repeatedly warns fans that only official and verified resale tickets guarantee valid entry.

How Does the US Open Format Work?

The US Open uses the standard Grand Slam format: men's and women's singles are best-of-three sets for women and best-of-five sets for men through the final, with a tiebreak at 6-6 in every set. In 2026, the women's singles remain best-of-three throughout, while the men play best-of-five from the first round — one of the factors that makes long five-set epics like Tiafoe–Damm possible.

The main draws feature 128 players each. Sixteen players are seeded, and the remaining spots are filled by qualifiers (16 per draw), wildcards and direct acceptances based on the ATP and WTA rankings. The draw was made on August 27, 2026.

The revamped Mixed Doubles Championship uses shortened sets — first to four games, sudden-death deuce, a tiebreak at 4-4 and a match tiebreak instead of a third set — until the final, which uses standard six-game sets. The winning team takes home $1 million in prize money, the richest mixed doubles prize in tennis.

Wheelchair singles and doubles, junior events and legends exhibitions complete the schedule, giving the tournament its status as the most complete major on the calendar.

What Is the Prize Money and Ranking Points at Stake?

The US Open pays equal prize money to men and women, with the singles champions earning more than $3.5 million each in recent editions and the total purse exceeding $75 million. Prize money increases each round, which gives every first-round win real financial significance for lower-ranked players.

The tournament also awards ranking points that carry weight for the year-end No. 1 race. The women's singles battle for the top spot between Sabalenka and Rybakina is one of the storylines of this year's event, with the rankings updated at the end of the fortnight.

For qualifiers and wildcards, the money at the US Open is life-changing: players who win just one main-draw round cover the cost of a full season of travel and coaching. This financial ladder is part of why the US Open draws the deepest fields in tennis and why every match in the early rounds carries genuine stakes.

How Can I Follow Live Scores and Results in Real Time?

The official US Open website (usopen.org) and the US Open app publish live scores, order of play and results the moment matches finish. ESPN's live scoreboard carries the tournament alongside streaming, and major sports wire services update results within seconds.

For fans following from Latin America, ESPN's Latin American coverage and the tournament's official social channels post highlights, results and schedule changes throughout the day. The trending search activity in Chile for players like Tiafoe and Osaka this week reflects how closely the region follows the tournament in real time.

The best single source remains the official schedule of play page, which lists every match with court assignment, start time and TV channel. The tournament updates it continuously, including for rain delays and night-session reshuffles — the two factors that most commonly change the daily order of play.

What Should Fans Know Before Attending the 2026 US Open?

Arrive early: gates open well before the first match, and security screening at the National Tennis Center can add time, especially for night sessions. Bring a clear bag policy — the tournament enforces restrictions on what you can carry into the grounds.

Rain can interrupt play on the outer courts because only Louis Armstrong has a retractable roof; Arthur Ashe's roof was added in 2016 and covers the main stadium. When rain hits, the order of play is reshuffled, and fans should check the official app for updated start times.

The grounds include extensive food courts, the Fan Shop, and interactive sponsor experiences. New York's summer heat and humidity are a real factor in September, so hydration and sunscreen matter for a full-day visit. For the most current entry rules, session times and prohibited items, the official usopen.org 'Plan Your Visit' page is the authoritative reference.

US Open 2026: Records and History Worth Knowing

The US Open traces its roots to 1881, making it one of the oldest tennis championships in the world, and it moved to its current home in Flushing Meadows in 1978. The tournament has been played on hard courts since 1978, when it left the grass of Forest Hills.

The event has produced some of tennis's most iconic records. Serena Williams won six US Open titles, the most in the Open Era among women. Novak Djokovic's four US Open titles include the 2023 final against Daniil Medvedev, and his 242 career wins on American soil are the most of any active player — a record Tiafoe is chasing at 126.

Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer each won the US Open four times, and Björn Borg never won it despite dominating elsewhere — a quirk that made the US Open's fast hard courts famous for separating the game's all-court greats from the clay specialists. The 2026 edition adds a new chapter with the tournament's longest-ever calendar.

Arthur Ashe Stadium, which opened in 1997 and holds 23,771 spectators, is the largest tennis stadium in the world — a fitting home for the year's biggest crowds and the night-session atmosphere that has become the US Open's signature.

US Open 2026 Day 3 Schedule: What to Expect on September 1

Day 3 of the 2026 US Open is Tuesday, September 1, and the schedule features the first-round conclusion and the start of the second round across the show courts. The official schedule of play for September 1 lists sessions at Arthur Ashe Stadium from 11:30 a.m., with the night session at 7:00 p.m., alongside Louis Armstrong, Grandstand and the numbered outer courts from 11:00 a.m.

By the end of Day 3 the first round closes, meaning every remaining men's and women's first-round match is on the slate. The winners of those matches join the Day 1 and Day 2 qualifiers in the second round, which fills out from Wednesday, September 2 through Thursday, September 3. This is the point in the tournament where the draws start to take their recognizable shape.

Fans tracking the trending players from this year's event — Tiafoe, Osaka, Alcaraz, Sabalenka — should check the official order of play each morning, because the tournament assigns courts and start times the night before and reshuffles them after rain or lengthy five-setters. The Tiafoe–Damm marathon, which pushed past 1 a.m., is a reminder that night sessions can run long and push the following day's schedule.

Why the 2026 US Open Is Trending Globally

The 2026 US Open is drawing outsized global attention for several reasons. First, its 22-day calendar is the longest in tournament history, stretching the event's cultural footprint and giving it more days on the world's sports calendar than any prior edition. Second, the return of Carlos Alcaraz from a four-month injury layoff has turned his every match into a storyline.

Third, the women's tour is in the middle of a genuine No. 1 race between defending champion Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina, and the US Open is the decisive stage. Fourth, Naomi Osaka — a two-time champion who has become one of the most-followed athletes in the world — is chasing a deep run in her comeback era, and her straight-sets Day 2 win keeps that storyline alive.

The tournament is also trending because of the home crowds: Americans Tiafoe, Fritz and Shelton are all alive in the second round, and Tiafoe's five-set comeback from two sets to one down produced one of the loudest night sessions of the year. In Chile and across Latin America, the event trends daily because ESPN's Spanish-language coverage and the popularity of international stars make it appointment viewing.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Following the 2026 US Open

The most common mistake fans make during a Grand Slam is following unofficial score sources, which lag behind the live feed and sometimes carry errors. The official usopen.org schedule page, the US Open app and the broadcasters' live scoreboards update in real time; third-party aggregators are useful but should not be the authority for results.

A second mistake is assuming the order of play stays fixed. The US Open reshuffles schedules after rain delays, marathon five-setters and night-session overruns — like the Tiafoe–Damm match that finished near 1 a.m. Always check the official schedule the morning of each day, not a schedule printed days earlier.

A third mistake, common among new fans, is confusing the 'Open for All Day' free admission (September 10) with show-court access. Free grounds admission does not include Arthur Ashe or Louis Armstrong stadium seating, which require separate tickets. Read the session details before buying to avoid disappointment at the gate.

Finally, do not buy second-hand tickets from unofficial resellers. The tournament only guarantees entry for tickets purchased through the official USTA box office or its authorized resale marketplace. These four habits — official scores, daily schedule checks, session-aware tickets and authorized purchase — separate a smooth US Open experience from a frustrating one.

What Comes After the US Open on the 2026 Tennis Calendar?

The US Open closes the four-major season, but the professional calendar continues through the fall. After New York, the ATP and WTA tours move through the Asian swing (Tokyo, Beijing, Shanghai) and the European indoor season before the year-end championships in November.

For the players who go deep in New York, the post-US Open period is a recovery window and a chance to bank ranking points for next season. The year-end No. 1 races in both tours will be decided over the next two months, with the US Open results a major input.

Fans should watch the November ATP Finals and WTA Finals, which gather the top eight players of the season. For players like Alcaraz, a deep US Open run would be the ideal platform for a strong finish to 2026 after his injury layoff.

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