The 2026 US Open opened its singles main draw on Sunday, August 30 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, Queens, launching a 15-day competition schedule that caps a record 22-day event the USTA is calling the largest in the tournament’s near-150-year history. The expanded format, which began with a seven-day Fan Week of free programming from August 23 through August 29, introduces a mixed doubles championship during qualifying week, adds a Roger Federer exhibition and Hall of Fame induction to the calendar, and distributes a record $108 million in total prize money across all draws.
Key Takeaways
- The 2026 US Open runs 22 total days from August 23 through September 13, the longest schedule in the tournament’s history, with the singles main draw beginning August 30.
- Total prize money reaches a Grand Slam record of $108 million, a 20 percent increase over 2025, with each singles champion earning $5.5 million.
- World No. 1 Jannik Sinner withdrew on August 21 with a right knee injury, handing Alexander Zverev the top seed. Carlos Alcaraz defends his title in his first singles event since April.
- Roger Federer returned to Arthur Ashe Stadium for the first time since 2019, playing a Fan Week exhibition against Andy Roddick before entering the International Tennis Hall of Fame on August 29.
- Eight days carry free grounds admission, including all seven Fan Week days and a new Open for All Day on September 10 during the women’s semifinals.
- ESPN begins year one of a 12-year broadcast deal with the USTA, carrying every session on ESPN, ESPN2, or ABC through 2037.
Fan Week Turns Flushing Meadows Into a Free Public Event Before Competition Starts
The seven-day Fan Week that preceded the main draw represented a deliberate expansion of the tournament’s public footprint. From August 23 through August 29, the USTA opened the grounds with free admission for qualifying rounds, player practices on the show courts, and a series of programmed events designed to draw crowds before a single main draw match had been played.
The centerpiece was a Tuesday night exhibition on Arthur Ashe Stadium in which Roger Federer faced Andy Roddick, a pairing that carried weight beyond nostalgia. Federer had not appeared at the venue since his 2019 season, and the exhibition served as a lead-in to his induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame on Saturday, August 29, alongside longtime broadcaster Mary Carillo. Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day opened Fan Week on August 23, and the mixed doubles championship, a new addition to the qualifying week schedule, ran its entire bracket from first round through final between August 24 and August 26.
The USTA also staged a Media Day and US Open Block Party on August 28, followed by open practice sessions on the show courts on August 29 that allowed ticket-free spectators to watch main draw players prepare on Arthur Ashe, Louis Armstrong, and the Grandstand. The cumulative effect was a week of programming that functioned as its own event, drawing foot traffic to a facility that would otherwise sit relatively quiet during qualifying.
Sinner’s Withdrawal Reshapes the Men’s Draw, Alcaraz Returns From Injury
The men’s singles draw underwent a significant shift when world No. 1 Jannik Sinner withdrew on August 21 citing a right knee injury. The withdrawal marked the first Grand Slam Sinner has missed since his professional debut in 2019, and it pushed Alexander Zverev into the top seeding. Zverev opens against Lorenzo Sonego in the first round.
Carlos Alcaraz, the defending champion, enters as the second seed in what amounts to a competitive comeback. Alcaraz has not played a singles event since April due to a right wrist problem, making Flushing Meadows his first competitive test in four months. The draw places Alcaraz in the bottom half alongside fourth-seeded Novak Djokovic, meaning the two can only meet in the semifinals. Alcaraz opens against Roman Safiullin; Djokovic headlines the Arthur Ashe night session on opening day against Mariano Navone.
Third-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime sits in the top half with Zverev, projecting toward a potential semifinal clash. Daniil Medvedev, seeded fifth, anchors the bottom half opposite Alcaraz with a projected quarterfinal path toward Djokovic.
On the women’s side, Aryna Sabalenka enters chasing a third consecutive US Open title, seeded first after winning both the 2024 and 2025 editions. Coco Gauff, the fourth seed, arrives with momentum after defeating Jessica Pegula to win the Cincinnati Open on August 23, just one week before the main draw. The bottom half of the women’s draw sets up a potential quarterfinal between second-seeded Elena Rybakina and Iga Swiatek, with Gauff waiting in the semifinals.
Opening Day Splits Between Marquee Names and Afternoon Drama
The Day 1 schedule on August 30 divided Arthur Ashe Stadium into distinct halves. The day session opened at noon with third-seeded Jessica Pegula facing Elena-Gabriela Ruse, followed by Daniil Medvedev against Hugo Gaston. The night session, starting at 7 p.m., headlined Djokovic against Navone and closed with Venus Williams against Sofia Kenin, a matchup created when Serena Williams turned down a singles wild card.
Serena Williams opted to play only mixed doubles, partnering with Alcaraz. The pair lost in the quarterfinals to Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli. Serena Williams’ singles wild card went to Kenin, who now holds the opening night spotlight on Arthur Ashe opposite Venus Williams.
Louis Armstrong Stadium carried its own opening day schedule, with Jasmine Paolini facing Veronika Erjavec and Tommy Paul meeting Coleman Wong during the day session, followed by Elina Svitolina and Alexander Bublik under the lights. The Grandstand hosted four matches, including Emma Navarro’s evening slot against Lois Boisson. The first round extends across three full days, running through Tuesday, September 1.
A $108 Million Purse and a New 12-Year Broadcast Deal Reshape the Tournament’s Economics
The 2026 edition carries a record total player compensation of $108 million, a 20 percent increase from the 2025 tournament. Each singles champion earns $5.5 million, while first-round losers receive $140,000. The prize money escalation reflects both the USTA’s revenue growth and the competitive pressure among Grand Slams to attract the sport’s leading players.
On the broadcast side, this US Open marks year one of ESPN’s 12-year rights deal with the USTA, which runs through 2037 and gives the network exclusive domestic coverage across ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, and ESPN Deportes. ABC carries all three Sundays of the tournament: the first round on August 30, the round of 16 on September 6, and the men’s singles final on September 13 at 2 p.m. Eastern. The women’s singles final airs on ESPN on Saturday, September 12 at 4 p.m. Eastern.
New for 2026 is “RedZone at the US Open,” a whip-around show on the ESPN app running from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily during the first round through the third round. The format borrows from NFL RedZone, cutting between courts as pivotal moments unfold. An ESPN Unlimited subscription streams every match from all 16 courts, with a multiview option for up to four simultaneous feeds. Juan Martin del Potro joins the ESPN Deportes commentary team from the quarterfinals onward, adding more than 120 hours of Spanish-language coverage.
The Schedule Builds Toward a Labor Day Weekend Double Feature
The expanded 22-day format creates a natural overlap with Labor Day weekend, and the USTA has structured the schedule to take advantage. The round of 16 begins Sunday, September 6 and extends through Labor Day on Monday, September 7, delivering three consecutive days of elimination-round tennis across a holiday weekend when New York’s population swells with visitors already in the city for the West Indian Day Parade in Brooklyn and the last stretch of summer tourism.
The quarterfinals follow on September 8 and 9, with the women’s semifinals scheduled for Open for All Day on Thursday, September 10, the only competition day with free grounds admission. That Thursday carries a ticketed Arthur Ashe evening session for the semifinals, but the rest of the grounds remain free and open to the public.
The men’s semifinals split across two sessions on Friday, September 11, with the first at 3 p.m. and the second at 7 p.m. The women’s singles final anchors Saturday, September 12 at 4 p.m. on ESPN. The men’s singles final closes the tournament on Sunday, September 13 at 2 p.m. on ABC, the only final available over the air to viewers with an antenna.
For Flushing Meadows and the surrounding Queens neighborhoods, the 22-day footprint means three full weeks of tournament-related economic activity, from food vendors and rideshare demand to hotel bookings across western Queens and the surrounding boroughs. The USTA has not released projected attendance figures for 2026, but the combination of expanded free-admission days, the Federer exhibition, and a compressed holiday-weekend schedule suggests the tournament is betting on volume as much as premium ticket revenue.
FAQs
When did the 2026 US Open main draw start?
The singles main draw began Sunday, August 30 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, Queens. The first round runs through Tuesday, September 1, with the men’s singles final scheduled for Sunday, September 13.
Why is Jannik Sinner not playing the 2026 US Open?
Sinner withdrew on August 21 with a right knee injury, the first Grand Slam the world No. 1 has missed since his 2019 debut. Alexander Zverev moved into the top seeding in Sinner’s absence.
How much is the 2026 US Open prize money?
Total player compensation is $108 million, a Grand Slam record and a 20 percent increase over the 2025 tournament. Each singles champion earns $5.5 million, and first-round losers receive $140,000.
What channels broadcast the 2026 US Open?
ESPN and ESPN2 carry daily coverage throughout the tournament. ABC airs all three Sundays, including the men’s singles final on September 13 at 2 p.m. Eastern. ESPN Deportes provides Spanish-language coverage for more than 120 hours. Every court streams on the ESPN app with an ESPN Unlimited subscription.
