The US Open 2026 will get underway on August 30, with the singles main draw in New York
Carlos Alcaraz returns as defending champion, while Jannik Sinner’s absence opens up the men’s title race
The tournament offers a record USD 108 million, with both singles champions set to earn USD 5.5 million
The 2026 US Open is set to bring the Grand Slam season to a close in New York, with the world's leading tennis players converging on Flushing Meadows for the final major of the year.
The tournament will run from August 23 to September 13, with 22 days of tennis and entertainment scheduled at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
The singles main draw, however, begins on August 30, following a week of qualifying and Fan Week activities.
The revamped Mixed Doubles Championship and singles qualifying have already added to the build-up, while the main draw promises plenty of intrigue.
Defending men's champion Carlos Alcaraz will return to New York after a lengthy injury layoff, but world No. 1 Jannik Sinner will miss the tournament because of a right knee injury.
On the women's side, two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka will begin her campaign with both the title and the world No. 1 ranking under threat.
The 2026 US Open will offer a record USD 108 million in total player compensation, the largest package in tennis history and a 21 per cent increase from 2025. The men's and women's singles champions will each receive USD 5.5 million.
Here's everything you need to know about the US Open 2026, including the dates, schedule, top contenders, prize money and live-streaming information.
When and where will the US Open 2026 take place?
The US Open will be staged at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York.
The overall tournament runs from August 23 to September 13, making this year's edition the longest US Open schedule in the tournament's history, with 22 days of tennis and entertainment.
Fan Week begins on August 23, followed by singles qualifying from August 24 to 27. The men's and women's singles main draws begin on August 30, with the tournament concluding with the men's singles final on September 13.
What is the biggest storyline in the men's draw?
The men's singles field has been thrown wide open by Jannik Sinner's withdrawal.
Sinner, the world No. 1 and one of the dominant players on tour this season, has pulled out of the US Open because of a right knee injury. His absence means Carlos Alcaraz will not get another opportunity to renew his Grand Slam rivalry with the Italian in New York.
Alcaraz, meanwhile, is returning to competition after spending around four months on the sidelines with a wrist injury.
The Spaniard is the defending champion and will be attempting to become the first man since Roger Federer in 2008 to successfully defend the US Open title. But his lack of match practice makes his campaign particularly intriguing.
Going straight into best-of-five tennis after such a lengthy layoff will test both his physical condition and match sharpness.
With Sinner out, however, Alcaraz remains one of the leading favourites to lift the trophy.
Alexander Zverev will be the No. 1 seed following Sinner's withdrawal.
The German arrives in New York with considerable momentum. He has reached the finals of the last two Grand Slam tournaments and won the French Open earlier this season. Zverev also has previous experience of going deep at Flushing Meadows, having reached the 2020 US Open final.
He will now look to complete the job that eluded him six years ago.
Novak Djokovic is another obvious contender.
The Serbian is a five-time US Open champion and owns a record 24 Grand Slam singles titles. His most recent major triumph also came in New York, making him one of the most experienced players in the field.
Djokovic's recent form, however, has raised questions. He suffered a surprise defeat to Thiago Agustín Tirante in Cincinnati and has spoken about his own doubts in a recently released documentary.
The American challenge will be led by players such as Ben Shelton and Taylor Fritz, with Fritz returning to the venue where he reached the final in 2024.
French Open runner-up Flavio Cobolli is another player who could make an impact after an impressive season. Youngsters such as Rafael Jódar and Learner Tien will also be looking to make their mark on the biggest stage.
US Open 2026 Men's Singles Seeds - Top 10
Alexander Zverev (Germany)
Carlos Alcaraz (Spain)
Félix Auger-Aliassime (Canada)
Novak Djokovic (Serbia)
Flavio Cobolli (Italy)
Alex de Minaur (Australia)
Daniil Medvedev
Ben Shelton (USA)
Taylor Fritz (USA)
Arthur Fils (France)
Can Carlos Alcaraz defend his US Open crown?
Alcaraz's title defence will be one of the defining stories of the tournament.
The Spaniard has not played competitively since April because of his wrist injury, meaning the US Open will represent his first major test after a four-month absence.
His path has also changed dramatically because of Sinner's withdrawal. The Italian had been expected to be one of Alcaraz's biggest obstacles to another title.
The question now is whether Alcaraz can immediately rediscover the level that made him champion in New York last year.
A successful defence would put him in elite company. Federer was the last man to retain the US Open title, doing so in 2008 after winning five consecutive editions from 2004 to 2008.
What is at stake in the women's singles draw?
The women's tournament could produce another fascinating battle for both the title and the world No. 1 ranking.
Aryna Sabalenka arrives as the two-time defending champion and world No. 1, but Elena Rybakina is close behind her in the rankings.
Rybakina is just 434 points behind Sabalenka, meaning the top spot could change hands depending on how the two perform in New York.
Sabalenka, meanwhile, enters the tournament after an inconsistent run of results. Since winning the Miami Open in March, she has lost five of seven matches that went to three sets and suffered a straight-sets defeat to unseeded 20-year-old Sára Bejlek in Cincinnati.
That makes her title defence far from straightforward.
US Open 2026 Women's Singles Seeds - Top 10
Aryna Sabalenka
Elena Rybakina (Kazakhstan)
Jessica Pegula (USA)
Coco Gauff (USA)
Mirra Andreeva
Linda Nosková (Czech Republic)
Karolína Muchová (Czech Republic)
Iga Świątek (Poland)
Elina Svitolina (Ukraine)
Amanda Anisimova (USA)
Who could challenge Sabalenka for the women's title?
Rybakina is naturally among the leading contenders, although her fitness will be closely watched after she retired from her Cincinnati quarter-final against Iga Swiatek.
Jessica Pegula will lead the American challenge as the country's highest-ranked women's player. The 2024 US Open finalist has recorded more match victories than any other player this season and will have home support behind her.
Coco Gauff is another major threat. The 2023 US Open champion has already demonstrated how effective she can be on hard courts and knows what it takes to handle the pressure of playing in New York.
Could Venus Williams make another US Open run?
Venus Williams will make her 26th US Open appearance this year.
The four-time Olympic medallist remains one of the biggest names in the tournament's history and will once again feature in New York.
There has also been speculation surrounding her sister Serena Williams, with one singles wildcard still available. A return by the six-time US Open champion would add another major storyline to an already star-studded tournament.
When will the US Open 2026 singles matches be played?
The men's and women's singles main draws begin on August 30, with the opening round spread across three days.
Men's singles schedule
August 30-September 1: First round
September 2-3: Second round
September 4-5: Third round
September 6-7: Round of 16
September 8-9: Quarter-finals
September 11: Semi-finals
September 13: Final
Women's singles schedule
August 30-September 1: First round
September 2-3: Second round
September 4-5: Third round
September 6-7: Round of 16
September 8-9: Quarter-finals
September 10: Semi-finals
September 12: Final
The singles main draw therefore runs from August 30 to September 13, while the wider US Open programme begins on August 23.
US Open 2026 Prize Money
The US Open will distribute a record USD 108 million in player compensation across all events.
The men's and women's singles champions will each receive USD 5.5 million, while the runners-up will earn USD 2.8 million.
The record purse follows the continuing debate around player revenue and represents one of the biggest financial packages in tennis history.
US Open 2026 Live Streaming
Indian viewers can watch the 2026 US Open live on the Star Sports Network, while the tournament will also be available for online streaming on JioHotstar.
The tournament has a global broadcast network covering several major markets. The official US Open broadcaster list includes Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland, Channel Nine and Stan Sport in Australia, TSN and RDS in Canada and SuperSport in sub-Saharan Africa.
Full list of broadcasters for the tournament here.
