The 2026 US Open main draw begins on Sunday, August 30, and runs through the men's singles final on Sunday, September 13. The final Grand Slam of the tennis season brings two weeks of day and night sessions to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York.
For fans following from another country, the difficult part is not finding a match—it is knowing which day, session and broadcaster carries it. This guide brings the key dates together.
US Open 2026 key dates
- First round: August 30–September 1
- Second round: September 2–3
- Third round: September 4–5
- Fourth round: September 6–7
- Quarterfinals: September 8–9
- Women's singles semifinals: September 10
- Men's singles semifinals: September 11
- Women's singles final: September 12
- Men's singles final: September 13
The main draw contains 128 singles players in each competition. That is why the opening round is spread across three days rather than being completed in one session.
What time does play begin?
Most early-round main-draw days have a day session beginning around 11 a.m. Eastern Time and a night session beginning around 7 p.m. Arthur Ashe Stadium and other show courts can have separate ticketed sessions.
The order of play is released close to each match day. A player appearing in one half of the draw may not have an exact court and time until the previous day's schedule is confirmed.
Fans should check the official US Open schedule rather than relying on a screenshot shared several days earlier. Weather, match length and late withdrawals can change court assignments.
US Open times around the world
An 11 a.m. start in New York corresponds approximately to:
- 4 p.m. in London
- 5 p.m. in Paris and Berlin
- 8:30 p.m. in India
- 11 p.m. in Singapore
- 1 a.m. the next day in Sydney
A 7 p.m. New York night session begins at midnight in London and later across Europe and Asia. International viewers should pay close attention to the date change after midnight.
How to watch the US Open 2026
Broadcast rights vary by country. In the United States, ESPN's networks and streaming services carry the tournament, with selected Sunday coverage also scheduled on ABC. Other regions use their own rights holders.
The safest method is to check the tournament's official TV listings and the local broadcaster's schedule. A subscription in one country may not work after travelling because streaming rights are geographically restricted.
Live scores, completed results and draws remain available through the official tournament site and the ATP and WTA websites even when a match stream is unavailable.
Which players are in the main draw?
The men's field includes defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev and leading American players such as Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton. The women's draw begins with the leading WTA contenders competing across a wide-open ranking race.
The draw matters as much as the seed list. A top player can avoid another leading seed until later rounds, while an unseeded former champion or returning player can create a difficult first-week matchup.
When are the US Open finals?
The women's singles final is scheduled for Saturday, September 12. The men's singles final follows on Sunday, September 13.
Final-session start times can differ from the standard 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. pattern. Viewers should confirm the official listing during finals weekend, particularly when converting to European or Asian time zones.
Why the Sunday start matters
The tournament now uses an extended 15-day main-draw schedule. Spreading the first round across Sunday, Monday and Tuesday creates more featured sessions and gives spectators another weekend day of opening-round tennis.
It also means a player beginning on Tuesday has a different recovery pattern from someone who starts Sunday. Tournament scheduling still aims to protect minimum rest periods as the draw advances.
The bottom line
US Open 2026 runs from August 30 to September 13. Early-round play normally begins at 11 a.m. Eastern, night sessions begin around 7 p.m., and the singles finals take place on the final weekend.
Before watching, confirm the latest order of play and your country's rights holder. For more tournament-format context, read our US Open final-set tiebreak guide and MLB wild-card tiebreaker guide. Browse more tournament coverage in the Sports section.
