U.S. Open 2026 Begins With Star Power

Synopsis

The last Grand Slam of the year starts August 30 at Flushing Meadows, and day one is going to be a blockbuster. Novak Djokovic opens his game for a 25th major against Mariano Navone, Jessica Pegula begins her home Slam run against Elena-Gabriela Ruse, and 46-year-old Venus Williams is returning to singles against fellow American Sofia Kenin. All three land on Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York. The tournament will run for two weeks, from Aug 30 to Sept 13, with coverage across ESPN, ESPN2, ABC and ESPN Unlimited streaming.

What Does Day One's Schedule Look Like?

The session will commence in Arthur Ashe Stadium with third seed Jessica Pegula against Romania’s Elena Gabriela Ruse, then it's seventh seed and 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev taking on Hugo Gaston. Pegula arrives with maybe her best shot yet at a first major title, which makes that opener worth watching.

The game will be unleashed tonight at 8 pm IST: Mariano Navone faces fourth seed Novak Djokovic for the first time, followed by Venus Williams against Sofia Kenin. Other matches to hop on, Tommy Paul game is to be featured at Louis Armstrong Stadium, Alexander Bublik faces J.J Wolf, and Jiri Lehecka faces Pablo Carreno Busta.

Where Can Fans Watch The Action?

U.S. coverage runs across ESPN, ESPN2, ABC and ESPN Deportes, and every match streams through ESPN Unlimited. Disney+ subscribers get a little extra too: all of Day 1 is available in-app, no add-on needed.

Timing-wise, outer-court day sessions start at 8:30 pm IST, and Arthur Ashe usually follows half an hour later at 9 pm IST, except on opening day and the tournament's last four days, when Ashe starts at 9:30 pm IST instead. Night sessions begin at 4 pm IST.

Who Are The Top Seeds To Watch?

Alexander Zverev enters as the men's top seed, with Carlos Alcaraz, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Djokovic at four, based on rankings from August 24. Aryna Sabalenka leads the women's field, ahead of Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff.

For Djokovic, there's more on the line than just another title, a win here would put him at a record 25 Grand Slams, a number that's still hard to fully process given where he is in his career. Whether he has enough left to get through a loaded draw is the real question over the next two weeks.

What Else Is New This Year?

Mixed doubles returns in its restructured format for a second year, The pairings add another layer of excitement. Aryna Sabalenka has teamed up with good friend Novak Djokovic, while Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz make it an all-American pair.

Serena Williams is also back on court, playing alongside Carlos Alcaraz as a wildcard entry. Defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori will look to make it three straight titles. This year will feature a record eight days of tennis after Fan Week was extended, giving fans plenty to look forward to at Flushing Meadows.