The final Grand Slam of the tennis season, the 2026 US Open, gets underway at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, with qualifying and mixed doubles beginning August 24 and the main singles draw starting August 30.
This year’s tournament will distribute a record $108 million in total player compensation, a 20% increase over 2025, with the men’s and women’s singles champions each earning $5.5 million — the highest champion’s prize in tennis history. Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz returns to New York after an injury comeback earlier in the year, headlining a field that also includes four-time champion Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, and 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev.
The tournament, first held in Newport in 1881 before relocating to New York, remains one of the most storied events in world sport, drawing hundreds of thousands of spectators to Flushing Meadows over its two-week run. On the women’s side, world No. 2 storylines include Elena Rybakina’s challenge for the top ranking, while speculation continues over a potential wildcard appearance from 23-time major champion Serena Williams, who has left her US Open plans unclear after competing in doubles at the Cincinnati Open. The men’s and women’s finals are scheduled for September 12 and 13, respectively, closing out the 2026 Grand Slam season.
