The 2026 US Open main draw kicks off this Sunday at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York. As the season’s fourth and final Grand Slam, the tournament brings together tennis’ biggest stars and rising talents, though several notable players will be absent due to injury.
Tournament Schedule
- Women’s singles semifinals: September 10
- Men’s singles semifinals: September 11
- Women’s final: September 12
- Men’s final: September 13
- Quarterfinals start: September 8
The mixed doubles title has already been decided, with the Czech duo Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik defeating Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic and Italy’s Flavio Cobolli on Wednesday night.
World number one Jannik Sinner has withdrawn from the competition, stating he is “very sad and disappointed” as he continues to recover from a right knee injury sustained during his Wimbledon victory. His absence means fans will miss the anticipated “Sincaraz” rivalry. Meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz returns to defend his title following a four-month wrist injury hiatus. Other high-profile absentees include Brazil’s Joao Fonseca, Britain’s Jack Draper, Emma Raducanu, Canadian Victoria Mboko, and American Hailey Baptiste.
Novak Djokovic, currently world number five, is chasing a record 25th Grand Slam title. Despite age-related challenges and humidity struggles, he remains a major threat. On the women’s side, Coco Gauff aims to replicate her 2023 success against top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka, while world number two Elena Rybakina remains a top contender. Teenager Mirra Andreeva, coming off a French Open win, and Filipino breakout star Alex Eala are also players to watch.
In other developments, Serena and Venus Williams have received a doubles wildcard, and Stan Wawrinka was granted a late entry following fan outcry. Roger Federer has confirmed he is not making a professional comeback, appearing in New York only for exhibition matches before his induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. The report also notes that the season of Honey Deuce cocktails at Flushing Meadows is upon us as the 2026 US Open main draw gets under way in New York this Sunday. The report also notes that here’s everything you need to know about the US Open main draw. The report also notes that the Italian pulled out of hard-court tournaments in Montreal and Cincinnati that serve as a warm-up for the US Open. The report also notes that serena Williams, Alcaraz pair up for iconic mixed doubles duo: Two generational greats teamed up for this year’s mixed doubles, although their star power faded as they fell to Cobolli and Bencic in the quarterfinal. The report also notes that serena and Venus Williams receive doubles wildcard: The 23-time Grand Slam champion received a women’s doubles wildcard alongside older sister Venus. The report also notes that winning in 1999 and 2009, they have played together at the US Open nine times. The report also notes that 2016 champion Stan Wawrinka handed last-minute wildcard: The former world number three was left off the initial list of wildcard entries in his farewell season, but was handed the entry on Wednesday after several days of outcry from fans over his exclusion. The report also notes that teen sensation Moise Kouame makes US Open debut: The 17-year-old made history at this year’s French Open when he became the youngest male Grand Slam winner in 17 years.
Prize Money Breakdown (Singles)
- Winner: $5.5m
- Finalist: $2.8m
- Semi-finalist: $1.45m
- Quarter-finalist: $780,000
- Round of 16: $480,000
- Round of 32: $290,000
- Round of 64: $190,000
- Round of 128: $140,000
- Qualifying Round of 32: $66,000
- Qualifying Round of 64: $48,000
- Qualifying Round of 128: $32,000
Prize Money Breakdown (Doubles)
- Winner: $1m
- Finalist: $500,000
- Semi-finalist: $250,000
- Quarter-finalist: $125,000
- Round of 16: $75,000
- Round of 32: $45,000
- Round of 64: $30,000
