An ESPN Unlimited subscription seems like the easiest way to get into all the tennis action.
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With summer winding down and Wimbledon in the books, it’s finally time for the 2026 US Open Tennis Championships. The US Open starts on Sunday, August 30 and runs through Sunday, September 13, bringing some of tennis’ best and brightest to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, New York for the final Grand Slam of the season.
While the whole tournament will be viewable on broadcast TV, with matches primarily airing on ESPN, ABC and The Tennis Channel, the easiest way to watch is with an ESPN subscription and the ESPN app. If you’re looking to keep up with the US Open, here’s what you need to know heading into the championships and how to watch.
What are dates for the 2026 US Open?
Qualifying rounds for the US Open started on Monday, August 24 and continued through Thursday, August 27, according to the US Open TV schedule. Once the tournament starts in earnest on August 30, multiple matches, on some days including both singles and doubles, will run every day until Sunday, September 13.
Depending on your commitment, there should be interesting matches to watch each day, but here are the dates and times for matches that will likely be necessary to understand the narrative arc, as it were, of the 2026 US Open:
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Sunday, August 30: First-round matches start, with matches beginning running from 12PM ET to 11PM ET.
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Tuesday, September 8: Men’s and Women’s Singles Quarterfinals run from 11:30AM ET to 11PM ET.
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Wednesday, September 9: Men’s and Women’s Singles Quarterfinals continue from 11:30AM ET to 11PM ET.
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Thursday, September 10: Women’s Singles Semifinals run from 7PM ET to 11PM ET.
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Friday, September 11: Men’s Singles Semifinals run from 3PM ET to 6PM ET, and then 7PM to 10PM ET.
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Saturday, September 12: Women’s Singles Championship runs from 4PM ET to 7PM ET.
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Sunday, September 13: Men’s Singles Championship runs from 2PM ET to 5:30PM ET.
How do you watch the 2026 US Open?
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ESPN is the sole broadcaster who will show the entire US Open in 2026, so opting for an ESPN subscription is the simplest way to make sure you don’t miss any part of the tournament. While the US Open schedule marks some matches as only being on ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN+ or ABC, anyone who subscribes to ESPN Unlimited will be able to watch everything, according to ESPN’s announcement.
Specifically, paying for ESPN Unlimited gets you access to sports programming across ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, SECN, ACCN, ESPN+, ESPN on ABC, SECN+, ACCNX, NFL Network and CW Sports. That should cover all your bases when it comes to the 2026 US Open.
You can sign up for ESPN Unlimited for $32 per month or $300 per year. If you’re interested in a package with other streaming services, a Disney+, Hulu and ESPN Unlimited bundle is also available for $36 per month. Once you’re signed up, all of ESPN’s 2026 US Open coverage is easily accessible in the streaming service’s US Open hub.
Who is playing in the 2026 US Open Championship?
As its name implies, the US Open is technically open to both amateur and professional players, but naturally some of the most exciting matchups concern well-known pro players. On the men’s side, Carlos Alcazar is defending his 2025 US Open crown, while Aryna Sabalenka is doing the same thing on the women’s side.
You can read through the US Open’s rundown of the top players in this year’s tournament for a more detailed look at who’s playing. Rosters for all the men and women playing in the tournament are also available to view online.
