US Open 2026 schedule, date top seeds: Alcaraz, Sabalenka and Djokovic lead New York field

The 2026 US Open is officially underway at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York.

Marking the final Grand Slam tournament of the tennis calendar, here is everything you need to know about the schedule, key dates, and what to expect as the main draw approaches.

Tournament Schedule & Key Dates:

The tournament runs across three weeks, beginning with Fan Week and qualifying rounds, and culminating in the middle of September.

Fan Week & Qualifying: August 23 – August 29

Main Draw Start: Sunday, August 30

First Round: August 30 – September 1

Second Round: September 2 – September 3

Third Round: September 4 – September 5

Round of 16: September 6 – September 7

Quarterfinals: September 8 – September 9

Women's Semifinals: Thursday, September 10

Men's Semifinals: Friday, September 11

Women's Singles Final: Saturday, September 12

Men's Singles Final: Sunday, September 13

As the qualifying rounds wrap up, organizers have handed out notable main-draw wild cards to bolster the fields.

On the women's side, two-time champion Venus Williams and fellow Grand Slam champion Sloane Stephens headline the list of wild-card entries, adding veteran star power to the fortnight.

While official seeding lists finalize just ahead of the main draw, the narrative heading into New York centers around the usual heavy-hitters and hard-court specialists.

Men's Contenders:

Defending champions and top-ranked hard-court players enter New York looking to cap off their Grand Slam season.

Keep an eye on how the top seeds manage the grueling best-of-five set format under the New York lights.

Women's Contenders:

The women's circuit remains deeply competitive, with a mix of dominant multi-time major champions and surging young contenders looking to tame the hard courts of Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Men's Singles:

The men's field has opened up significantly following world No. 1 Jannik Sinner’s withdrawal due to a right-knee injury.

Alexander Zverev claims the No. 1 seed following a consistent season, while defending champion Carlos Alcaraz returns as the No. 2 seed after a four-month layoff due to a wrist injury. Novak Djokovic is seeded fourth as he chases a historic 25th Grand Slam title.

Alcaraz and Djokovic have landed in the same half of the draw, setting up a potential blockbuster semi-final clash.

Women Singles:

Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka enters as the No. 1 seed, eyeing a historic third consecutive US Open crown. She is followed by Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina as No. 2, Jessica Pegula as No. 3, and home favorite Coco Gauff as No. 4. Iga Swiatek is seeded eighth.