How to Watch the 2026 US Open: Live Streaming Options
The US Open has already ripped up a few scripts, especially on the men’s side, and we’re only heading into Day 3. Round one is in the books. The real grind starts now.
Queens is loaded again today. Coco Gauff steps under the lights against Zeynep Sönmez in the night session, Madison Keys tests the precocious Alina Korneeva, and Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina faces Thea Frodin as the women’s draw starts to take shape. On the men’s side, Alexander Zverev meets Lorenzo Sonego, Taylor Fritz faces Darwin Blanch, and the contenders begin to separate from the pack.
All of it is there to be watched, even if you don’t have cable — and in some cases, without paying a cent.
How to Watch the 2026 US Open in the US
ESPN holds the keys to Flushing Meadows. The network is the exclusive US broadcaster for the US Open, with coverage spread across ESPN, ESPN2, the ESPN app, and selected windows on ABC. Any streaming package you choose needs to unlock those channels.
Here’s how the main options line up:
- DirecTV: The base package starts at $59.99 for the first month and includes ABC and ESPN+.
- ESPN Unlimited: Direct access to live sports and archived ESPN programming from $29.99 per month.
- Fubo: The Sports plan carries ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2 at $65.99 per month, with a quarterly billing option available.
- Sling: The Essentials plan offers ESPN and ESPN2 for $19.99 per month. There’s also a Sling TV Day Pass at $4.99 if you only want to drop in for a day of tennis.
- YouTube TV: Its Sports Plan includes ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2 for $64.99 per month.
For fans trying to keep costs down, free trials are the key play. DirecTV, FuboTV, and YouTube TV all offer trial periods that can cover a chunk of the tournament, including today’s packed schedule.
How to Watch the US Open for Free Outside Cable
There’s an even cheaper route: 9Now in Australia will stream the 2026 US Open for free.
If you’re in the US, UK, or another region and can’t use a domestic trial, a VPN becomes the crucial tool. By connecting to an Australian server, you can access 9Now’s free coverage.
The basic playbook:
- Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN such as ExpressVPN.
- Install the VPN app on your chosen device.
- Connect to a server located in Australia.
- Go to 9Now and start streaming the US Open.
Most of the better VPN services aren’t free, but many offer free trials for first-time users. Used smartly, that window can carry you through the tournament without paying for a TV subscription.
One final technical tweak: switch on your TV’s motion-smoothing mode if you want a slicker look for high-speed tennis. Just remember to turn it off afterward, or you’ll be stuck with the “soap opera” sheen for your movies and shows.
Today at Flushing Meadows: September 1 Schedule
The schedule is stacked from the first ball tossed in the morning to the last roar under the lights.
Women’s Singles – September 1 (all times ET)
- 11 a.m. Maria Sakkari vs. Robin Montgomery Yuliia Starodubtseva vs. Ella Seidel Thea Frodin vs. Elena Rybakina Yulia Putintseva vs. Belinda Bencic Gabriela Andrea Knutson vs. Eva Lys
- 11:30 a.m. Madison Keys vs. Alina Korneeva
- 12:40 p.m. Mirra Andreeva vs. Janice Tjen
- 12:45 p.m. Darja Vidmanova vs. Jessica Bouzas Maneiro
- 1:10 p.m. Lucie Havlickova vs. Anna Bondar Daria Kasatkina vs. Paula Badosa
- 1:40 p.m. Tatjana Maria vs. Jelena Ostapenko
- 1:50 p.m. Kaitlin Quevedo vs. Elise Mertens
- 1:55 p.m. Arantxa Rus vs. Leolia Jeanjean
- 2:50 p.m. Iva Jovic vs. Magdalena Frech
- 3:20 p.m. Nikola Bartunkova vs. Mayar Sherif
- 3:30 p.m. Oleksandra Oliynykova vs. Reese Brantmeier
- 4 p.m. Magda Linette vs. Francesca Jones
- 7 p.m. Coco Gauff vs. Zeynep Sonmez
- 8:40 p.m. Mary Stoiana vs. Alexandra Eala
- Cancelled Anastasia Potapova vs. Terez Valentova
Men’s Singles – September 1 (all times ET)
- 11 a.m. Francisco Comesaña vs. Flavio Cobolli Mattia Bellucci vs. Zsombor Piros Dane Sweeny vs. Corentin Moutet Nishesh Basavareddy vs. Tristian Schoolkate Filip Misolic vs. Francisco Cerundolo
- 12:10 p.m. Camilo Ugo Carabelli vs. Jan-Lennard Struff
- 12:50 p.m. Taylor Fritz vs. Darwin Blanch
- 1:10 p.m. Arthur Fery vs. Lorenzo Musetti
- 1:30 p.m. Zizou Bergs vs. Carlos Taberner
- 1:40 p.m. Jesper de Jong vs. Francesco Passaro
- 2:20 p.m. Rafael Jodar vs. Yunchaokete Bu Juan Manuel Cerúndolo vs. Arthur Gea
- 2:50 p.m. Fabian Marozsan vs. Michael Zheng Zachary Svajda vs. Daniel Altmaier Alex Molcan vs. Benjamin Bonzi
- 3 p.m. Jan Choinski vs. Botic van de Zandschulp
- 4:30 p.m. Marcos Giron vs. Ignacio Buse
- 5 p.m. Andrea Guerrieri vs. Alex de Minaur
- 7 p.m. Adolfo Daniel Vallejos Álvarez vs. Gael Monfils
- 8:10 p.m. Alexander Zverev vs. Lorenzo Sonego
Tournament Layout: Three Weeks in Queens
The US Open stretches across three intense weeks at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, New York. In 2026, the tournament runs from Sunday, August 23 to Sunday, September 13, with the early days devoted to qualifying and doubles before the singles drama peaks.
Key dates:
- Qualifying events: August 24–27
- Men’s and women’s singles main draw: August 30–September 13
- Mixed doubles: August 24–26
- Men’s and women’s doubles: September 3–12
- Junior events: September 3–12
- Wheelchair events: September 8–12
Finals weekend sets the stage for the last roars in Arthur Ashe Stadium:
- Women’s Doubles Final: Friday, September 11
- Women’s Singles Final and Men’s Doubles Final: Saturday, September 12
- Men’s Singles Final: Sunday, September 13
Who’s Chasing the Title in 2026?
Seventeen former Grand Slam singles champions are in the field, ten of them past US Open winners. The draw is heavy on pedigree, even with one notable absentee.
On the men’s side, Jannik Sinner misses the tournament through injury, reshaping the top of the seeding. Alexander Zverev comes in as the No. 1 seed, Carlos Alcaraz as No. 2, and Felix Auger-Aliassime as No. 3, all carrying the burden and opportunity that come with being the hunted in New York.
For the women, Aryna Sabalenka leads the field as the No. 1 seed, with Elena Rybakina at No. 2 and American No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula anchoring the home hopes.
The United States sends a powerful contingent: 28 players in the main draw, more than any other nation. Alongside Pegula, the home crowd will rally around Coco Gauff, Amanda Anisimova, Ben Shelton, Taylor Fritz, and the evergreen Venus Williams.
The mixed doubles trophy already belongs to Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik of Czechia, but the rest of the story is unwritten. The courts are hard, the margins are thin, and the field is deep.
Now it’s up to the stars — and the next wave — to decide who owns New York in 2026.
