The final Grand Slam of the season is well underway at Flushing Meadows, and the US Open 2026 has already delivered its share of drama. From early upsets to top seeds cruising through their opening matches, the tournament has set the stage for what promises to be a wide-open finish in both the men’s and women’s draws.
With defending champions Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka both back in New York, alongside the notable absence of world number one Jannik Sinner, this year’s US Open has a different look compared to recent editions. Add in weather disruptions that pushed several matches into extra days, and the tournament has been anything but predictable.
Here’s a full rundown of where things stand in the US Open 2026, the biggest storylines so far, and what to watch as the tournament heads toward the business end at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
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Tournament Overview
The US Open 2026 began on August 30 and runs through September 13 at Flushing Meadows in New York. As with the other Grand Slams this year, the tournament started a day earlier than the traditional schedule, with the men’s and women’s quarterfinals set to begin on September 8, followed by the women’s semifinals on September 10, the men’s semifinals on September 11, the women’s final on September 12, and the men’s final closing out the tournament on September 13.
This year’s tournament arrived with plenty of intrigue. Alcaraz made his return to competitive tennis months after injury concerns limited his recent schedule, while Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev both came into New York carrying inconsistent form from the North American hard-court swing. On the WTA side, Sabalenka’s recent dip in form, an Achilles injury for Elena Rybakina picked up in Cincinnati, and Iga Swiatek’s ongoing search for peak form all left the women’s draw looking more open than usual.
Key Moments and Upsets
The opening rounds produced a mix of comfortable wins for the favourites and a handful of notable upsets. Two-time defending women’s champion Aryna Sabalenka moved through her opener without much trouble, and she was quickly followed into the second round by top names including Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff, Mirra Andreeva, Iga Swiatek, and Naomi Osaka.
On the seeded upset front, Novak Djokovic suffered an early exit, one of several seeded players eliminated in the tournament’s opening days alongside Barbora Krejcikova and Dan Evans-conqueror Tomas Machac-Roberto Bautista Agut territory names on the fringes of the seedings. In the women’s draw, Belinda Bencic and Sara Bejlek were both knocked out earlier than expected, underlining just how competitive the depth of the tour has become heading into a Slam.
Weather also played a role in shaping the tournament’s rhythm, with rain delays across the opening days pushing several matches, including a suspended clash involving American Iva Jovic, into follow-up sessions.
Player Performance: Men’s Draw
Carlos Alcaraz’s return to Grand Slam tennis has been one of the headline storylines of the tournament. According to reports, the Spaniard came through his opening matches as expected, setting up a path that could see him face a string of tricky opponents as the rounds progress. American Ben Shelton also impressed with a strong start to his campaign, continuing to build on a breakout period on home soil.
Further down the draw, players like Felix Auger-Aliassime and Taylor Fritz have been tipped as dangerous outsiders capable of testing the more established contenders, particularly given the uneven form shown by some of the traditional favourites coming into New York.
Player Performance: Women’s Draw
In the women’s singles, Aryna Sabalenka remains the player to beat as she chases a third consecutive US Open title, though her recent run of results outside Grand Slams has left question marks over her consistency. Coco Gauff, competing on home soil, and Naomi Osaka, a former champion at Flushing Meadows, both remain firmly in contention following strong starts.
Elsewhere, rising stars including Mirra Andreeva have continued to build their reputation as legitimate Grand Slam threats, while Jessica Pegula leads a strong contingent of American players looking to go deep on home turf.
Statistics and Records in Focus
Only a handful of seeded players fell in the tournament’s opening round, a relatively low number by recent Grand Slam standards, according to reports from the early rounds. That statistic points to the strength of the leading contenders even amid injury concerns and patchy form heading into the event, though the pattern of results has shifted as the rounds have progressed and depth in both draws has been tested.
What This Means Going Forward
With the quarterfinals approaching, the US Open 2026 remains difficult to call in both draws. The men’s side features a competitive mix of the returning Alcaraz, in-form Americans, and established names looking to make a late run, while the women’s draw remains one of the most open in recent years given the form and fitness question marks surrounding several of the game’s biggest names.
Fans should expect the business end of the tournament to bring further twists, with the semifinals and finals in mid-September set to decide who lifts the singles trophies at Flushing Meadows this year.
FAQ Section
Q: When does the US Open 2026 finish?
A: The tournament concludes on September 13, with the women’s final on September 12 and the men’s final on September 13.
Q: Is Jannik Sinner playing at the US Open 2026?
A: According to reports heading into the tournament, world number one Jannik Sinner was a notable absentee from the 2026 US Open.
Q: Who are the defending champions at the US Open 2026?
A: Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka enter as the defending men’s and women’s singles champions respectively.
Q: When do the US Open 2026 quarterfinals begin?
A: The men’s and women’s quarterfinals are scheduled to begin on September 8.
