\ud83d\udccb The details<\/h2>\n\nEstablished in 1881,<\/strong> the US Open was originally only open to members of the U.S. National Lawn Tennis Association (USNLTA, now USTA<\/a>) and began exclusively as a men\u2019s singles and doubles tournament.<\/p>\n\n- Fortunately, women didn’t have to wait too long<\/em>: A singles tournament was introduced in 1887, followed by doubles in 1889.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The present day US Open main draw features 128 women\u2019s and men\u2019s singles players <\/strong>competing across seven single-elimination rounds. And they\u2019re all playing to advance to the mid-September championship matches \u2014 the women\u2019s final is set for Saturday, September 12th, followed by the men\u2019s on Sunday, September 13th.<\/p>\nOf tennis\u2019 four Grand Slams<\/a>,<\/strong> the US Open is one of two contested on hard courts. Faster than the clay courts of the French Open but slower than Wimbledon\u2019s grass<\/a>, hard courts are the most neutral of the playing surfaces and the one seen most often on the professional circuit.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nLearn the Lore<\/h2>\n![\"Everything](\"https:\/\/cdn.sanity.io\/images\/rdxk7lfa\/production\/578a5ca2e2639680f1317238e2eafcc6c4fc0858-4194x2796.jpg?w=600&h=400&q=75&fit=max&auto=format\")
<\/p>\nSource: Jewel SAMAD\/AFP via Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nLet\u2019s talk about prize money.<\/strong><\/h2>\nGrand Slam prize money is top of mind<\/strong> after players staged a small media boycott<\/a> at the French Open and planned one for Wimbledon<\/a>, protesting for a greater share of tourney revenue.<\/p>\nTennis players are not like other pro athletes <\/strong>\u2014 <\/strong>they\u2019re independent contractors, meaning they\u2019re not protected by unions or collective bargaining agreements. Furthermore, each Grand Slam operates independently and sets its own standards for prize money.<\/p>\n\n- The French Open offered the smallest prize pool this year at $72.3M. The Australian Open followed with $74.9M, Wimbledon served up $85M, and finally the US Open is offering $101M.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
While the Grand Slams boast the biggest pools on the tennis circuit,<\/strong> their prize money averages out to around 15% of tournament revenue<\/a>. In comparison, prize money at joint ATP and WTA 1000-level events (aka, one level below the Slams) hovers around 22% of revenue<\/a>, the number players are angling for with their boycotts.<\/p>\n\n- There are no protests planned for the US Open, though the $101M prize pool doesn\u2019t sniff 22%<\/a> of the tourney\u2019s 2024 revenue, much less the projected 2026 revenue.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- Following the planned Wimbledon boycott, the USTA committed to creating a prize money formula that correlates with revenue. What\u2019s more, the Grand Slams have created a player council, giving tennis\u2019 talent a seat at the table. Baby steps.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
\ud83d\udc4a Men to watch<\/h2>\n![\"Everything](\"data:image\/jpeg;base64,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\")
![\"Everything](\"https:\/\/cdn.sanity.io\/images\/rdxk7lfa\/production\/4d2f7d099223bf754c71e292b0e5f566ae171952-2000x1332.jpg?rect=1,0,1998,1332&w=600&h=400&q=75&fit=max&auto=format\")
<\/p>\nSource: Mike Lawrence\/USTA via Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Of note: ATP world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who won his fifth career Grand Slam at Wimbledon last month, will not compete in the US Open due to right knee soreness.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n\ud83c\udde9\ud83c\uddea World No. 2 Alexander Zverev: <\/strong>Controversial Zverev<\/a> has capitalized on a strange year in men\u2019s tennis, where the Big Two \u2014 Sinner and No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz \u2014 have been plagued by injuries and illness. Zverev won June\u2019s French Open for his first career Slam, but his big power game is even better suited for the hard courts.<\/p>\n\ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddf8 No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz: <\/strong>The then\u201322-year-old Spaniard became the youngest man to clinch the career Grand Slam with January\u2019s Australian Open win, but missed the next two majors due to a wrist injury. Now, Alcaraz is returning just in time to defend his US Open title, hoping to shake off the rust<\/a> after four months of recovery.<\/p>\n\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6 No. 4 F\u00e9lix Auger-Aliassime: <\/strong>Auger-Aliassime has soared since reaching the semis at last year\u2019s US Open, making the Roland-Garros and Wimbledon quarter-finals for the first and second time, respectively. He\u2019s poised for another run, so long as he can fend off a lingering back issue<\/a>.<\/p>\n\ud83c\uddf7\ud83c\uddf8 No. 5 Novak Djokovic: <\/strong>The Wolf in Winter<\/a> has been chasing that elusive, record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title since his 2023 US Open win. Now 39 years old, Djokovic recently revealed he\u2019s dealing with an unspecified health condition<\/a>, which begs the question: Is this major his last?<\/p>\n\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 No. 9 Ben Shelton: <\/strong>Many expected Shelton and his tremendous serve<\/a> to rise to the top this year. That hasn\u2019t quite <\/em>happened<\/a>, though the 23-year-old just won his second consecutive Canadian Open. Of the American men, Trinity Rodman\u2019s boyfriend certainly has the best chance to win it all since Andy Roddick did it on home soil in 2003.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\ud83d\udcaa Women to watch<\/h2>\n![\"Everything](\"data:image\/jpeg;base64,\/9j\/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj\/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj\/wAARCAANABQDASIAAhEBAxEB\/8QAFwAAAwEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQFBv\/EACEQAAICAgIBBQAAAAAAAAAAAAECAAMEEhFxBQYTITFB\/8QAFgEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAEC\/8QAGxEAAQUBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECERNRAyH\/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA\/ANknjGsrNmQCrhTwQfkSd6Fyr7681bQLa1uIRz+juaixtam5GwI+pL8PWmHg+3jrohYtx3FWPX2Qyc2IkQP2Y9DOS+MhPQhFHubaE1c\/SUsw\/9k=\")
![\"Everything](\"https:\/\/cdn.sanity.io\/images\/rdxk7lfa\/production\/9c37b7145f7f24c03be27ca39ad95a2cdd3ba92e-4989x3326.jpg?w=600&h=400&q=75&fit=max&auto=format\")
<\/p>\nSource: Dylan Buell\/Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\ud83c\udfc5 World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka:<\/strong> It\u2019s rare to doubt a two-time defending champ, but Sabalenka has been slumping<\/a> in 2026. With four hard court Grand Slam titles to her name, Sabalenka certainly knows how to get it done at Arthur Ashe \u2014 but will she get in her own way<\/a>?<\/p>\n\ud83c\uddf0\ud83c\uddff No. 2 Elena Rybakina:<\/strong> If anyone can match Sabalenka\u2019s hard court prowess, it\u2019s Rybakina, who topped the former to win the Australian Open in January. That said, Rybakina has a subpar track record at the US Open: She\u2019s only advanced as far as the fourth round in seven appearances.<\/p>\n\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 No. 4 Coco Gauff:<\/strong> The fan favorite and 2023 US Open champ is back for more in NYC. In the leadup to that inaugural Grand Slam title, the then\u201319-year-old won the 2023 Cincinnati Open. And what did Gauff do last week? Win, no, dominate<\/em> in Ohio<\/a>. Just saying.<\/p>\n\ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf1 No. 8 Iga \u015awi\u0105tek: <\/strong>The Polish star has won at least one major every year for the last four, but has come up empty so far in 2026. Her Canadian Open victory earlier this month seemed like a cathartic reset for the former WTA world No. 1 \u2014 and if anything fuels her, it\u2019s the haters<\/a>.<\/p>\n\ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\udded No. 18 Alex Eala:<\/strong> Just 21 years old, Eala is taking the tennis world by storm<\/a>. Fresh off becoming the first Filipina to win a WTA title at the DC Open a few weeks back, her unique left-handed grip is a force to be reckoned with, especially if her serve continues to trend up.<\/p>\nOf note: We\u2019d be remiss not to mention seven-time Grand Slam champ Venus Williams, who earned a wild card berth to the singles tournament and will also be competing in doubles with her sister, Serena, the 23-time major champ. So seated.<\/em><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Established in 1881,<\/strong> the US Open was originally only open to members of the U.S. National Lawn Tennis Association (USNLTA, now USTA<\/a>) and began exclusively as a men\u2019s singles and doubles tournament.<\/p>\n The present day US Open main draw features 128 women\u2019s and men\u2019s singles players <\/strong>competing across seven single-elimination rounds. And they\u2019re all playing to advance to the mid-September championship matches \u2014 the women\u2019s final is set for Saturday, September 12th, followed by the men\u2019s on Sunday, September 13th.<\/p>\n Of tennis\u2019 four Grand Slams<\/a>,<\/strong> the US Open is one of two contested on hard courts. Faster than the clay courts of the French Open but slower than Wimbledon\u2019s grass<\/a>, hard courts are the most neutral of the playing surfaces and the one seen most often on the professional circuit.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Source: Jewel SAMAD\/AFP via Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Grand Slam prize money is top of mind<\/strong> after players staged a small media boycott<\/a> at the French Open and planned one for Wimbledon<\/a>, protesting for a greater share of tourney revenue.<\/p>\n Tennis players are not like other pro athletes <\/strong>\u2014 <\/strong>they\u2019re independent contractors, meaning they\u2019re not protected by unions or collective bargaining agreements. Furthermore, each Grand Slam operates independently and sets its own standards for prize money.<\/p>\n While the Grand Slams boast the biggest pools on the tennis circuit,<\/strong> their prize money averages out to around 15% of tournament revenue<\/a>. In comparison, prize money at joint ATP and WTA 1000-level events (aka, one level below the Slams) hovers around 22% of revenue<\/a>, the number players are angling for with their boycotts.<\/p>\n Source: Mike Lawrence\/USTA via Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \ud83c\udde9\ud83c\uddea World No. 2 Alexander Zverev: <\/strong>Controversial Zverev<\/a> has capitalized on a strange year in men\u2019s tennis, where the Big Two \u2014 Sinner and No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz \u2014 have been plagued by injuries and illness. Zverev won June\u2019s French Open for his first career Slam, but his big power game is even better suited for the hard courts.<\/p>\n \ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddf8 No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz: <\/strong>The then\u201322-year-old Spaniard became the youngest man to clinch the career Grand Slam with January\u2019s Australian Open win, but missed the next two majors due to a wrist injury. Now, Alcaraz is returning just in time to defend his US Open title, hoping to shake off the rust<\/a> after four months of recovery.<\/p>\n \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6 No. 4 F\u00e9lix Auger-Aliassime: <\/strong>Auger-Aliassime has soared since reaching the semis at last year\u2019s US Open, making the Roland-Garros and Wimbledon quarter-finals for the first and second time, respectively. He\u2019s poised for another run, so long as he can fend off a lingering back issue<\/a>.<\/p>\n \ud83c\uddf7\ud83c\uddf8 No. 5 Novak Djokovic: <\/strong>The Wolf in Winter<\/a> has been chasing that elusive, record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title since his 2023 US Open win. Now 39 years old, Djokovic recently revealed he\u2019s dealing with an unspecified health condition<\/a>, which begs the question: Is this major his last?<\/p>\n \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 No. 9 Ben Shelton: <\/strong>Many expected Shelton and his tremendous serve<\/a> to rise to the top this year. That hasn\u2019t quite <\/em>happened<\/a>, though the 23-year-old just won his second consecutive Canadian Open. Of the American men, Trinity Rodman\u2019s boyfriend certainly has the best chance to win it all since Andy Roddick did it on home soil in 2003.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Source: Dylan Buell\/Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \ud83c\udfc5 World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka:<\/strong> It\u2019s rare to doubt a two-time defending champ, but Sabalenka has been slumping<\/a> in 2026. With four hard court Grand Slam titles to her name, Sabalenka certainly knows how to get it done at Arthur Ashe \u2014 but will she get in her own way<\/a>?<\/p>\n \ud83c\uddf0\ud83c\uddff No. 2 Elena Rybakina:<\/strong> If anyone can match Sabalenka\u2019s hard court prowess, it\u2019s Rybakina, who topped the former to win the Australian Open in January. That said, Rybakina has a subpar track record at the US Open: She\u2019s only advanced as far as the fourth round in seven appearances.<\/p>\n \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 No. 4 Coco Gauff:<\/strong> The fan favorite and 2023 US Open champ is back for more in NYC. In the leadup to that inaugural Grand Slam title, the then\u201319-year-old won the 2023 Cincinnati Open. And what did Gauff do last week? Win, no, dominate<\/em> in Ohio<\/a>. Just saying.<\/p>\n \ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf1 No. 8 Iga \u015awi\u0105tek: <\/strong>The Polish star has won at least one major every year for the last four, but has come up empty so far in 2026. Her Canadian Open victory earlier this month seemed like a cathartic reset for the former WTA world No. 1 \u2014 and if anything fuels her, it\u2019s the haters<\/a>.<\/p>\n \ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\udded No. 18 Alex Eala:<\/strong> Just 21 years old, Eala is taking the tennis world by storm<\/a>. Fresh off becoming the first Filipina to win a WTA title at the DC Open a few weeks back, her unique left-handed grip is a force to be reckoned with, especially if her serve continues to trend up.<\/p>\n Of note: We\u2019d be remiss not to mention seven-time Grand Slam champ Venus Williams, who earned a wild card berth to the singles tournament and will also be competing in doubles with her sister, Serena, the 23-time major champ. So seated.<\/em><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
Learn the Lore<\/h2>\n
<\/p>\nLet\u2019s talk about prize money.<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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\ud83d\udc4a Men to watch<\/h2>\n
<\/p>\n\ud83d\udcaa Women to watch<\/h2>\n
<\/p>\n