Four majors. Three surfaces. The most grueling individual sport in the world. Whether you're brand new to tennis or getting back into it, start here.
The year's last Grand Slam runs August 30 – September 13 in New York. Here's what a new fan needs to know before the first ball.
Fan Week fills August 23–29 — singles qualifying, open practices, Arthur Ashe Kids' Day and qualifying for the reimagined Mixed Doubles Championship, all free to attend with a Fan Access Pass. The 128-player singles main draws begin on Sunday, August 30; the women's final is Saturday, September 12, and the men's final closes the tournament on Sunday, September 13. It is the loudest fortnight in tennis — outdoor hard courts, planes on the approach to LaGuardia, and Arthur Ashe Stadium night sessions that regularly run past midnight. US viewers get more than 170 hours across ESPN and ESPN2, with ABC carrying the men's final for a third straight year.
Carlos Alcaraz returns to defend the title, but only just: a right wrist injury forced him out of Barcelona in April and he had not played a match since — no Roland Garros, no Wimbledon, no Toronto or Cincinnati — before confirming his entry here on August 20. A day later the draw cracked open further when world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who defended his Wimbledon title in July and was runner-up in New York last year, withdrew with a lingering right knee problem. It is the first major Sinner has missed since making his debut at this tournament in 2019. Worth knowing for context: no man has successfully defended the US Open since Roger Federer in 2008.
Aryna Sabalenka arrives as the two-time defending champion, chasing a third straight New York title — something no woman has managed since Serena Williams won three in a row from 2012 to 2014. She has held the No. 1 ranking since October 2024 and has now passed 100 weeks there, but the position is live: Elena Rybakina reached Cincinnati two wins from taking it, then retired from her quarter-final against Iga Świątek with an Achilles problem, leaving her a few hundred points short. The rest of 2026 argues for an unpredictable fortnight — Mirra Andreeva, 19, won Roland Garros and Linda Nosková, 21, won Wimbledon, each a first Grand Slam title.
The 2026 US Open will pay out $108 million in total player compensation, the largest package in the sport's history and a second consecutive 20% rise. Each singles champion earns $5.5 million and the runner-up $2.8 million, while losing in the first round is still worth $140,000 — up 27% on last year, and a reminder of how much of professional tennis's prize money is concentrated into four fortnights.
If you only sample one part of the US Open, make it a night match on Arthur Ashe. The crowd is loud and partisan in a way no other major allows, and the court is quick enough that a single break of serve usually settles a set. Watch one, then work through the scoring, draw and what-to-watch-for explainers in New to Tennis? further down this page.
TheFour11 coverage timed to the biggest moments on the tennis calendar.
Roland Garros, Paris — May 25 – June 8, 2026. The most demanding Grand Slam, played on slow red clay. Nadal's kingdom, Swiótek's stage.
All England Club, London — June 29 – July 12, 2026. The world's most prestigious Grand Slam on grass. Sinner and Swiótek defend their titles.
Tennis's four most prestigious tournaments — collectively called "the Slams."
Late May – early June. The only Grand Slam on clay — the slowest, most physical surface. Rallies are longer, fitness matters more than anywhere else, and the gaps in skill are magnified. Known as the most demanding major.
Late June – early July. The oldest Grand Slam and the most prestigious. Grass favors big servers and aggressive players. Strict all-white dress code, strawberries and cream, and the most famous court in the world: Centre Court.
Late August – early September. Played on hard courts under the lights of New York City. The loudest, most electric atmosphere of the Slams. Night sessions at Arthur Ashe Stadium are unlike anything else in sport.
January. The first Grand Slam of the year, played in summer heat in Melbourne. Hard courts favor all-around baseliners. Novak Djokovic won here a record 10 times. The "Happy Slam" for its party atmosphere.
The surface changes everything — speed, bounce, strategy, and which players have the advantage.
The basics, explained in plain English.
Tennis scoring is unique: points go Love (0), 15, 30, 40, then game. Win a game by two points from deuce. Win a set by reaching 6 games (with a 2-game lead, or a tiebreak at 6-6). Win a match by winning 2 sets (women) or 3 sets (men) at Grand Slams.
Grand Slams use a 128-player single-elimination draw. The top 32 players are "seeded" — placed in the draw to avoid meeting each other early. Seeds 1 and 2 are placed on opposite sides, so they can only meet in the final. Seven wins are needed to become champion.
Watch for break points — moments when the returner can take the server's game. These are the decisive moments of a set. In tennis, holding serve is expected; breaking serve is the difference-maker. When someone gets broken, the game often swings dramatically.
Grand Slams run both singles (one player per side) and doubles (two players per side) simultaneously. Most fans follow singles. Mixed doubles is also played, pairing one man and one woman per team. The schedule runs across 14 days with multiple matches on each court.