The last Grand Slam tennis tournament of the year takes place.
The US Open, the most attended sporting event in the United States, will be held August 26 to September 8 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, NY.
Defending champions Novak Djokovic (who is staying in New Jersey for the tournament) and Coco Gauff are back, but both will face a number of challengers during the two-week tournament.
Starting Monday, there will also be a series of popcorn matches between top-class players that should ensure exciting tennis.
“There are some fascinating games right from the start,” ESPN’s Mary Joe Fernandez said live.
Here you can find out everything you need to know about this year’s tournament.
Tennis on TV
ESPN platforms will present exclusive coverage of the US Open for the 10th consecutive year, beginning Monday at 12:00 p.m. ET on ESPN and streaming on the ESPN app from 11:00 a.m. until the end of play. A 60-minute SportsCenter at the US Open The preview broadcast will air Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
ABC will broadcast the US Open on both Sundays: the Round of 16 on Middle Sunday on September 1 and – for the first time – the men’s final on September 8. ESPN Deportes will present 92 hours of play in Spanish, including the women’s and men’s semifinals and finals.
Getting there from Jersey
If you are driving, the GPS address is USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Paid parking is $40.
Keep in mind that the Mets play right next door at Citi Field, and it can get very crowded on nights when both tennis and baseball are being played.
Here are the Mets’ conflict dates in 2024:
- Monday, 02.09. – 19:10
- Tuesday, 3.9. – 19:10
- Wednesday, 4.9. – 19:10
- Friday, 6.9. – 19:10
- Saturday, 07.09. – 16:10
- Sunday, 8.9. – 13:40
There is no direct train from New Jersey to the Open. However, you can drive into the city from Newark Penn Station and then take the 7 train from Grand Central or Times Square. The 7 train goes directly to the Mets-Willets Point station.
Find tickets
Fans can purchase tickets for individual sessions at usopen.org.
While the biggest stars usually play at Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong Stadiums – where tickets can be expensive – your best bet during the first week is to buy a seat pass, which allows you to freely roam the grounds and watch games on all the outdoor courts, where you can see rising stars and some familiar veterans.
There are also giant screens outside Ashe Stadium so fans can sit in the courtyard in front and watch the games without having to go inside.
During the day it can get very hot and humid, so remember to bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen. Wear shorts and light clothing if possible.
Be sure to try a Honey Deuce, the signature cocktail of the US Open, which is a mix of vodka, lemonade, raspberry liqueur, lemon juice and honeydew melon. It costs $23, but you get to keep the collectible cup while supplies last.
Betting favorites
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus and Carlos Alcaraz of Spain are considered favorites to win the singles championships at the US Open, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. No. 2 seed Sabalenka – who has won the last two Australian Opens and finished runner-up in New York last year – is at +250 after winning the trophy at the Cincinnati Open. Top seed Iga Swiatek, whose five Grand Slam titles include the 2022 US Open, follows at +350, ahead of defending champion Coco Gauff (+600) and 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina (+700). Alcaraz won the 2022 US Open and has won a title at each of the last two major tournaments, the French Open and Wimbledon. He is listed at +160, ahead of defending champion Novak Djokovic and No. 1-ranked Jannik Sinner, both at +200, with a big drop off from the next candidate, 2020 runner-up Alexander Zverev, who is at +800.
Djokovic is aiming for his record 25th Grand Slam title. He was lucky in Thursday’s draw because he will only have to play Alcaraz or Sinner in the final. Alcaraz and Sinner are in the same half of the draw and could meet in the semifinals.
“Overall, I would say it’s very good news for Djokovic because now he just has to beat one of these guys to win the tournament,” ESPN’s Patrick McEnroe said live on air.
Record prize money
The players at this year’s US Open are being paid better than ever before.
The USTA will pay players a total of $75 million in compensation, exceeding the $65 million total in 2023, an increase of more than 15 percent.
The women’s and men’s singles champions will each receive $3.6 million (compared to $3 million in 2023), an increase of 20 percent.
Early Popcorn Games
While the stakes get higher over the two weeks, there are a few must-see games to kick off the tournament. Here are our top first round games to keep an eye on:
Men:
(13) Ben Shelton (USA) vs. Dominic Thiem (AUT)
(11) Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) vs. Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS)
Women:
Jelena Ostapenko (10) against Naomi Osaka (WC)
Emma Raducanu vs. Sofia Kenin
Jasmine Paolini (5) versus Bianca Andreescu (WC)
Qinwen Zheng (7) against Amanda Anisimova (WC)
(AP contributed to reporting.)
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Adam Zagoria is a freelance reporter covering Seton Hall and college basketball in New Jersey for NJ Advance Media. You can follow him on Twitter @Subscribe and visit his website at ZAGSBLOG.com.
