Ace It! The US Open Tennis Tournament Opens Its Doors Today in New York City
Quick Summary
The US Open tennis tournament officially begins today in New York City! This year’s edition is the longest in the tournament’s nearly 150-year history. Kids get to be part of the fun starting tomorrow with Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day — and for much of the first week, entry to the grounds is completely free.
What Happened?
Each summer, the world’s best tennis players travel to Flushing Meadows in Queens, New York, for the US Open — the last and loudest of tennis’s four Grand Slam tournaments. Today, Fan Week begins. That means the gates open to visitors, and the fun gets started before the main competition even begins.
Tomorrow, Sunday August 23, is Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day. It is one of the most special days on the entire tennis calendar. Kids and families can attend for free and enjoy a big stadium show, player appearances, and activities spread across the whole tennis complex. Arthur Ashe was a trailblazing tennis champion who believed in using sport to teach young people about fairness and opportunity. The day is named in his honor.
For most of Fan Week, anyone can walk through the gates without buying a ticket — something almost unheard of at a major sporting championship. Qualifying matches and practice sessions fill the courts all week. The main draw — where the real competition for the title begins — starts on August 30.
This year’s US Open runs a record 22 days, from today all the way to September 13. That makes it the longest edition in the tournament’s history. The prize pool has also reached a new record of $101 million — the largest ever in the sport of tennis.
The men’s and women’s competitions will be packed with star players chasing that final major title of the year. After three tough weeks of summer tennis, the US Open is where champions are made — and where dramatic upsets can happen on any given day.
New for 2026: the USTA, the organization that runs American tennis, is now producing the TV broadcast itself for the first time. For years, a major sports network handled that job. It is a big change in how the tournament is shared with fans worldwide.
Why Does It Matter?
The US Open is one of the most welcoming big sporting events in the world. Those free days during Fan Week let families who could not usually afford a ticket see world-class tennis up close. Arthur Ashe himself grew up without many advantages but became one of the greatest players in history. The tournament works hard to carry on his idea that tennis belongs to everyone.
Big Words
- Grand Slam — one of tennis’s four biggest tournaments: the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open
- Fan Week — the first week of the US Open, when the grounds are open free to the public before the main competition starts
- Main draw — the official bracket of 128 players competing for the championship title
- Qualifying — a mini-tournament held before the main draw where players compete for the final spots in the championship bracket
- Prize pool — the total amount of prize money split among all players who compete in the tournament
Fun Fact
Arthur Ashe Stadium, the main arena at the US Open, can hold about 23,000 fans. That is roughly the same as fitting 23,000 people into a space the size of four football fields stacked on top of each other!
Think About It
Arthur Ashe believed sports could teach everyone about fairness and working hard. Can you think of a lesson you learned through playing a sport or a game — win or lose?
Sources
- TennisMajors — US Open 2026: Dates, Schedule & Full Calendar
- LTA — US Open tennis tournament 2026
- USOpenTennisInfo — US Open Tennis 2026 Schedule
- StadiumRant — US Open 2026: How to Watch, Full Schedule, and Stars to Watch
- World Tennis Magazine — US Open 2026 Has Plenty Happening Before the Main Draw