Everything to Know About the 2026 US Open

As sad as we all are that summer's coming to a close, there is one bright spot: the US Open. The tennis tournament always rolls around in late August (running through to mid-September), giving New Yorkers one final bit of summer fun before fall returns and life gets real again. The two-week event is one of the city's greatest of the year, bringing people in from all over the world—both athletes and attendees—to watch the action unfold.

This year, though the men's standings aren't as closely contested as we've seen in the past—Jannik Sinner is significantly ahead of his second-place competitor, Carlos Alcaraz—there's still plenty to fight for on the women's side, as well as lower down in the men's rankings. Plus, you never know what could happen at Arthur Ashe Stadium, where the US Open's most competitive matches are held inside USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens. It's the end of the season, and the big names are exhausted from tournaments past, injuries incurred along the way, near-constant travel, and heightened media responsibilities. Hard courts are also more common around the world than grass or clay courts, making the pool of players with experience on them far broader. The US Open is not an easy one to win, which keeps the stakes high and the results wholly unpredictable.

Because of that (plus the awe-inspiring location—it was built directly on the grounds of the 1964 World's Fair), everyone cool wants in on the action. Fashion brands, like Ralph Lauren, host stylish guests on a nightly basis, from Kendall Jenner to Emma Watson, while others design custom gear for their brand-ambassador athletes. Think Off-White and Serena Williams, Miu Miu and Coco Gauff, and Gucci and Sinner. Getting a front-row seat (or rather, one in a VIP box) to the must-see matches is one of the hardest tickets in town for the two weeks the US Open takes over New York, so much so that people will grin and bear the nightmarish transportation options to and from the city. It's worth it (and real ones know to take the LIRR).

If you're one of the lucky few attending or just plan on watching from home for 15 days straight, the guide ahead will get you up to speed with the 2026 season so far. Discover the established talents, the up-and-comers to watch, and, of course, the best dressed athletes competing. This is Who What Wear, after all.

A Fashion Fan's Guide to the 2026 US Open

THE BASICS

For my sake, let's pretend you've never heard of the US Open. Here are the basics. The tournament was founded in August 1881, making it one of the oldest active tennis tournaments. Originally, it was hosted in Newport, Rhode Island, but in 1978, after several additional relocations, the action was moved to the USTA National Tennis Center in Queens, New York, on the site of the 1964 World's Fair, surrounded by a slew of other monuments from the historic event. (In 2006, the venue's name was changed to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, a title it still holds today.) The US Open is the final Grand Slam of the season, following the Australian Open, the French Open, and Wimbledon, making it one of the most crucial tournaments for the players who participate, if not the most important. The men's and women's singles winners of the US Open each year will possess bragging rights for, well, forever, with past victors including the GOATs, Serena Williams and Roger Federer, as well as the new guard of established players, like Coco Gauff and Carlos Alcaraz.

This year, the greats are descending on New York City from August 23 to September 13, starting with fan week and qualifying. On the 30th, the main draw kicks off, bringing the biggest talents to the hard courts this tournament is known for. Currently, on the men's side, Jannik Sinner leads the ATP singles rankings by a significant margin, though a knee injury has threatened to halt his progress, forcing the Italian superstar and Gucci ambassador to sit out both the Cincinnati Open and the US Open. Second-place Alcaraz has also been working through a persistent wrist injury, though he will play in New York, having already teamed up with Serena Williams in the mixed-doubles category. As for the women's tournament, Aryna Sabalenka is holding on to her number one ranking as it stands, but number two Elena Rybakina is hot on her tail, with 8575 and 8141 points respectively. What happens throughout the 2026 US Open is guaranteed to impact the final tally. Who it will favor won't be decided until closer to the finals, on September 12 for the women's match and the following day for the men.

THE ESTABLISHMENT

After a long run of dominance for the tennis stars we all know and love, a new set of established winners has taken the reins. They have the biggest sponsorship deals—think Miu Miu and New Balance, Gucci and Nike, and Louis Vuitton and Rolex—and win in the highest-profile moments, from Wimbledon to the French Open. Their faces are everywhere as it is, but in the lead-up to the US Open, they're even more ubiquitous, wheatpasted on scaffolding, painted on the sides of brick buildings, and printed in countless subway ads. You know them on the court, but allow me to introduce you formally.

ARYNA SABALENKA

Let's just say that you don't want to go up against Aryna Sabalenka if you can help it. She's a force to be reckoned with as the current number one women's tennis player in the world. Already in 2026, the Belarusian has taken the top step in Miami, Indian Wells, and Brisbane, and after winning at the US Open last year (and the year before that), there's a good chance she'll achieve the all-coveted three-peat. That is, if the next establishment athlete on this list doesn't beat her to it. Though singles is her specialty, Sabalenka is also a doubles master, having triumphed at both the US Open and Australian Open in previous years. Now that she's teaming up with Novak Djokovic in this year's US Open doubles matchup (more on that later), perhaps another title is on the way in that category, too.

COCO GAUFF

When she was just 19 years old, Coco Gauff won her first Grand Slam in Queens, checking off the milestone inside the arena she used to visit as a kid to watch her idols, Serena and Venus Williams, compete. It was Sabalenka who she beat—rematch on September 12, anyone? Gauff, who is currently ranked fourth in the world, is coming off a triumphant victory in Cincinnati, giving her plenty of momentum going into the US Open, where her home crowd will be sure to turn up the volume for the now 22-year-old when she steps foot on the tournament's famous hard courts. From Who What Wear's perspective, we're just as excited to see what she wears for her first match, particularly because of her partnership with Miu Miu and New Balance, which always results in tennis getups we want to watch in movement, not to mention buy.

JANNIK SINNER

Italy's Jannik Sinner is light-years ahead of the rest of the men's singles field this season, but a knee injury will unfortunately hinder viewers from seeing his usual elite form at this year's US Open. In August, the five-time Grand Slam winner announced his withdrawal from the Masters 1000 tournament in Cincinnati, an event he won in 2024. "My right knee has been bothering me, and even though we have been working hard with my medical team, I have to accept that I'm not ready to compete yet," he announced. "I'm now focusing on getting ready for the US Open." Fans of Sinner had hoped that his decision to opt out of the Cincinnati Open would mean he could recover in time for the two-week battle ahead in New York. Sadly, the Italian made an official announcement on Instagram, sharing that, despite working with his team and medical staff to prepare for the tournament, he's decided to skip this year's competition. "We had been back on the court in Monte Carlo over the last couple of days and have realized that I still need more time to recover from my right-knee issue," he wrote. "I'm obviously very sad and disappointed, as New York has a special place in my heart."

CARLOS ALCARAZ

Though he's well behind in the ATP standings going into the US Open, Carlos Alcaraz is the defending men's singles champion, a fact I'm sure will provide him with plenty of confidence going into the tournament. The Spaniard will be looking to win his third US Open crown on September 13, a feat I'm sure all of Spain would thoroughly enjoy. The World Cup excitement is likely to be dying down by now. What better way to keep the party going? His road to victory won't be an easy one, though, not with top talents like Germany's Alexander Zverev, Canada's Félix Auger-Aliassime, Australia's Alex de Minaur, the USA's Ben Shelton, and Serbia's Novak Djokovic in his way.

THE NEXT BIG THINGS

It's not all about the big names, though, especially at the US Open, where new winners are regularly crowned, far more often than at the other three Slams on the calendar. This is where the next establishment player proves themself, and there are plenty of contenders capable of doing so in 2026. On the men's side, there's Shelton, who's already won four titles this year in Montreal, Stuttgart, Munich, and Dallas. Then there are Linda Nosková and Mirra Andreeva, two players on the women's side who are gathering momentum and praise in 2026.

LINDA NOSKOVÁ

Already in 2026, 21-year-old Czech tennis player Linda Nosková has won two titles, first in Berlin and then at Wimbledon. She was ranked 12th at the time and beat her fellow countrywoman Karolína Muchová, whom she played doubles with at the Paris Olympics in 2024. Today, Nosková has moved up six spots to sixth in the world. Her only other title was won last year in Monterrey, but we're predicting she'll have plenty more where those came from by the time her tennis career eventually comes to an end.

BEN SHELTON

He's just 22 years old, and already, Ben Shelton is one of the most talked-about players in the ATP. The former football quarterback is beloved both on the court and off it, where he's frequently seen supporting his girlfriend, Trinity Rodman, also known as the highest-paid female soccer player in the world, at her matches. Talk about a power couple. Shelton having already won four times in 2026 and only being ranked ninth in the world is a testament to the level of competition in the men's singles category right now. Going into the US Open, he's coming off a difficult run in Cincinnati, where he lost early on in the tournament. However, his dominance at the Canadian Open before that, where he did not drop a set across his six victories, will surely help in New York.

MIRRA ANDREEVA

Oh, to win your first major on the famous clay courts at Roland-Garros, home of the French Open. That's what 19-year-old Mirra Andreeva did, becoming the first Russian to win a Grand Slam since Maria Sharapova. With that win, she brought her total singles titles total to six—all before turning 20. The Russian phenom is currently ranked fifth in the world, having peaked at number five in both 2025 and 2026. Could another win—maybe even at the US Open—beat her career-best ranking? I know I'll be watching closely.

THE STORYLINES

Whenever a major sporting event rolls around, whether you're engrained in the sport year-round or just pop in when the action is at its most enthralling, it's important to learn some of the context surrounding the occasion. For instance, the 2026 World Cup wouldn't have been as fun to watch if you didn't know that Erling Haaland and Jude Bellingham were former teammates and low-key best friends. The narratives surrounding sports are necessary to read up on if you want the full viewing experience. That's where this section of the guide comes in. Learn all about which players are chasing a certain feat and which ones are expected to come back in a major way.

CHASING A THREE-PEAT

Current world number one women's player Aryna Sabalenka is chasing down legend Serena Williams's record at the 2026 US Open. If she can lift the winner's trophy on September 13, the 28-year-old from Belarus will become the first woman to win three consecutive US Open singles titles since Williams, who achieved the feat in 2012, 2013, and 2014. Only three other women have ever done it in the tournament's history: Molla Mallory, Helen Jacobs, and Chris Evert. As the current leader in the WTA standings and the winner at Indian Wells and the Miami Open already in 2026, she's certainly the expected choice to take home the top prize in Queens. Though, as I said before, you really never know what will happen inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.

WHERE'S SERENA?

In New York, that's where. Before the tournament, there were doubts that the 23-time Grand Slam winner, who famously retired from professional tennis in 2022, would return to the arena where some of her most dominant performances took place. However, our prayers were answered when she signed on to play alongside Alcaraz in the mixed-doubles category. The news came after she announced her upcoming return to the sport after four years earlier this summer, accepting a wild-card invitation to play doubles at Queen's Club in London. Unfortunately, after she and her doubles partner, Victoria Mboko, won the opening match, the duo had to withdraw before their quarterfinal match after Mboko suffered a knee injury during her singles match. She then returned to the singles division at Wimbledon, where she lost in her first match against Maya Joint on Centre Court, sustaining her own knee injury in the process, which kept her from playing alongside her sister, Venus, in the doubles draw. Sure, her and Alcaraz's showing at Arthur Ashe didn't last long, but it sure was fun to watch.

MIXED DOUBLES!

As exciting as the singles tournament is, mixed doubles always turns out to be must-see TV, especially since the format was changed in 2025 to include super teams, like number one–ranked Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic, who's won 101 total titles since starting his pro career in 2003. Other participants? Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz, Diana Shnaider and Casper Ruud, and Emma Navarro and Tommy Paul. Oh, and Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz. The decision was a controversial one, with some top talents opting out, but it's proved to be exciting nonetheless. This year was no exception. The mixed-doubles category competed ahead of the main draw, between August 24 (qualifying) and August 26, when the semifinals and finals took place at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

THE BEST DRESSED

Tennis wouldn't be the phenomenon it is today without fashion, from the technical aspects of everything players wear to the cultural impact that style has had on the sport. That doesn't mean that every professional tennis player has to wear bespoke couture ensembles when they walk onto the court—let's leave that to Naomi Osaka, the expert—and there's no shame in players wanting to opt out and focus on their game alone, but there's no denying the role fashion has played throughout tennis's history.

NAOMI OSAKA

Not only has Naomi Osaka won the US Open twice, in 2018 and 2020, but she's also responsible for serving up some of the event's greatest on-court looks. Ahead of the 2024 tournament, Osaka told Who What Wear that it's the Slam that's most fun to dress for: "Nike always lets me do something cool during the US Open, and I just have memories of watching players, specifically Serena [Williams] taking her jacket off and [revealing] something incredible underneath." Osaka has debuted plenty of her own incredible outfits, and if her recent run of form at Wimbledon and the French Open is any indication, her favorite tournament to dress for could be her most stylish yet.

SERENA WILLIAMS

No one has as stylish a history at the US Open as Serena Williams. Not only has she dominated on the court throughout her storied career—at this tournament especially, where she's won nine titles, six singles titles, two doubles titles, and one mixed-doubles title—she's also turned up to the tournament in historic looks, from her iconic Nike denim miniskirt and sneaker boots ensemble from 2004 that was inspired by Andre Agassi's jean shorts from 1988 to her custom Off-White tutu during the 2018 US Open.

FRANCES TIAFOE

Frances Tiafoe doesn't know how to wear a boring outfit on the court. Instead, he frequents bright colors (and particularly trendy ones at that), from regal purple to aqua, and interesting patterns, all designed by Lululemon, his main apparel sponsor since January 2025. "A statement is a statement, whether it's good or bad," he told Harper's Bazaar during the 2024 US Open. "It makes noise and gets people talking, and I think that's a win in itself." Good style runs in the family for Tiafoe, or at least, it will once he officially marries his partner, former professional tennis player and content creator Ayan Broomfield, who Tiafoe says pushes him to express his personality sartorially. Together, they're two of the most stylish people on the pro tennis circuit, debuting standout looks at each arena, on the court for him and courtside for her.

THE MUST-SEE TV

I'm not here to shame anyone who only wants to watch the men's and women's singles finals, but throughout the two weeks that the US Open takes over New York, the excitement is constant. No match is boring—like ever—so I highly suggest tuning in to as many of them as possible. At the bare minimum, watch all of the must-see TV moments we've highlighted. You never know which slot will become the standout of the entire tournament, whether that means an hours-long match between exhausted players who refuse to yield or the one that features an on-court outfit for style's history books.

THE BIG BRANDS

New York's had a good year for sports, from the Knicks winning the NBA Championship for the first time in 53 years to the World Cup final taking place at New York/New Jersey (ahem, Met Life) Stadium. Yet if you ask me, the best is still to come. The US Open is as big an event for New York City as fashion week, bringing in brands, players, and attendees from all over. The former, with help from well-dressed contestants like Tiafoe and Osaka, brings style to the matches night after night. As the number of athletes participating dwindles, the outfits get better, much because of US Open partners like Polo Ralph Lauren and Rolex.

POLO RALPH LAUREN

Let's be honest: No one does the US Open quite like Ralph Lauren. From the ball crew uniforms to the stylish custom collections, not to mention the suites packed with new and established names in music, film, and fashion, the American brand has the tournament covered on a nightly basis. And with Polo signing a contract extension in 2025 that will maintain its status as the Official Outfitter of the US Open, a title it's held since 2005, through 2032, the brand's run of sporty success at the New York tournament isn't coming to a close anytime soon. But it's not just about the clothes—though those are important and dangerously buyable. The recent partnership renewal also established an annual fund with Ralph Lauren within the USTA Foundation that aims to provide young people from under-resourced communities with increased access to tennis and education programming.

TIFFANY & CO.

For nearly 40 years, Tiffany & Co. has served as the Official Trophy Partner of the US Open, supplying prizes for all of tennis's greats, from Serena Williams to Roger Federer. The famed singles championship trophy is handcrafted at the heritage jewelry brand's workshop in Cumberland, Rhode Island, standing 18 inches tall and weighing a whopping nine pounds. Each one takes six months to create, totaling 66 hours of labor. The Doubles Bowl, handed out to the doubles winners, is a four-pound bowl made of sterling silver with a 13-inch diameter. It takes 13 hours to craft.

ROLEX

Since 2018, Rolex has acted as the US Open's Official Timekeeper, combining sporting and timepiece excellence for nearly a decade. The tournament is but one of the tennis Grand Slams that the Swiss watchmaker partners with, the others being the Australian Open and Wimbledon. Its commitment to tennis runs deep—and has for over 50 years. This year is special, though. Rolex's longtime global ambassador and one of the greatest tennis players of all time, Roger Federer, returned to New York for one night only, competing in an exhibition event inside Arthur Ashe Stadium. The occasion? His induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. The sponsor? Rolex (among other premier brands, of course).

LA ROCHE-POSAY

Anyone who's been to the US Open knows a good sunscreen is essential. Unless you're in a box, it's nighttime, or you lucked out with a shaded seat, you're going to be sitting in direct sunlight during one of the hottest times of the year in New York. Protect yourself! That's where La Roche-Posay's partnership with the tournament comes into play. In 2026, the French skincare brand is heading into its fourth year as the Official Sunscreen of the US Open, providing attendees with an endless supply of SPF. There's no time for sunburns—we have tennis to watch.