NEW YORK (AP) — Get ready for the U.S. Open before play even starts. This guide tells you everything you need to know about how to watch the final Grand Slam tennis tournament of the year, plus what the betting odds are, the schedule, who the defending champions are and more:
When does the US Open start?
The individual matches begin on Monday. The group division was determined by the draw on Thursday.
How to watch the US Open on TV
— In the USA: ESPN (men’s final on ABC).
— Other countries are listed here.
Who are the betting favorites for the US Open?
Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz are the favorites to win the singles championships at the US Open, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. World No. 2 Sabalenka — who has won the last two Australian Opens and finished runner-up in New York last year — is listed at +225 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 (+900). 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, who just announced her split from coach Stefano Vukov, and Jessica Pegula are both at +1200. 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 +210, ahead of defending champion Novak Djokovic at +250, followed by Jannik Sinner (number 1) at +350 and 2020 runner-up Alexander Zverev at +650, with a big drop to 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev at +1400.
Where is the US Open played?
The venue is the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows in New York City. The surface is hard courts. The women play best-of-three-set matches, the men play best-of-five-set matches. There are separate day and night sessions. The event lasts 14 days. The two largest courts, Arthur Ashe Stadium and Louis Armstrong Stadium, have retractable roofs.
Who is the top seed at the US Open?
Swiatek is the top seeded woman and Sinner is the top seeded man. They are both ranked No. 1, and the placements reflect the rankings.
Who is playing at the US Open on Monday?
The first match at Arthur Ashe Stadium in 2024 will be between Ben Shelton, the 13th-seeded American who was a semifinalist last year, and Dominic Thiem, the 2020 US Open champion who retires after this season. That match is scheduled to start at 12:00 p.m. EDT, followed by Gauff against Varvara Gracheva at Ashe. The evening session at Ashe on Day 1 begins at 7:00 p.m. EDT with 2017 champion Sloane Stephens against Clara Burel, followed by Djokovic against Radu Albot. Players on the schedule at Louis Armstrong Stadium include Americans Taylor Fritz and Madison Keys during the day and Sabalenka and 2022 semifinalist Frances Tiafoe in the evening.
Who is playing at the US Open on Tuesday?
On the second day, Swiatek and Sinner are the highlights of the day session in Ashe, while Alcaraz and Pegula are there at night.
What is the US Open schedule?
— Monday-Tuesday: 1st round (women and men)
— 28-29 August: Second round (women and men)
— 30–31 August: Third round (women and men)
— 1–2 September: Fourth round (women and men)
— 3–4 September: Quarterfinals (women and men)
— 5 September: Women’s semi-final
— 6 September: Men’s semi-final
— 7 September: Women’s final
— 8 September: Men’s final
Who are the defending champions of the US Open?
Gauff won her first Grand Slam title at last year’s US Open at age 19, defeating Sabalenka 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the final. Gauff became the first American teenager to win the country’s premier tennis tournament since Serena Williams in 1999. Djokovic won his 24th major singles title — no one in tennis history has won more — with a 6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-3 victory over Daniil Medvedev in the final. At 36, Djokovic became the oldest male champion in New York in the Open Era, which began in 1968.
Try the AP US Open Quiz
Test your tennis knowledge by taking the AP US Open quiz.
What do I need to know about tennis and the US Open?
Stay up to date:
— Thanks to Zendaya’s “Challengers” and Serena Williams, tennis is currently experiencing its big moment
— Even the players don’t know who the favorites are at the US Open
— No. 1 Jannik Sinner fired 2 team members because of his positive steroid tests
— Coco Gauff is in a bit of a slump as she prepares to defend her first Grand Slam title
— Novak Djokovic is aiming for his 25th Grand Slam title after finally winning an Olympic gold medal
— Naomi Osaka is back at the site of her two Grand Slam titles
— Carlos Alcaraz sprains his ankle during training but says he is fine and has his sights set on his third consecutive Grand Slam title
— Which women and men should we keep an eye on at the US Open?
— Rafael Nadal misses the US Open again
— College champion Alexa Noel turns pro and makes her Grand Slam singles debut at the Open
— Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen is the next young star of the sport
— An external review shows the US Tennis Association can do more to protect its players
How much is the prize money at the US Open?
Total compensation for players at the US Open will rise to a record $75 million – an increase of $10 million from last year. The two singles winners will each receive $3.6 million, up from $3 million previously. Anyone who loses in the first round of singles will receive $100,000, a tournament record.
Important statistics about the US Open
9 – This is how many women have shared the last ten US Open championships. Only Naomi Osaka has won more than one title in New York during that time.
24 – The number of Grand Slam singles titles won by Djokovic is tied with Margaret Court for the most by any tennis player in the history of tennis. Another title would give Djokovic sole possession of the record.
What was said at the US Open?
“My new motto is: If you defend, it means you have already won something.” — Gauff, who won her first Grand Slam title in New York a year ago.
“I still feel the drive. I still have the competitive spirit. I still want to make more history and enjoy the tour.” – Djokovic.
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AP Tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
