For two weeks each summer, the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens becomes tennis central. Spectators flock to Flushing Meadows for the US Open, the final Grand Slam of the season that begins on Sunday and ends on Labor Day weekend.
This year, a number of intriguing story lines are set to play out at the main tournament site. Will last year’s champion Aryna Sabalenka repeat in New York? Can Jannik Sinner rebound from a Cincinnati Open semifinal loss to make another deep run in the majors? Can Victoria Mboko, an 18-year-old Canadian who thrilled her home crowd with a stunning win at the Canadian Open this month, ride that momentum to a second U.S. Open title?
Those questions and more will be answered when the tournament gets underway. The first round starts Sunday, Aug. 24, with a host of marquee matches.
The opening round features a handful of top seeds taking on qualifiers or lower-ranked players, but there are a few notable matches to keep an eye on. One of those is a match between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. The top-ranked men’s duo are former US Open champions and they could meet in the quarterfinals. Also, look for the battle of the younger generation between American Tommy Paul and Jakub Mensik. Both are ranked in the mid-20s and have proven their mettle against top-tier players this season. They’ll face off on Stadium 17.