Tennis Features
US Open Fan Week opens with packed schedule, practices and mixed doubles spotlight
US Open Fan Week brings practices, qualifying, mixed doubles and Federer back to Flushing Meadows.
US Open Fan Week begins at Flushing Meadows before the main draw officially starts next Sunday, and the site is set for several busy days. While debate continues over ticket prices, with resale listings reported at as much as $20,000 for one session at the final Grand Slam of the year, Fan Week remains open to spectators without an entry fee.
The week offers fans a first look at qualifying and practice sessions featuring many of the sport’s leading names, along with a few ticketed highlights. Those include the return of Roger Federer on Tuesday night and the Mixed Doubles event, which has drawn considerable attention.
Monday opens with a strong practice schedule. Maria Sakkari and Mirra Andreeva are set for Arthur Ashe Stadium, followed by Carlos Alcaraz practising with Daniel Merida. Jasmine Paolini and Eva Lys are also due on court together, while Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils will share a court as a married duo. On Louis Armstrong Stadium, Venus Williams and Leylah Fernandez are scheduled to practise together, alongside Alexander Zverev with Taylor Fritz and Lorenzo Musetti with Matteo Arnaldi. Mixed Doubles qualifying and main draw singles qualifying also begin.
Tuesday brings the Mixed Doubles event, with Carlos Alcaraz and Serena Williams among the headline pairings. Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic will also team up, along with Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz, Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud, plus Alex Eala and Felix Auger-Aliassime. The night ends with Roger Federer’s return on Arthur Ashe Stadium, where he will appear with Andy Roddick, Andre Agassi and John McEnroe.
Wednesday decides the Mixed Doubles title, with the winners earning $1m. Thursday features scheduled appearances by Joao Fonseca, Alexandra Eala, Learner Tien, Iva Jovic, Arthur Fils, Amanda Anisimova, Alex Michelsen and Marta Kostyuk, while a portion of ticket proceeds will support the USTA Foundation. The draw for the main tournaments is also set for that day.
Friday is reserved for media duties, and Saturday closes with final preparations before the event begins on Sunday.
ATP Tour Tennis Features
Washington Open to open 2026 North American hard-court swing with five top-10 names
Washington opens the ATP hard-court season with 32 men, eight seeds and four wildcards.
The ATP Tour’s 2026 North American hard-court stretch gets underway in Washington, where the Washington Open will again draw major attention. The event runs from 27 July to 2 August and marks the 57th edition of the men’s tournament in the U.S. capital.
Known commercially as the Mubadala Citi DC Open, the ATP 500 tournament is played at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center. Alex de Minaur returns as the defending champion after defeating Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in last year’s final.
This year’s men’s main draw has been cut from 48 players to 32. The eight seeds are scheduled to be Felix Auger-Aliassime, Alex de Minaur, Ben Shelton, Daniil Medvedev, Taylor Fritz, Lorenzo Musetti, Learner Tien and Frances Tiafoe.
The wildcard list adds another layer to the field. Ben Shelton, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Jack Draper and Kei Nishikori have received the four main draw wildcards. Shelton required one to enter because he was not on the original entry list, while Tsitsipas, Draper and Nishikori were not ranked high enough for direct entry.
Prize money for the men’s tournament totals $2,469,450, according to the ATP Tour website. Ranking points are distributed as follows: 500 for the champion, 330 for the finalist, 200 for the semi-finalists, 100 for quarter-finalists, 50 for a round-of-16 finish and 0 for a first-round exit.
The entry list also includes Tommy Paul, Rafael Jodar, Jakub Mensik, Brandon Nakashima, Alex Michelsen, Tallon Griekspoor, Ugo Humbert, Matteo Arnaldi, Alejandro Tabilo, Tomas Martin Etcheverry, Arthur Rinderknech, Adrian Mannarino, Zizou Bergs and Kamil Majchrzak. Tsitsipas, Draper and Nishikori appear on the list as wildcards alongside Shelton.
Zverev Arrives at Laver Cup With Europe’s Title Bid in Focus
Alex Eala opens Singapore challenge against Prozorova as ranking gains loom
Zverev’s breakthrough season rewrites a long-running story
Raducanu Arrives at US Open With Momentum After Strong Hard‑Court Swing
Maestrelli Triumphs in Bergamo, Claims Challenger Title and Career‑High Ranking
