US Open 2026: Alexander Zverev Makes History as Top Seed in New York | TV, Stream & Schedule

For tennis fans tracking the tournament from Europe and across the globe, navigating the broadcast landscape requires knowing which networks hold the rights. The complete US Open schedule is broadcast live in Germany by pay-TV provider Sky Sport, with streaming options available via WOW and Sporteurope.tv. While the main singles draws start on Sunday, August 30, the tournament’s opening week already delivered notable moments during the preliminary rounds and Fan Week events.

Tournament Schedule and Key Dates in New York

The 2026 US Open schedule spans two weeks of intense competition on the hard courts of New York City. Following the qualifying matches and Fan Week events that began on August 24, the main singles draws officially get underway on Sunday, August 30, and run through the middle of September.

The individual rounds for the men’s and women’s singles competitions follow a structured calendar:

• 1st Round: August 30 to September 1, 2026
• 2nd Round: September 2 to September 3, 2026
• 3rd Round: September 4 to September 5, 2026
• Round of 16: September 6 to September 7, 2026
• Quarterfinals: September 8 to September 9, 2026
• Women’s Semifinal: September 10, 2026
• Men’s Semifinal: September 11, 2026
• Women’s Singles Final: September 12, 2026
• Men’s Singles Final: September 13, 2026

Defending champions Carlos Alcaraz of Spain and Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus return to New York as titleholders, though the tournament enters its main phase with a wide-open field of contenders across both draws.

Alexander Zverev’s Path and Opening Draw

Alexander Zverev arrives in New York following a historic yet demanding stretch in his career. The 29-year-old captured his first career Grand Slam title on June 7, 2026, by winning the French Open. However, subsequent weeks brought disappointment when he lost the Wimbledon singles final to Italy’s Jannik Sinner, missing out on a second major title.

Following Sinner’s withdrawal from the US Open due to a knee injury, Zverev enters a Grand Slam as a top-seeded player for the first time in his 43rd major appearance. The official tournament draw, conducted on August 27, placed Zverev against Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego, currently ranked No. 91 in the world. Crucially for the German player, the draw placed tournament rival Novak Djokovic in the opposite half alongside Carlos Alcaraz, meaning Zverev cannot face either player until the final match.

Zverev also made a brief appearance in the newly structured mixed doubles competition prior to the singles draw. Partnering with American player Taylor Townsend, Zverev exited in the first round after a 49-minute defeat to the Swiss-Italian duo of Belinda Bencic and Fabio Cobolli, falling 2:4, 2:4.

Other German professionals also learned their opening-round opponents following the August 27 draw. In the men’s singles bracket, Jan-Lennard Struff faces Camilo Ugo Carabelli, Jannik Hanfmann meets Alejandro Tabilo, and Daniel Altmaier squares off against Zachary Svajda. In the women’s singles draw, Tamara Korpatsch plays Lilli Tagger, Tatjana Maria faces Jelena Ostapenko, Eva Lys meets a qualifier, and Ella Seidel takes on Julija Starodubzewa.

TV Broadcast, Live Streams, and Ticker Options

Viewers looking to follow the action live have several options depending on their subscription preferences and viewing devices.

In Germany, pay-TV broadcaster Sky Sport holds the exclusive rights to televise the complete US Open tournament. Sky secured a multi-year sublicence to broadcast select matches, combining top encounters into a dedicated conference feed on Sky Sport Tennis alongside dedicated court coverage. Online streaming for Sky subscribers is accessible via the WOW platform. Additionally, rights holder Sporteurope.tv offers an “All-Access” streaming pass priced at 25 euros, which covers every match across all tournament courts live.

While the acquisition of Sky Deutschland by RTL in June raised speculation among fans regarding potential free-TV broadcasts, no regular free-to-air television coverage has been scheduled for the 2026 tournament, leaving viewers reliant on pay-TV and authorized streaming services. Live text tickers continue to supply real-time updates, score tracking, and minute-by-minute coverage for fans unable to watch the video feeds.