The U.S. Open is set to extend its duration to 15 days this year, making a notable change by beginning on a Sunday for the first time since the tournament’s inception in 1968.
Fans who expressed interest in ticket updates were informed of this shift, along with the new tournament dates, which are scheduled from August 24 to September 7. Subsequently, the U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) officially announced the additional day of action for this prestigious event in a news release.
This extension aligns the U.S. Open with the Australian Open, which transitioned to a Sunday start last year, and follows the French Open, the first major tennis event to adopt a 15-day format back in 2006.
At Flushing Meadows, the opening round will once again take place over three days: Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. The USTA has indicated that after the initial round, “No further adjustments to the singles main draw schedule are planned.” In the past, the U.S. Open concluded its first round over three days until 2015, when it was reduced to just two days.
With this revision, Wimbledon now stands as the only Grand Slam tournament that continues to kick off on a Monday, adhering to a 14-day schedule. Notably, the grass-court event only reached that duration after the All England Club introduced play on the middle Sunday in 2022; this was a significant change considering there were only 13 days of matches prior, with a traditional off day.
The U.S. Open’s adjustment presents an opportunity for increased revenue through ticket sales as well as enhanced visibility for the sport. The most recent Australian Open saw record-breaking attendance figures for both of its 15-day iterations.
The USTA reported that its flagship tournament achieved “record-breaking attendance in 2024.” While players have acclimatized to Sunday starts at Grand Slam events, there was some resistance when the French Open initiated this trend. Notably, athletes such as Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova expressed their reservations about this new schedule when they played in that inaugural Sunday in 2006.
Sharapova reflected on her experience, stating, “I asked if I could play later. The answer was, ‘You’re playing Sunday, fourth match.’” She candidly remarked on her feelings about the focus on ticket sales and profit over players’ comfort, saying, “It doesn’t make you feel great when you know that the French federation, all they’re thinking about is selling tickets, making money and about (French) players.”
This change in the U.S. Open signifies a notable shift in the landscape of tennis, impacting players, fans, and the overall dynamics of how major tournaments are scheduled.
