Courtesy: Google

Courtesy: Google

The fourth and final Grand Slam of the tennis season, US Open, has extended its main draw to 15 days from the 2025 edition onwards, with a weekend start for the first-time in the Open era. The main draw of the US Open 2025 at the Flushing Meadows in New York City will begin on Sunday, August 24, and it will continue till Sunday, September, where Jannik Sinner from Italy and Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus will defend their respective titles.

Notably, the French Open was the first Grand Slam tournament to become a 15-day event way back in 2006, while the Australian Open took the same decision in 2024. After the US Open has expanded its main draw by one day, Wimbledon is the only Grand Slam out of the four to retain a 14-day main draw window with a tournament starting on Monday, which could end up changing quite soon with the prevailing wind elsewhere.

U.S. Open is set to offer the most access for fans in the event’s 145-year history

While the Australian Open became a 15-day tournament to reduce the number of late-night finishes to premier matches, the US Open decided to opt for it, to bring in additional 70,000 spectators, as per the report from BBC Sport. The statement from the USTA on the matter read, “With more planned main draw competition days than ever and Fan Week featuring six days of free grounds admission prior to the main draw, the 2025 U.S. Open is set to offer the most access for fans in the event’s 145-year history”.

As per the announcement to the press, the US Open also stated that the move would ensure “more fan access than ever to the main draw following three consecutive years of record-breaking attendance”. The officials further revealed that the men’s and women’s singles first-round matches will be taking place during the first three days at the Flushing Meadows in New York City from Sunday to Tuesday.