![US Open 2026: The Final Grand Slam](https://cdn.slatesource.com/f/1/6/f16ee649-57ca-4d3c-9aa6-1b6720638c00.webp) # US Open 2026: The Final Grand Slam - [Made in Slatesource](https://slatesource.com/@steph/us-open-2026-the-final-grand-slam) - By [Steph](https://slatesource.com/@steph) - Created on Aug 22, 2026 8 days and08:55:00 ## The Last Grand Slam of 2026 Fan Week opened today at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The qualifying rounds and the revamped Mixed Doubles Championship run through August 29. The main draw begins Sunday August 30 and the men's final closes the tournament on Sunday September 13. Total prize money hits $108 million, the first time any Grand Slam has broken the $100 million barrier, with $5.5 million going to each singles champion. That is a 21 percent increase on 2025. Total prize fund $108 million, biggest in Grand Slam history Singles winner $5.5 million each First-round loser guarantee $140,000 minimum Main draw size 128 players in men's and women's singles Tournament span August 23 to September 13, 22 days Wheelchair prize pool $2.3 million, up 44% year on year The eight storylines going into the draw 0% Sinner is out. The world No. 1 withdrew with a knee injury on August 21, handing Alexander Zverev the top seed. Alcaraz is back. The defending champion missed 4 months with a wrist injury but returns to defend his title at Flushing Meadows. Sabalenka chases a three-peat. A third straight US Open would match Serena Williams, who won three in a row from 2012 to 2014. Gauff is overdue. The 2024 champion and Roland Garros 2025 winner Coco Gauff has not won a Slam in 2026 yet. Djokovic hunts No. 25. A record 25th Grand Slam title remains the stated goal for the 39-year-old four-time US Open champion. Venus gets a wildcard. 46-year-old Venus Williams, a two-time US Open champion, earned a spot in the main draw. $5.5 million for the winner. First-round losers collect $140,000, also a record for any Grand Slam event. Draw ceremony is August 27. The official seedings are set on August 24. Alcaraz made his return announcement in unusual fashion, with the help of football transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano, posting "Here we go" on social media. He starts the year as Australian Open champion and is seeded No. 2 behind Zverev. His 2025 US Open final win over Sinner (6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4) is one of the finest performances seen at Flushing Meadows in years. # Sinner or Alcaraz: who owns the hard-court era now? Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have combined to win 10 of the last 11 Grand Slam titles. Sinner swept Wimbledon and the Australian Open in 2025 and dominated the hard-court calendar this year with a 55-5 record before his knee gave out. Alcaraz took the 2025 US Open, won the 2026 Australian Open, and is the reigning champion here at Flushing Meadows. Neither player has dominated the other head to head: their last five major clashes have gone 3-2 to Alcaraz. Now Sinner is absent, Alcaraz is coming off four months of injury, and Alexander Zverev holds the top seed. Is the Sinner versus Alcaraz duel the defining tennis rivalry of this era, or has Sinner's injury given Zverev his window to stake a permanent claim on the No. 1 spot? No comments yet. Be the first. Log in to comment Top seed (men) Alexander Zverev (after Sinner withdrew) Men's defending champion Carlos Alcaraz (seed No. 2) Djokovic ranking No. 4 seed, chasing major No. 25 Wild card Venus Williams, age 46, two-time US Open champion Top seed (women) Aryna Sabalenka, two-time defending champion Women's co-favourites Iga Swiatek (seed 2) and Coco Gauff (seed 3) Sabalenka's 2026 hard-court record 39-4, but 0 Slam titles in 2026 > Even though I have been working hard with my team and my medical staff, we have now had to make the difficult decision that I will not be able to compete at the US Open this year. The women's field is unusually deep. Sabalenka has not won a Slam in 2026, falling as Australian Open finalist, Roland Garros quarter-finalist, and fourth-round exit at Wimbledon. Swiatek won in Montreal. Gauff won Roland Garros in 2025 and is due a deep run in New York. Naomi Osaka (2018, 2020 champion) and Emma Raducanu (2021) are both in the draw. Sloane Stephens, 2017 champion, received a wild card alongside Venus Williams. [US Open 2026: official site, schedule and live scores](https://www.usopen.org/?utm_source=slatesource)