US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium: guide to the evening session
The US Open evening session at Arthur Ashe Stadium on September 3, 2026 begins at 7:00 PM local time in New York and is designated Session 10. The tournament schedule for that day features the second round of men's and women's singles, while gates for evening ticket holders open at 6:00 PM. This is the stage at which the initial nerves of the first round are already behind the players, but the road through the draw is still long enough for every victory to significantly change the tournament.
For visitors, one practical fact is important: the specific schedule of matches on individual courts is published the day before play. Therefore, it is not possible to responsibly state in advance which players will appear at Arthur Ashe Stadium on the evening of September 3 or in what order they will play. The competition stage, time slot and stadium are known, but the matchups depend on the draw and the results of previous matches.
Tickets for this event are in demand. Instead of tying the entire visit to one name that may not be scheduled for Session 10, it is more useful to understand what kind of tennis the second round brings and what an evening on the US Open's largest court is like.
Why the second round is especially interesting
The main singles tournament is played from August 30 to September 13, and the September 3 program belongs to the second round. Every male or female player taking the court at that point has already made it through the first match and is fighting for a place in the third round. The draw is still wide open, but the first encounters are already emerging in which seeded players may face opponents whose form exceeds their ranking position.
Men's singles is played as best-of-five sets, meaning three sets are required to win, while women's singles is played as best-of-three, meaning two sets are required to win. When the deciding set reaches 6-6, a tie-break to 10 points is played, with a required margin of two points.
This directly affects the live viewing experience. A men's match can develop into a long physical and tactical battle in which the balance of power changes several times. In women's singles, the shorter format leaves less room for a poor spell of play, so one lost service game or tie-break can carry even greater weight.
From the stands, it is particularly easy to see how much tennis depends on small adjustments. A player's return position, an attempt to attack the second serve more often, a change of direction after several shots or an earlier move to the net can reveal a tactical change before it becomes visible on the scoreboard.
The most important stories in the tournament field
The specific matchups for Session 10 are not yet known, but the 2026 US Open field already provides a clear competitive context.
Carlos Alcaraz, the 2025 men's singles champion, confirmed his participation after a months-long break caused by a problem with his right wrist. Before the break, he had a 22-3 record in the first four months of the season and won the Australian Open and the tournament in Doha. His return is one of the tournament's key stories, but confirmation of his US Open participation does not automatically mean that he will be scheduled specifically for the evening of September 3.
A major change occurred on August 21. Jannik Sinner, the current world No. 1 in the men's rankings, withdrew from the US Open because of a problem with his right knee. At the time of the announcement, the ATP listed his season record as 44-3 with six titles won. His absence changes the structure of the men's draw and creates additional room for other leading players.
The current men's top ten also includes Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Novak Djokovic, Ben Shelton, Daniil Medvedev, Alex de Minaur, Taylor Fritz and Flavio Cobolli. Among them are several very different styles - from players who powerfully build points with the serve and first forehand to elite defensive players and returners capable of completely neutralizing the server's initial advantage.
The women's side of the tournament also arrives in New York with several interesting questions. Aryna Sabalenka is currently No. 1 and arrives as the two-time defending US Open champion, but her final major tournament before New York ended with a loss to Sara Bejlek in the round of 16 at the Cincinnati Open.
Elena Rybakina is ranked second, but her Cincinnati campaign ended with a retirement against Iga Swiatek in the quarterfinals because of a problem with her left ankle. Without additional confirmed information, it makes no sense to draw medical conclusions or predict how this will affect New York.
Coco Gauff arrives after winning the Cincinnati Open, where she defeated Jessica Pegula in the final. Pegula is currently third and Gauff fourth in the rankings, ahead of Iga Swiatek, Mirra Andreeva, Karolina Muchova, Linda Noskova, Elina Svitolina and Amanda Anisimova.
Analyzing the last five appearances and head-to-head record for Session 10 itself only makes sense once the specific matchups are known. Anything before that would mean connecting statistics to matches that have not yet been confirmed.
The hard court puts serve and return in the spotlight
The US Open is played on the Laykold hard court surface. On such a surface, an accurate serve, early shot preparation, a quality return and the ability to take the initiative from the baseline become especially important.
With powerful servers, it is worth watching what happens immediately after the opening shot. A good first serve is often not intended as a direct point-ending shot, but as a way to create space for the following forehand. An elite returner tries to prevent exactly that - returning the ball deeply enough that the server cannot immediately attack.
From the higher sections of Arthur Ashe Stadium, the tactical geometry can be seen exceptionally well. It is easier to notice how far a player moves behind the baseline, how angles are created and how much space is left to the opponent. Closer to the court, the speed of the ball, the sound of the shot and the amount of time the players actually have to react make a stronger impression.
It is especially worth following points at 30-30, break points and tie-breaks. This is where mental stability becomes visible. The crowd can be very loud between points, and then immediately before the serve the stadium suddenly becomes quiet. It is precisely this transition between noise and concentration that gives evening matches in New York their very distinctive rhythm.
Arthur Ashe Stadium from different parts of the stands
Arthur Ashe Stadium opened in 1997 and has a capacity of 23,771 seats. It is located within the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens and is the main court of the US Open.
Since 2016, the stadium has had a retractable roof. Its most important practical role is allowing the program to continue when weather conditions do not permit outdoor play. Closing the roof also changes the stadium's acoustics, making the reactions of a large crowd feel even more intense.
The experience depends on the seating location. Lower sections bring spectators closer to the physical side of tennis - the serve, movement, communication with the team and reactions after important points. From higher seats, it is easier to follow the complete development of a point and the tactical movement of both players.
- Evening gates on September 3 open at 6:00 PM.
- Session 10 is scheduled to begin at 7:00 PM.
- The program includes the second round of men's and women's singles.
- Arthur Ashe Stadium has 23,771 seats and a retractable roof.
- The specific match schedule is published the day before play.
Seats disappear quickly. For the evening session, it is worth allowing enough time for the security screening and finding your section before the program begins.
Open Pride and the wider program that day
Open Pride, an annual program held across the US Open grounds and in Arthur Ashe Stadium, is also scheduled for September 3. A visit that day is therefore not limited only to what happens between the baselines of the main court.
The USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center also includes Louis Armstrong Stadium, Grandstand and a number of outer courts. In the earlier rounds, it is precisely this concentration of a large number of matches that gives the complex its distinctive rhythm. While the evening program is being prepared at Arthur Ashe, matches from the day session may still be finishing on other courts.
How to get to Flushing Meadows
For travel from other parts of New York, organizers particularly recommend public transportation. Subway line 7 runs to Mets-Willets Point station. The Long Island Rail Road also serves the same location via the Port Washington Branch, with departures available from Penn Station, Grand Central Madison and Woodside.
For arrival by car, the listed address is USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Flushing Meadow Corona Park, Flushing, NY 11368. Parking arrangements also depend on the New York Mets schedule. When one of their home games overlaps with the US Open, vehicles are directed toward other parking areas.
Rideshare transportation uses the area by the New York Hall of Science, from where there is a pedestrian connection to the entrance of the complex.
Bags, security screening and behavior during play
Under US Open rules, one bag per person is allowed, with maximum dimensions of 12 x 12 x 16 inches. Visitors and their belongings may be screened before entry, and large pieces of luggage and other prohibited items cannot be brought into the complex.
For travelers arriving in New York immediately before the event, this is an important detail: going straight from the airport with a large travel bag is not a practical plan.
During the match, rules typical of tennis apply. Movement toward your seat should be coordinated with breaks in play, players must not be disturbed by noise during points, and open umbrellas are not allowed during play. Smoking and vaping are also prohibited, while recording and transmitting action from the court are subject to specific restrictions.
Evening tennis has no predetermined finishing time
Unlike sports with a fixed match duration, tennis can finish very quickly or extend deep into the night. This is especially important in men's singles, where matches are played as best-of-five sets.
If the first match of the evening program lasts a long time, the start of the next one is also delayed. For that reason, the return journey from the event should not be planned on the assumption that the program will finish at a precise time.
If a purchased ticket or package is marked as a two-day package, it is necessary to check which sessions are specifically listed. The schedule for the evening of September 4 features Session 12 and the third round of men's and women's singles. Standard US Open rules nevertheless tie an individual ticket to the specified session, so a two-day package should be interpreted according to the designations stated with the reservation itself.
What to watch when the first point begins
In the opening games, it is useful to look at where the returner stands, how often the server gains the initiative with the first shot after the serve and who controls the middle of the court more effectively. Return position often reveals the plan: moving back behind the baseline provides more reaction time, while a more aggressive position attempts to take time away from the server.
During longer rallies, it is worth watching who is first able to change the direction of the ball without losing depth. When one player continually gets the opportunity to attack a shorter ball, the game score may look close even though the tactical advantage is already obvious.
The second round also leaves plenty of room for comebacks. Losing the first set is not the end, especially in the men's best-of-five format. One quality return, an early break or a won tie-break can completely change the atmosphere and the balance of energy on the court.
It is worth securing tickets in time. The most precise picture of Session 10 will be available when the schedule for September 3 is published, because only then will the specific players, their opponents and the order of play at Arthur Ashe Stadium be known.
Sources:
- US Open - 2026 tournament schedule, Session 10, second round, gate-opening time, Open Pride, match format, transportation, entry rules and information about Arthur Ashe Stadium.
- US Open - announcements about the 2026 singles field, Carlos Alcaraz's return and the current status of the schedule and draw.
- ATP Tour - confirmation of Jannik Sinner's withdrawal from the 2026 US Open and his season record before withdrawing.
- WTA - current rankings and results from the 2026 Cincinnati Open, including the performances of Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula and Elena Rybakina.
- Laykold - information about the hard court surface used at the US Open.