US Open Tennis at the Grandstand - third round up close
US Open Tennis on September 4, 2026 brings day session number 11 to the Grandstand at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows. Play on the Grandstand is scheduled to begin at 11:00, while gates for spectators with day tickets open at 9:30. The program that day includes the third round of men's and women's singles, the first round of men's and women's doubles, and junior singles qualifying.
One distinction is important for visitors: a Grandstand ticket is not merely admission to the complex. It includes an assigned seat specifically on the Grandstand and also provides access to Louis Armstrong Stadium and the outer courts subject to availability. It does not provide entry to Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The exact schedule of players by court for this session has not yet been announced. It is therefore not possible to state in advance who will play on the Grandstand on September 4, nor to responsibly provide the head-to-head record or the last five matches of a specific pairing as a preview of this session. What is already known is the stage of the tournament, the draw, the current form of a number of candidates to reach the third round, and the sporting context in which the session will be played.
Tickets for this event are in demand.
Why the third round is one of the more interesting stages of the US Open
The third round sits at an interesting point in the tournament. The opening congestion of the first round has already passed, but the draw has not yet been reduced only to the biggest favorites. The courts therefore bring together seeded players, in-form competitors, qualifiers who have already collected several victories, and opponents who found their rhythm on the New York hard courts through the first two rounds.
For spectators, this often means higher-quality and more tactically complex tennis than at the very beginning of the tournament. Players have already had time to adapt their serve, return, and movement to the conditions at Flushing Meadows. At the same time, the third round still leaves room for surprises because favorites are not protected from players who arrived in New York on the back of a strong summer run.
The September 4 day session includes both singles and doubles. That matters if you want to change courts during the day: a Grandstand ticket provides a reserved seat on the main court and, subject to availability, access to Louis Armstrong Stadium and the outer courts. A single day can therefore include completely different types of tennis - from a long men's singles match to faster exchanges and more aggressive net play in doubles.
The men's draw without Jannik Sinner changes the balance of power
The men's draw was released on August 27 and immediately took on a different shape because of Jannik Sinner's withdrawal. The world No. 1 withdrew because of a problem with his right knee after a season in which he had a 44-3 record before pulling out. New York will therefore be without the player who won the 2024 US Open and played in the 2025 final.
Alexander Zverev has been placed at the top of the draw, while defending champion Carlos Alcaraz leads the bottom half. The Spaniard returns after a five-month break related to a wrist injury, making his form one of the important themes of the first week. Former champions Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev, Stan Wawrinka, and Marin Cilic are also in the draw.
The American players enter the tournament after a very strong stretch of the hard-court season. Taylor Fritz won Washington, Ben Shelton won Montreal, Brandon Nakashima reached the Montreal final, and Frances Tiafoe reached the Cincinnati final. Arthur Fils won Cincinnati.
Shelton's run is a particularly good example of the kind of form worth following once the Grandstand lineup is known. In Montreal, he won six matches without dropping a set and defeated Nakashima 6-3, 7-6(4) in the final. His left-handed serve, quick first strike after the serve, and willingness to take aggressive control of points are very well suited to hard courts. For spectators in a more compact stadium such as the Grandstand, a player like that makes it especially easy to see how the serve changes the geometry of an entire point.
Zverev, on the other hand, also showed vulnerability ahead of the US Open. In Montreal, Tallon Griekspoor defeated him 6-7(3), 6-2, 6-4, while in Cincinnati, after wins over Cameron Norrie and Terence Atmane, he lost to Tommy Paul 4-6, 7-6(6), 6-4. His serve and the depth of his groundstrokes remain key weapons, but results like these show why the third round cannot be viewed only through seeding position.
One already visible potential matchup at that stage of the draw is Tommy Paul against Alexander Bublik, provided both make it through the first two rounds. Immediately before New York, Paul defeated Zverev in Cincinnati and reached the quarterfinals. Whether that or another high-profile pairing ends up specifically on the Grandstand on September 4 will be determined by the later daily court schedule.
The women's tournament arrives with several open storylines
In the women's draw, Aryna Sabalenka is attempting to win a third consecutive US Open after her 2024 and 2025 titles. The top half also includes Jessica Pegula and 2026 Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova. The bottom half includes Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek, Mirra Andreeva, and Elena Rybakina.
Current form further complicates any assessment of the balance of power. Coco Gauff won Cincinnati immediately before the US Open. After losing the first set of her opening match at that tournament, she won 12 consecutive sets and defeated Jessica Pegula 6-2, 6-4 in the final.
Pegula reached the final after a particularly important test against Swiatek. She won the semifinal 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, ending Swiatek's 10-match winning streak. Swiatek had begun that run after winning Toronto, where she defeated Rybakina 6-2, 6-3 in the final.
For spectators, those stylistic differences are particularly interesting on a hard court. Gauff can create pressure through movement, defensive reach, and return, Pegula often takes the ball early and maintains a high tempo from the baseline, while Swiatek uses the intensity of her movement and spin to keep moving her opponent. Sabalenka's tennis is built around a powerful serve and a highly aggressive first strike. If two contrasting profiles meet in the third round, the tactical battle can become visible within the first few games.
The draw already offers one interesting possible third-round pairing as well: Alexandra Eala could play Iva Jovic if both make it through their first two matches. Eala won her first WTA-level title in Washington this summer and became the first Filipina to win a WTA title. That matchup, however, should not be associated with the Grandstand until the daily court schedule is announced.
The hard court rewards serving, but a high-quality return can quickly change a match
The US Open is played on Laykold hard courts. This type of surface provides a relatively predictable bounce and gives players an opportunity to attack the ball early. A powerful serve can produce many short points, but at third-round level the serve alone is rarely enough.
The second serve is particularly worth watching. When the returner manages to stand closer to the baseline and immediately attack a weaker second serve, the server loses time for the first shot of the rally. For players who rely on a serve-plus-forehand combination, that can completely change the pattern of the match.
Those changes are easy to read on the Grandstand because spectators are not separated from the court by the enormous scale of the largest stadium. From seats closer to the baseline, it is easier to see how deep a player returns serve and how they prepare for the next shot. A side view better reveals the height of the ball over the net, the spin, and how successfully one player manages to push forward.
Mental stability becomes particularly important in a tie-break or when a player is serving for the set. At the US Open, the deciding set uses a 10-point tie-break if the score reaches 6-6, with a two-point margin required. Men's singles at Grand Slam tournaments are played as best-of-five sets, while the other main matches are generally played as best-of-three sets. As a result, a men's match can last considerably longer and completely change the rhythm of the day session.
The Grandstand was designed for a closer view of tennis
The current Grandstand opened in 2016 and has 8,125 seats. It is located in the southwestern part of the complex and is the third-largest stadium at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The court is sunk approximately 10 feet below ground level, while the stadium's asymmetrical shape and canopy were designed so that a large proportion of the seats receive some protection from direct sunlight.
That changes the experience compared with Arthur Ashe Stadium. The Grandstand is large enough for top players in the draw and long matches, but the stands remain connected to the court. The sound of the ball being struck, shoes sliding, and players communicating with their teams feels much more immediate.
- The Grandstand has a capacity of 8,125 spectators.
- The stadium in its current form opened in 2016.
- The Grandstand is the third-largest stadium in the complex.
- A Grandstand ticket includes an assigned seat in that stadium.
- Access to Louis Armstrong Stadium and the outer courts is also provided subject to availability.
- A Grandstand ticket does not include access to Arthur Ashe Stadium.
That flexibility is particularly useful during the earlier rounds. If a long five-set match is being played on the Grandstand, it is possible to remain in the reserved seat and follow the entire story as it develops. If the program on another court becomes more interesting, the complex allows movement between multiple courts within the access rights provided by the ticket.
Seats disappear quickly.
What a day looks like when the first match begins at 11:00
For the September 4 day session, gates open at 9:30, an hour and a half before the scheduled start of play on the Grandstand. Arriving earlier has practical value. Security checks can create lines, and the complex is large enough that after entering, visitors should allow time to walk to their chosen stadium.
A tennis program does not have a fixed duration comparable to a football or basketball game. A match can finish quickly, but a five-set men's singles match can occupy a large part of the afternoon. The start of the next match on the same court depends on the completion of the previous one, court servicing, and player preparation.
Breaks between games and sets are part of the rhythm of watching live tennis. In a close match, the audience quickly adjusts to the rules of conduct - movement to and from seats is best planned between games and when staff permit passage. During the point itself, the silence before the serve and the sudden reaction after the rally ends create a contrast that television finds difficult to convey in full.
Getting to Flushing Meadows
The USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center is located in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens, in the eastern part of New York City. For visitors arriving from other parts of the city, public transportation is a more practical choice than driving because parking is limited.
Subway line 7 runs to Mets-Willets Point station and connects the area with Manhattan, including Grand Central. The Long Island Rail Road also runs to Mets-Willets Point, with connections via Woodside and Penn Station.
If arriving by car or rideshare, it is worth checking current traffic instructions in advance because major sporting events in the Flushing Meadows area affect access roads and parking lots. For visitors who want to be in their seat before the first serve at 11:00, arriving in the area of the complex well before the gates open reduces the risk that a security check or congestion at the station will consume the first part of the match.
What may be brought inside
Entry rules are worth checking before departure. A maximum of one bag per person is permitted, and the maximum dimensions are 12 x 12 x 16 inches. Traditional backpacks are not allowed, subject to stated exceptions such as certain single-compartment drawstring bags and medical equipment.
Items that may not be brought inside include glass bottles and cans, laptops, selfie sticks, tripods, drones, chairs, and tennis rackets, with special exceptions for certain days. Reusable metal or plastic water bottles up to 24 oz. are permitted.
- Arrive early because of the security screening.
- Check the dimensions of your bag before traveling.
- Do not expect to enter with a traditional backpack.
- Bring only the items needed for spending several hours in the stands.
- Plan the day so that one long match can push back the rest of the schedule.
What to watch when the Grandstand names are announced
Once the daily schedule finally determines the participants, it is most useful to examine several factors rather than ranking alone. The five most recent matches will show consistency, but the results should be placed in the context of opponents and surface. A player with four wins against weaker opponents is not necessarily in a better position than a player who lost a close match against a title contender.
For a specific pairing, the head-to-head record should be compared, but also the way those matches unfolded. Particularly important are the percentage of points won behind first and second serves, return quality, the number of break opportunities, and performance in tie-breaks.
The third round is deep enough into the tournament to assess current adaptation to New York as well. The previous two rounds will provide fresher information than results played several months earlier: has the player spent too much time on court, have they dropped sets, how securely have they held serve, and how have they reacted after losing a set?
That is also why a name that is not one of the main favorites at the moment a ticket is purchased can become one of the most interesting players of the day on September 4. The US Open quickly creates new storylines in the early rounds, and the Grandstand is a court where the crowd often gets exactly those kinds of matches without the distance characteristic of the largest stadium in the complex.
It is worth securing tickets in time.
New York between matches
Flushing Meadows Corona Park gives this tournament a different context from an event held in an enclosed city arena. The National Tennis Center is located in Queens, one of the most diverse parts of New York City, and the immediate area also contains sports, museum, and park facilities developed around the grounds of former world's fairs.
For visitors traveling to New York for the US Open, it is practical to assume that a day ticket can fill the entire day. An 11:00 start does not mean the program will end in the middle of the afternoon. Multiple matches, possible three- or five-set singles contests, doubles, and movement between courts can easily extend the stay into the evening.
The best plan is therefore not to try to determine precisely when every match will end, but to leave enough time for schedule changes. Live tennis draws much of its tension precisely from that unpredictability: a break deficit can disappear within minutes, a player who controlled the baseline for two sets can lose serving rhythm, and a single tie-break can completely change the energy of the stadium.
Sources:
- USOpen.org - 2026 tournament schedule, day session 11, gate opening and program for September 4
- USOpen.org - information about Grandstand tickets, access to other courts, and the restriction on access to Arthur Ashe Stadium
- USOpen.org - Grandstand information, capacity of 8,125 seats, and the stadium's opening in 2016
- USOpen.org - 2026 men's draw, positions of Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz, and Jannik Sinner's withdrawal
- USOpen.org - 2026 women's draw and possible matchups through individual sections of the draw
- ATP Tour - Montreal and Cincinnati results and the current form of Ben Shelton, Alexander Zverev, and other players
- WTA - Cincinnati and Toronto results and the current form of Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, and Iga Swiatek
- USOpen.org - information about the Laykold hard court
- World Tennis / ITF - Grand Slam match rules and the deciding-set tie-break
- USOpen.org - transportation to Mets-Willets Point, bag rules, security screening, and prohibited items