The Fashion Person’s Guide to the 2026 US Open

As sad as we all are that summer’s coming to a close, there is one bright spot: the US Open. The tennis tournament always rolls around in late August (running through to mid-September), giving New Yorkers one final bit of summer fun before fall returns and life gets real again. The two-week event is one of the city’s greatest of the year, bringing people in from all over the world—both athletes and attendees—to watch the action unfold.

This year, though the men’s standings aren’t as closely contested as we’ve seen in the past—Jannik Sinner is significantly ahead of his second-place competitor, Carlos Alcaraz—there’s still plenty to fight for on the women’s side, as well as lower down in the men’s rankings. Plus, you never know what could happen at Arthur Ashe Stadium, where the US Open’s most competitive matches are held inside USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens. It’s the end of the season, and the big names are exhausted from tournaments past, injuries incurred along the way, near-constant travel, and heightened media responsibilities. Hard courts are also more common around the world than grass or clay courts, making the pool of players with experience on them far broader. The US Open is not an easy one to win, which keeps the stakes high and the results wholly unpredictable.

Because of that (plus the awe-inspiring location—it was built directly on the grounds of the 1964 World’s Fair), everyone cool wants in on the action. Fashion brands, like Ralph Lauren, host stylish guests on a nightly basis, from Kendall Jenner to Emma Watson, while others design custom gear for their brand-ambassador athletes. Think Off-White and Serena Williams, Miu Miu and Coco Gauff, and Gucci and Sinner. Getting a front-row seat (or rather, one in a VIP box) to the must-see matches is one of the hardest tickets in town for the two weeks the US Open takes over New York, so much so that people will grin and bear the nightmarish transportation options to and from the city. It’s worth it (and real ones know to take the LIRR).

A Fashion Fan’s Guide to the 2026 US Open

Andy Roddick playing at the 2004 US Open in New York. On top of the photo is a piece of paper with the title, "The Basics," and information about the 2026 US Open.

(Image credit: A. Messerschmidt/Getty Images)

THE BASICS

For my sake, let’s pretend you’ve never heard of the US Open. Here are the basics. The tournament was founded in August 1881, making it one of the oldest active tennis tournaments. Originally, it was hosted in Newport, Rhode Island, but in 1978, after several additional relocations, the action was moved to the USTA National Tennis Center in Queens, New York, on the site of the 1964 World’s Fair, surrounded by a slew of other monuments from the historic event. (In 2006, the venue’s name was changed to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, a title it still holds today.) The US Open is the final Grand Slam of the season, following the Australian Open, the French Open, and Wimbledon, making it one of the most crucial tournaments for the players who participate, if not the most important. The men’s and women’s singles winners of the US Open each year will possess bragging rights for, well, forever, with past victors including the GOATs, Serena Williams and Roger Federer, as well as the new guard of established players, like Coco Gauff and Carlos Alcaraz.

This year, the greats are descending on New York City from August 23 to September 13, starting with fan week and qualifying. On the 30th, the main draw kicks off, bringing the biggest talents to the hard courts this tournament is known for. Currently, on the men’s side, Jannik Sinner leads the ATP singles rankings by a significant margin, though a knee injury has threatened to halt his progress, forcing the Italian superstar and Gucci ambassador to sit out both the Cincinnati Open and the US Open. Second-place Alcaraz has also been working through a persistent wrist injury, though he will play in New York, having already teamed up with Serena Williams in the mixed-doubles category. As for the women’s tournament, Aryna Sabalenka is holding on to her number one ranking as it stands, but number two Elena Rybakina is hot on her tail, with 8575 and 8141 points respectively. What happens throughout the 2026 US Open is guaranteed to impact the final tally. Who it will favor won’t be decided until closer to the finals, on September 12 for the women’s match and the following day for the men.

A slide with the title, "The Establishment," on it, featuring images of Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Jannik Sinner, and Carlos Alcaraz.

(Image credit: Courtesy of Gucci; courtesy of Miu Miu; Clive Brunskill/Getty Images; Al Bello/Getty Images)

THE ESTABLISHMENT

After a long run of dominance for the tennis stars we all know and love, a new set of established winners has taken the reins. They have the biggest sponsorship deals—think Miu Miu and New Balance, Gucci and Nike, and Louis Vuitton and Rolex—and win in the highest-profile moments, from Wimbledon to the French Open. Their faces are everywhere as it is, but in the lead-up to the US Open, they’re even more ubiquitous, wheatpasted on scaffolding, painted on the sides of brick buildings, and printed in countless subway ads. You know them on the court, but allow me to introduce you formally.