US Open Tennis 2025 Schedule: Dates, Times & Order of Play

The 2025 US Open tested viewers’ preparation as much as the players’ fitness, with high-profile withdrawals and broadcast schedule shifts demanding attention before the first ball was struck. Between defending champions managing injuries, depleted draws reshaping expectations, and a historic 15-day format, there was plenty to track beyond the scores themselves. Here’s the complete picture of what happened — and what viewers needed to know to follow along.

Main Draw Dates: August 24 – September 7, 2025 ·
Qualifying Dates: August 18 – 21, 2025 ·
Singles Final: Sunday, September 7, 2025 ·
Venue: USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center ·
Surface: Outdoor hard courts

What time does the US Open final actually start?

Session start times varied across the tournament, and knowing the exact window mattered for anyone planning to watch. Day sessions typically opened at 11:00 AM or 12:00 PM ET depending on the court assignment, while night sessions under the lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium began at 7:00 PM ET. The men’s singles final on September 7 was scheduled for 2:00 PM ET on ABC, moving away from the traditional late-afternoon finish that finals often feature.

Main draw session times

• Day sessions: 11:00 AM or 12:00 PM ET (court-dependent)
• Night sessions: 7:00 PM ET in Arthur Ashe Stadium
• Armstrong and Grandstand courts operated on a separate schedule from the main stadium
• ESPN+ provided coverage from 16 courts simultaneously, including doubles and juniors

Final start adjustments

The men’s final’s 2:00 PM ET start time on ABC placed it outside the typical prime-time window that evening matches command. According to ESPN’s broadcast notes, this adjustment accommodated ABC’s programming schedule while ensuring the match reached the widest possible audience before the weekend evening concluded. The women’s final ran 4:00–7:00 PM ET on ESPN, directly preceding the men’s championship.

Why is the US Open final delayed?

The question of delays surfaced repeatedly in search queries heading into the tournament. Available reporting from Sports Media Watch TV listings indicated no rain delays or weather-related disruptions were noted in the 2025 tournament coverage. Security-related scheduling adjustments have historically affected finals timing at major events, though specific circumstances for 2025 centered on broadcast window coordination rather than external disruptions.

Security-related delays

Prior US Opens have seen finals pushed to accommodate security protocols around high-profile attendees. The 2025 broadcast schedule built in flexibility through the ESPN+ multi-court platform, which could absorb minor timing shifts without disrupting the main ESPN and ABC feeds. No specific security delays were reported for the 2025 edition.

Historical delay examples

Previous editions provide context for what viewers might anticipate. Rain has forced finals into Monday scheduling in several years, and single major events have occasionally required session-wide time adjustments. The 2025 tournament’s 15-day structure provided built-in buffer days that previous formats lacked, reducing the likelihood of cascading delays into subsequent rounds.

Which TV channel is showing US Open tennis?

ESPN held exclusive rights for US broadcast coverage, deploying ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN+, and ABC across different rounds and time slots. This meant the network covered the tournament from qualifying through finals, with ABC handling select marquee matchups including the men’s final. International viewers encountered different arrangements depending on their region and subscription packages.

Tennis Channel coverage

The Tennis Channel was not part of the 2025 US Open broadcast arrangement. ESPN assumed the exclusive US English-language rights, a shift that has been in place since the 2022 edition when the previous broadcaster’s contract ended. Viewers accustomed to Tennis Channel’s round-the-clock tennis programming needed to migrate to ESPN platforms for US Open-specific coverage.

International broadcasters

Eurosport maintained European coverage, and Sky Sports offered dedicated tennis programming through Sky Sports Tennis for ATP and WTA Tour events, which included Grand Slam coverage. Regional variations existed across Canada, Australia, and other markets, with often multiple rights holders splitting coverage windows. Sports Media Watch’s TV schedule database tracked daily broadcast assignments by round.

Why has Sinner withdrawn from US Open?

Jannik Sinner did not withdraw from the 2025 US Open — he played through to the men’s final against Carlos Alcaraz. However, his participation came with significant injury uncertainty. According to Pro Football Network’s player injury database, Sinner retired from the Cincinnati Open final against Alcaraz prior to the US Open, raising questions about his fitness heading into Flushing Meadows. Reports indicated he entered the tournament managing a physical concern that had affected his competitive readiness in the preceding weeks.

Withdrawals impacting schedule

While Sinner competed, multiple other players did withdraw, reshaping the draw in both the men’s and women’s brackets. USOpen.org officially confirmed mixed doubles withdrawals including Emma Navarro, Paula Badosa, and Tommy Paul. Men’s draw withdrawals included Matteo Berrettini (abdominal/oblique injury), Grigor Dimitrov, Hubert Hurkacz, and Arthur Fils. Women’s withdrawals affected Ons Jabeur (who cited both physical and mental well-being), Qinwen Zheng, and Paula Badosa.

Mixed doubles impact

The mixed doubles field experienced particularly notable reshuffling, with several singles stars removing themselves from the draw to focus on recovery or withdraw due to injury. The US Open’s official notes documented these changes, with late adjustments continuing into the week before the main draw commenced.

Was Djokovic kicked out of the US Open?

The search query suggesting Djokovic was “kicked out” appears to reference either historical incidents or a conflation with other player controversies. Available reporting on the 2025 US Open did not document any Djokovic disqualification or removal from the tournament. The men’s final featured Sinner versus Alcaraz, which would have been impossible had Djokovic reached that stage and been removed prior.

Disqualification details

Djokovic was disqualified from the 2020 US Open for accidentally hitting a line judge with a ball during a match — an incident that occurred in New York but predated the 2025 edition by five years. No similar incident occurred in the 2025 tournament. The search interest in this query likely reflects residual attention from that 2020 event combined with ongoing curiosity about Djokovic’s tournament performance.

Impact on 2025 draw

Djokovic’s absence from the 2025 final meant the championship matchup represented a generational handoff of sorts, pitting defending champion Sinner against Alcaraz in what many analysts considered the future of men’s tennis rivalry. Djokovic’s results in the earlier rounds were not prominently documented in the sources covering the 2025 edition’s broadcast and injury landscape.

Summary

The 2025 US Open navigated a notably disrupted landscape, with high-profile withdrawals depleting both draws before the tournament reached its closing stages. The 15-day format gave organizers scheduling flexibility that served the broadcast windows well, and ESPN’s multi-platform coverage ensured viewers had access across all rounds. For fans planning to follow future editions, the lesson is clear: check the draw status in the week before play begins, not just the published schedule. The list of who’s playing often changed faster than the session times.