US Open Day 1 schedule: Veterans Novak Djokovic and Venus Williams kick off campaigns
Novak Djokovic begins another attempt at history while home favorite Jessica Pegula gets another chance to chase her first Grand Slam title as the US Open gets underway on Sunday.
Djokovic, the fifth seed, opens his campaign against Argentina’s Mariano Navone at the Arthur Ashe Stadium as he continues his quest for a record 25th major title.
The 39-year-old has come close to winning his 24th Grand Slam at the 2023 US Open, reaching two major finals and six semi-finals. He reached the Australian Open final and Wimbledon semi-finals earlier this year, but an elusive 25th title remains out of reach.
However, Djokovic has no plans to leave.
“I know a lot of people have been telling me to retire for many years,” he said in a document released earlier this month.
“Why would you want me to retire when I’m still playing and competing at the highest level? I’m still in the top 5, top 10 in the world. Why would I talk about retirement when I’m proving to myself that I can still win?”
Two-time champion Venus Williams will enter the 26th US Open in the main draw when she takes on American Sofia Kenin. Williams, 45, remains one of the biggest names in the tournament and will be looking to make a strong start to his comeback at Flushing Meadows. Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open champion, stands in her way in the All-American clash in the first round.
Pegula, meanwhile, begins her 10th US Open main draw against Romanian Elena-Gabriela Ruse.
The 32-year-old player came closest to winning a Grand Slam on home soil when she reached the final of the US Open in 2024, where she lost to Aryna Sabalenkova. Sabalenka ended her run again in the semi-finals last year.
Pegula reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open and the quarter-finals of Wimbledon this year, and also reached the finals in Washington and Cincinnati before coming to New York.
Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk starts against Australia’s Storm Hunter, looking to build on her breakout season. The 24-year-old reached the semi-finals at Roland Garros and Wimbledon and enters the US Open with a career-high number 11.
“I want to cherish this moment. I want to appreciate how far we’ve all come, me and my team,” Kostyuk said after Wimbledon.
The campaigns of defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, Aryna Sabalenkova and Alexander Zverev will begin later in the tournament.
SCHEDULE OF PLAY ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 30
Arthur Ashe Stadium
From 9:30 PM IST
- Jessica Pegula vs Elena Ruse
- Daniil Medvedev vs Hugo Gaston
- TBD vs TBD
4:30 IST (Monday)
- Mariano Navone vs Novak Djokovic
- Venus Williams vs Sofia Kenin
Louis Armstrong Stadium
From 8:30 PM IST
- Jasmine Paolini vs Veronika Erjavec
- Coleman Wong vs Tommy Paul
- TBD vs TBD
4:30 IST (Monday)
- Elina Svitolina vs Solana Sierra
- Alexander Bublik vs JJ Wolf
tribune
From 8:30 PM IST
- Ji Leheka vs Pablo Carreo Busta
- Marta Kostyuk vs Storm Hunter
- Miomir Kecmanov vs Denis Shapovalov
2:30 IST (Monday)
Emma Navarro vs Los Boisson
Stadium 17
From 8:30 PM IST
- Kamilla Rakhimova vs Barbora Krejkov
- Shuai Zhang vs Leylah Fernandez
- Joo Faria vs Jenson Brooksby
2:30 IST (Monday)
- Alex Michelsen vs Federico China
– The end
Issued by:
Akshay Ramesh
Published on:
30 Aug 2026 11:18 IST