U.S. Open tennis 2026 blog: Big ratings, Badosa's break, Honey Deuce on the go

The $100 chicken nuggets 'set' (with some caviar, too)

The extremely popular COQODAQ, the upscale Korean-style fried chicken restaurant led by restaurateur Simon Kim, is back at the U.S. Open for the third consecutive year.

The most eye-catching item (and price tag) on the menu? The Golden Set at $100. The set includes six chicken nuggets, 30 grams of Petrossian caviar, creme fraiche, chives and pickled radish.

A regular order of six-piece nuggets costs $28 at COQODAQ and comes with all three of its signature sauces: honey mustard, pepper parmesan and Gochujang barbecue.

Pictured below is the $22 chicken sandwich — with crispy chicken, soy garlic glaze, kewpie mayo and coleslaw on a brioche bun — and the $12 side of French fries.

It's raining, but they expect to resume play tonight

It’s raining again, but the good news is the weather forecast suggests the rain should end soon, and play that has been suspended on the uncovered courts will be able to resume after it does.

The expectation is that the first-round matches that have been suspended will be completed tonight, though that will require some matches that haven’t been started to potentially have to move to a different court.

The matches in Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong are continuing. American Ben Shelton is playing Pole Hubert Hurkacz in Ashe – that match is in the fourth set, with Shelton leading 2 sets to 1, and the match in Armstrong between Czechia’s Karolina Muchova and Great Britain’s Katie Boulter is just starting the second set, with Muchova having won the first set, 6-1.

Have Honey Deuce, will travel

Love the Honey Deuce? Wish you could get it after you leave the U.S. Open grounds? Well, now you can.

The airport hospitality group OTG is bringing the Honey Deuce, the now famous signature drink of the U.S. Open to JFK and LaGuardia airports this month, beginning Thursday, Sept. 3.

The Honey Deuce, the drink made with Grey Goose vodka, lemonade and raspberry liqueur, has captured the imagination of U.S. Open attendees. More than 800,000 of the drinks were sold at last year’s tournament. This year, hats, T-shirts and other merchandise with “Honey Deuce’’ on it have been among the hottest selling items at souvenir stores at the Open.

Paula Badosa's tough break

It was a long night for Paula Badosa.

The 28-year-old Spaniard, ranked No. 87 in the world, was on the verge of wrapping up her first-round match Tuesday against Australian Daria Kasatkina, ranked No. 61, on Court 17 when the match was suspended because of rain with Badosa leading, 6-1, 5-4, and the score at deuce.

Badosa had a chance to close it out just before play was halted. She served for the match at 40-30, but hit a forehand long and the match was tied, 40-40. With the rain coming down hard, and showing no signs of slowing down, play was stopped for the night.

So instead of having a day to rest, practice and prepare for a second-round match against Coco Gauff, she had to come back Wednesday to take care of business on Court 17 before she could begin focusing on the matchup with Gauff, who won her first-round match against Turkiye’s Zeynep Sonmez on Tuesday.

To make matters worse for Badosa, she couldn't even get on the court first on Wednesday. Her suspended match wasn’t scheduled to get underway until after the second-round match between Taylor Townsend and Taylah Preston was completed. Thankfully, Townsend wrapped that one up quickly, winning 6-1, 6-1.

So Badosa finally got on the court, and the pressure was on to win. If she ended up losing the point, then got her serve broken, then lost the set, she’d have to play a third set, and who knows what would happen then? She didn't though. Kasatkina made her work, however. The two women played 15 points, reaching deuce seven more times before Badosa held serve and won, 6-4, to book her ticket to the matchup with Gauff.

Big first-day ratings for ESPN

ESPN announced late Tuesday that their ratings for Sunday’s opening day of the U.S. Open were the largest opening day audience ever on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC.

The broadcasts on all three channels averaged 914,000 viewers, which represented a 13% year-over-year increase. ABC averaged 1.25 million viewers, which represented a 7% increase over 2025.

ESPN’s prime time broadcast of the Novak Djokovic-Mariano Navone match, which was won by Navone in a stunning upset, delivered an average of 958,000 viewers, which was 10% higher than 2025. The viewership in the match peaked at 1.3 million viewers between 9:45 and 10 p.m.

Can Gael Monfils match Jimmy Connors' 40th birthday present?

With 39-year-old Novak Djokovic already having exited the tournament, losing in a shocking first-round upset to Argentine Mariano Navone on Sunday, another seasoned veteran, Gael Monfils, celebrating his 40th birthday Tuesday, is set to play his first-round match at 7 p.m. against 22-year-old Adolfo Daniel Vallejo, of Paraguay, in Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Monfils, the Frenchman, is playing his 18th and final U.S. Open, after announcing his intention to retire at the end of the year. Should he win Tuesday, he’d become the oldest man to win a U.S. Open match since Jimmy Connors – on his 40th birthday – beat Brazilian Jaime Oncins in straight sets, 6-1, 6-2, 6-3, on Sept. 2, 1992.

Monfils, currently ranked No. 311 in the world, has never won a major – his best finishes were semifinals appearances in the 2008 French and 2016 U.S. Opens – but he has won 13 ATP titles and has 587 victories on the tour (and 359 losses). His highest ever ranking was No. 6 in November 2016.

Vallejo, whose career record as an ATP pro is 20-15 (13-11 in 2026), is ranked No. 60.

How to kill time during a U.S. Open rain delay while not spending a dime

On a rainy day with matches suspended on all courts except Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong stadiums, there are plenty of options for fans to kill time, most of which involve spending money, either eating or drinking, or buying souvenirs.

But one thing fans can do for a few minutes that won’t cost anything (besides the price of the ticket that got them onto the grounds) is check out the plaques of some of the great champions, the Court of Champions. They’re on the walls on either side of the main entrance, just as fans enter the grounds, and tell the stories some of the great names in U.S. Open history, from players like Don Budge, Bill Tilden, Althea Gibson, Steffi Graf, Pete Sampras, John McEnroe, Ivan Lendl, Arthur Ashe, Chris Evert and the player for whom the Tennis Center is named, Billie Jean King.

Andre Agassi, a two-time Open champion (1994 and 1999), and Graf’s husband, is up there as well, though on the opposite wall from Graf. And there are some blank spaces for current and future greats who will surely be memorialized at some point soon, such as Roger Federer, Serena Williams and others. Until they get there, fans can read about some of the long-ago stars, like Budge and Tilden, who played at a time when male players wore long pants.

Here comes the rain

The rain is coming down here on Tuesday as Day 3 of the U.S. Open gets underway in Flushing, and matches on the side courts aren’t starting at 11 a.m. as scheduled.

Here’s a look at Court 6, where a first-round women’s singles match between Gabriela Knutson of Czechia and Eva Lys of Germany was supposed to start at 11 a.m.

The court is wet, and there’s no sign of either player or the chair umpire.

For this young tennis player, life imitates art

In the 2021 film “King Richard,” Thea Frodin was the body double for actor Demi Singleton, who played the younger Serena Williams.

Now, the 17-year-old Frodin will play tennis on camera as herself on Wednesday when she faces Elena Rybakina.

“I’ve worked so hard to try and get to this level, and to have an opportunity like this is just really special for me,” Frodin said Monday in a phone interview.

Read more of Frodin's story here.

Famous faces in the crowd

The U.S. Open doesn't really start until the famous faces start showing up in the stands. So here you go, our annual photo album of celebrities at the U.S. Open. It'll update throughout the fortnight in Flushing.

Medvedev, the Mets and a tub of bubble gum

The secret to Daniil Medvedev’s first-round win over Hugo Gaston on Sunday? Chewing gum.

He said his mouth was too dry and water wasn’t helping, so the only solution was chewing gum. The camera on the broadcast showed 12 pieces of his chewed-up gum on a chair.

The seventh-seeded Medvedev said after the match that “I probably watch too much baseball,” a reference to baseball players’ consistent gum-chewing habits, and added that “I need to try to do like baseball guys. I need to change something.”

Well, the Mets caught on, sending him a care package filled with 300 pieces of Dubble Bubble in a container, a Mets hat and their Mr. Met at the Unisphere bobblehead that they gave away Sunday, according to a video posted to social media by the U.S. Open on Monday.

“300? This is enough for the whole tournament, even if I go all the way,” Medvedev said. “Perfect. It does seem too sweet, I have to say. I’ll try it.”

He noted he has enough gum for the next rounds, but if he doesn’t, he’ll turn to the Dubble Bubble.

These fans are not too thrilled about U.S. Open ticket prices

It’s obvious to many online ticket shoppers that fans are being priced out of the U.S. Open. And, as someone who has been attending the tournament for decades, Mike Kelly of Ocala, Florida, is questioning whether this trip will be his last.

“Look, this is the beginning session. These aren't really even good games,” Kelly said Monday. “Those ticket prices have to be much more expensive. It's cheaper to go – I could get a nice deal and go out to [the Indian Wells Open in California] for a whole vacation, or go down to the Miami Open for cheaper than it is coming up here. It’s disappointing. It went up a lot from last year."

Read more about U.S. Open ticket prices on the secondary market here.

731st-ranked player lands the upset win

Everyone loves a good underdog story. American Sebastian Gorzny provided just that Monday afternoon — in epic fashion.

Gorzny, 22, the No. 731 player in the world, upset World No. 38 and Belgian Raphael Collignon, 3-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (9), on Court 11 on Monday afternoon.

The 6-4 Gorzny, who was born in Fountain Valley, California, earned a wild card into the main draw after winning the USTA American Collegiate Player Wildcard Playoff in Orlando, Florida, in June. He was a senior on the Texas men’s tennis team this past school year.

He made his Grand Slam main draw debut on Monday. In 2022, he won the Wimbledon junior boys doubles title with Alex Michelsen.

The ace king of the Open midway through day 2

So, on Day 2 of the tournament, who’s leading the men’s bracket in aces so far? Rei Sakamoto, a 20-year-old from Japan, has 36, and he’s still playing (well, he’s not actually playing right now, as the match has been suspended in the fifth set, with Sakamoto leading Aleksandar Vukic of Australia, 4-3).

Sakamoto, a 6-4 righthander, is ranked 157th in the world (Vukic is 95th) and he’s the No. 3 men’s singles player in Japan. His 36 aces is 16 more than the second-place man, Vukic.

Sakamoto’s top speed serve of 137 miles per hour is tied for 10th-fastest so far (Thiago Agustin Tirante, of Argentina and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, of France, are tied for the fastest serve, at 145 mph). Carlos Alcaraz’ fastest serve so far (he’s currently playing his first-round match) is 128 mph. Novak Djokovic’s top serve in Sunday night’s upset loss to Argentine Mariano Novane clocked in at 127.

Vukic, by the way, has hit his fastest serve at 129 mph.

$38 for a French dip sammich

The hottest new food item at this year’s U.S. Open? The viral French dip sandwich from the West Village shop Salt Hank’s.

It costs $38 and includes dry-aged prime rib with provolone, caramelized onions and horseradish aioli served on a baguette. It comes with au jus and “matchstick fries.”

The location at the U.S. Open is all the way at the end of the long line of vendors in the food court. During the lunch rush, the line went so deep that one couldn’t even spot Salt Hank’s from the back of it.

But patience is a virtue.

We braved the daunting line and jumped at the back of it at 1:10 p.m. The order was placed at 1:31 and the sandwich already was ready and in hand immediately after.

The price of beer at the U.S. Open

Don't feel like having a $23 Honey Deuce or a $32 Moet Serve?

How about a beer?

Amid the craze for the U.S. Open specialty cocktails, fans still can buy beer, and the prices are similar to what they would be at other New York sporting venues.

A Heineken costs $16.50, and a domestic beer (such as Coors Light) costs $15.50.

Venus Williams sets a pair of U.S. Open records in first-round loss

Welcome to Day 2 of the U.S. Open. Well, it technically got underway while you probably were sleeping.

Sofia Kenin’s 6-2, 7-6 (6) win over Venus Williams at Arthur Ashe Stadium started at 12:13 a.m. Monday morning and ended at 2:01 a.m., setting records for the latest start to any match at the U.S. Open and the latest finish for a first-round match at the U.S. Open.

The match started six minutes later than the previous record holder for a latest start time -- the 2024 round of 32 match between Aryna Sabalenka and Ekaterina Alexandrova.

It was the third-latest ending for any women’s match in U.S. Open history.

The match between Kenin and Williams started extremely late due to Mariano Navone’s upset victory over Novak Djokovic taking 4 hours and 36 minutes to complete.

The $32 champagne in a 'tennis canister' drink

There's a new signature cocktail drink at the U.S. Open this year.

It's called the Moet Serve, and it features Moet Ice Imperial (which is the rare bubbly that is designed to be served over ice) served with three limes in a custom can inspired by a tennis ball canister.

More details on the Moet Serve here from Newsday's Anthony Rieber.

LI's Kennedy not done yet despite main draw loss

Jack Kennedy may be out of the men’s singles main draw at the U.S. Open, but his time at the tournament isn’t over just yet.

Kennedy confirmed Sunday that he will play junior boys singles and junior boys doubles for the third straight year. He won the doubles title last year in Flushing, and he’ll defend his title with partner Keaton Hance.

“That's how I'll end my junior career,” Kennedy said.

Main draw play for the U.S. Open junior boys tournaments will begin next Sunday, Sept. 6.

A rare doubleheader in Flushing

Doubleheader today!

First day of the main draw of the U.S. Open and the Mets hosting the Astros across the street. Other than Sept. 4-6, the Mets will be on the road for the rest of the tournament.

LI's Jack Kennedy falls in first round

Huntington’s Jack Kennedy was defeated by Lloyd Harris in the first round of the U.S. Open, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2.

Harris took the first set, 6-4, in what was a competitive match and a great environment for Kennedy. Kennedy had his moments in the second set, but Harris was too much as he won the set, 6-2, to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the match.

It was the second match of the day on Court 12 after Kamil Majchrzak and Hamad Medjedovic met at 11 a.m.

Harris, 29, is the No. 139 player in the world. He reached the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open in 2021, his best finish in a Grand Slam.

Kennedy, the No. 386 player in the world and a freshman at the University of Virginia, and Harris never have played each other.

Read more about the match here.

RedZone at the U.S. Open? What?

For the first time, ESPN is bringing NFL-style RedZone coverage to the first week of the U.S. Open.

From Sunday to Friday, subscribers to ESPN Unlimited via the ESPN App can watch RedZone coverage from 11 a.m to 6 p.m.

The service will give viewers access to matches taking place on all 16 courts just like NFL fans can get look-ins on all the games via NFL RedZone. ESPN will have a crew deciding which matches to feature in real time as the frenetic first-week action unfolds.

ESPN also holds the rights to NFL RedZone as part of its acquisition of NFL Network holdings earlier this year.

Serena and Venus back together again

For the first time in a Grand Slam since the 2022 US Open, the Williams sisters are back as a doubles duo.

Serena Williams and Venus Williams received a wild card into the US Open’s women’s doubles tournament, which will begin Thursday. The draw will be revealed Tuesday.

Read more about the Williams sisters in our 5 things to know about the U.S. Open here.

Sabalenka and preparing for U.S. Open's 'fashion week'

Fashion is always something to watch at the U.S. Open, whether it’s what the players are wearing on the court or what fans wear to be seen while watching players on the court.

As two-time defending Open champion and world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka gets ready for her first-round match on Monday, fans are just as interested in what she’s going to wear as how she’s going to fare against unseeded Camila Osorio at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Sabalenka already caused a stir last week with her outfit and post-match comments during last week’s mixed doubles match with Novak Djokovic.

Sabalenka wore a sheer jersey-style top over a bright orange sports bra and matching shorts in what appeared to be a cross between beachwear and tennis attire. The Belarusian said it was a nod to New York’s love of basketball.

“Surfing for the Australian Open, ballet for Roland Garros, cricket for Wimbledon,” she said. “Now it’s basketball and we’re in New York. Isn’t it the perfect fit?

“I love basically everything about my outfit. I love that it’s different. I love that this outfit is bold. Whatever people saying on (the) internet, I heard they probably didn’t like it … it’s funny for me . . . So who cares about people, right? All that matters for me is that I love it. For me, it’s super fun. Plus it’s really cool for pictures.”