Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka, the reigning singles champions, open their US Open 2026 title defences on Day 2 at Flushing Meadows, New York, with both scheduled on Arthur Ashe Stadium starting 9:00 PM IST on 31 August. The second day of play arrives on the heels of a seismic Day 1 upset: 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic was knocked out in the first round by Mariano Navone in five sets, reportedly while battling physical issues.

Alcaraz and Sabalenka Lead the Headline Matches

Carlos Alcaraz, seeded 2nd, returns to competitive action after a prolonged wrist injury lay-off. The Spaniard faces Roman Safiullin in his opening round clash on Ashe. Aryna Sabalenka, the top seed in the women's draw, takes on Camila Osorio of Colombia in the first match of the evening session. Both encounters carry the weight of defending champions stepping onto the grandest court in New York for the first time this fortnight.

Other Star Players in Action

Grand Slam champions Naomi Osaka and Iga Swiatek are scheduled at Louis Armstrong Stadium, with Osaka facing Anastasia Zakharova and Swiatek taking on Xiyu Wang of China. Veteran Stan Wawrinka meets Matteo Berrettini on the Grandstand. American contenders Ben Shelton (seeded 8th) and Frances Tiafoe (seeded 11th) also begin their campaigns, as does Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, seeded 3rd, who faces Rinky Hijikata of Australia. Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece squares off against Arthur Fils of France on Armstrong.

Notable Withdrawals and Seeded Contenders

A scheduled first-round match between Marin Cilic and Andrey Rublev has been disrupted after Cilic withdrew due to injury. Rublev now faces Otto Virtanen of Finland on Court 7. Last year's runner-up Amanda Anisimova (seeded 10th) begins her campaign against Ashlyn Krueger on Louis Armstrong Stadium, while Karolina Muchova, seeded 7th, plays Sinja Kraus on the Grandstand.

Full Day 2 Schedule (IST)

Arthur Ashe Stadium (Starts 9:00 PM IST)
Women's Singles: Aryna Sabalenka [1] vs. Camila Osorio (COL)
Men's Singles: Roman Safiullin vs. Carlos Alcaraz [2] (ESP)
Next session (Starts 4:30 AM IST, 1 Sep):
Men's Singles: Ben Shelton [8] (USA) vs. Tallon Griekspoor (NED)
Women's Singles: Naomi Osaka [13] (JPN) vs. Anastasia Zakharova

Louis Armstrong Stadium (Starts 8:30 PM IST)
Men's Singles: Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) vs. Arthur Fils [10] (FRA)
Women's Singles: Ashlyn Krueger (USA) vs. Amanda Anisimova [10] (USA)
Next session (Starts 4:30 AM IST, 1 Sep):
Women's Singles: Iga Swiatek [8] (POL) vs. Xiyu Wang (CHN)
Men's Singles: Martin Damm (USA) vs. Frances Tiafoe [11] (USA)

Grandstand (Starts 8:30 PM IST)
Women's Singles: Sinja Kraus (AUT) vs. Karolina Muchova [7] (CZE)
Women's Singles (Not before 10:00 PM IST): Emma Navarro [26] (USA) vs. Lois Boisson (FRA)
Women's Singles: Maja Chwalinska [20] (POL) vs. Taylor Townsend (USA)
Men's Singles: Matteo Berrettini (ITA) vs. Stan Wawrinka (SUI)
Men's Singles (Not before 2:30 AM IST, 1 Sep): Felix Auger-Aliassime [3] (CAN) vs. Rinky Hijikata (AUS)

Stadium 17 (Starts 8:30 PM IST)
Women's Singles: Qinwen Zheng (CHN) vs. Kristina Liutova
Men's Singles (Not before 10:00 PM IST): Alex Michelsen (USA) vs. Federico Cina (ITA)
Men's Singles: Brandon Nakashima [16] (USA) vs. Sebastian Baez (ARG)
Women's Singles (Not before 11:30 PM IST): Sloane Stephens (USA) vs. Clara Tauson (DEN)
Men's Singles (Not before 2:00 AM IST, 1 Sep): Nuno Borges (POR) vs. Learner Tien [14] (USA)

Court 5 (Starts 8:30 PM IST)
Sara Bejlek [28] (CZE) vs. Cristina Bucsa (ESP)
Not before 10:00 PM IST: Anna Blinkova vs. Anna Kalinskaya [21]; Luciano Darderi [21] (ITA) vs. Harry Wendelken (GBR); Jakub Mensik [17] (CZE) vs. Shintaro Mochizuki (JPN)

Court 6 (Starts 8:30 PM IST)
Mananchaya Sawangkaew (THA) vs. Panna Udvardy (HUN)
Not before 10:00 PM IST: Thiago Agustin Tirante (ARG) vs. Adrian Mannarino (FRA); Aleksandar Vukic (AUS) vs. Rei Sakamoto (JPN); Yannick Hanfmann (GER) vs. Alejandro Tabilo [25] (CHI); Elisabetta Cocciaretto (ITA) vs. Katerina Siniakova (CZE)

Court 7 (Starts 8:30 PM IST)
Otto Virtanen (FIN) vs. Andrey Rublev [23]
Not before 10:00 PM IST: Jurij Rodionov (AUT) vs. Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard (FRA); Daria Snigur (UKR) vs. Diana Shnaider [15]; Alexander Blockx [28] (BEL) vs. Tomas Barrios Vera (CHI)

Court 9 (Starts 10:30 PM IST)
Tamara Zidansek (SLO) vs. Maria Timofeeva (UZB)
Not before 12:30 AM IST, 1 Sep: Viktorija Golubic (SUI) vs. Diane Parry (FRA)
Not before 2:30 AM IST, 1 Sep: Maya Joint (AUS) vs. Liudmila Samsonova

Court 10 (Starts 8:30 PM IST)
Elsa Jacquemot (FRA) vs. Marie Bouzkova [25] (CZE)
Not before 10:30 PM IST: Matteo Arnaldi [30] (ITA) vs. James Duckworth (AUS); Julia Grabher (AUT) vs. Sorana Cirstea [16] (ROU)

Court 11 (Starts 8:30 PM IST)
Valentin Vacherot [22] (MON) vs. Aleksandar Kovacevic (USA)
Not before 10:00 PM IST: Sebastian Gorzny (USA) vs. Raphael Collignon (BEL); Anouk Koevermans (NED) vs. Caty McNally (USA)
Not before 12:00 AM IST, 1 Sep: Katie Volynets (USA) vs. Linda Noskova [6] (CZE); Roman Andres Burruchaga (ARG) vs. Karen Khachanov

Court 12 (Starts 8:30 PM IST)
Harriet Dart (GBR) vs. Peyton Stearns (USA)
Not before 10:00 PM IST: Martin Landaluce (ESP) vs. Jacob Fearnley (GBR); Damir Dzumhur (BIH) vs. Hubert Hurkacz (POL)
Not before 11:30 PM IST: Ann Li [29] (USA) vs. Antonia Ruzic (CRO); Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) vs. Alexei Popyrin (AUS)

Court 13 (Starts 8:30 PM IST)
Lilli Tagger (AUT) vs. Tamara Korpatsch (GER)
Not before 10:00 PM IST: Kimberly Birrell (AUS) vs. Petra Marcinko (CRO); Nadia Podoroska (ARG) vs. Simona Waltert (SUI); Juncheng Shang (CHN) vs. Marco Trungelliti (ARG); Quentin Halys (FRA) vs. Facundo Diaz Acosta (ARG)

Court 15 (Starts 8:30 PM IST)
Anhelina Kalinina (UKR) vs. Himeno Sakatsume (JPN); Aoi Ito (JPN) vs. Oksana Selekhmeteva (ESP); Dalibor Svrcina (CZE) vs. Valentin Royer (FRA)

With Djokovic already out and the defending champions yet to fire their opening shots, Day 2 sets the tone for what promises to be an unpredictable fortnight at Flushing Meadows.