The US Open enters its opening stretch this week, and Sunday brings a notable first: mixed doubles competition kicks off at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, New York, featuring Serena Williams alongside Carlos Alcaraz. The pairing headlines a day that also includes top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic, while qualifying rounds for the men's and women's singles draws continue in parallel. Running from August 23 through September 13, the event remains the second-oldest Grand Slam, first held in 1881, trailing only Wimbledon in longevity.
For those without a cable subscription, ESPN holds exclusive broadcast rights to the tournament, mirroring its arrangement with Wimbledon. Viewers will need a streaming service that carries Disney's sports programming, and several options exist depending on budget and viewing habits. DirecTV's base package starts at $59.99 for the first month and includes ESPN Unlimited, while the standalone ESPN Unlimited service runs $29.99 monthly for live and archived programming. Fubo offers ESPN through its Sports plan at $55.99 per month, Sling's Essentials tier includes the channel for $19.99, and YouTube TV bundles it into a $64.99 Sports Plan. Streaming quality can vary depending on network conditions, and viewers occasionally ask whether does a vpn slow down internet speeds enough to affect live viewing - a fair question, since encryption and server routing do add some overhead, though a well-optimized connection typically keeps the difference negligible for most streaming purposes.
Why a VPN Matters for International Viewers
Geographic licensing restrictions mean broadcast rights differ by country, which is where a virtual private network becomes relevant. A VPN routes internet traffic through a server in another location, masking the user's actual origin and allowing access to content licensed for that region, such as Australia's 9Now coverage of the tournament. ExpressVPN is frequently recommended for this purpose given its broad server network, which makes location spoofing more reliable across different countries. The process is straightforward: subscribe to a streaming-capable VPN, install the application on the device you plan to use, connect to a server in the target country, then visit the relevant streaming platform.
It's worth understanding the trade-offs involved. VPNs encrypt data in transit, which protects privacy on public networks and prevents internet service providers from monitoring browsing activity, but that encryption process does introduce a small amount of latency. For live sports viewing, this is rarely noticeable on a stable connection, though users on slower broadband may want to test server options before committing to a long viewing session. Free VPN services often carry greater risk, since many monetize user data or offer weaker encryption standards, making a reputable paid provider the safer choice for anyone streaming or handling sensitive information.
A Deep Field Across Every Draw
This year's tournament draws seventeen former Grand Slam singles champions, ten of them past US Open winners. The men's singles field includes Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz, and Novak Djokovic occupying top rankings, while Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, and American Jessica Pegula lead the women's competition. Mixed doubles pairings extend beyond the Williams-Alcaraz collaboration, with Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud, Jessica Pegula and Jack Draper, and Taylor Townsend and Alexander Zverev among the notable entries. Venus Williams will also compete, partnered with Alexander Bublik.
The United States fields 28 competitors in the main draw, more than any other nation, with Coco Gauff, Amanda Anisimova, Ben Shelton, and Taylor Fritz among the standouts. Outside the official draw, five-time champion Roger Federer will appear in an exhibition on August 25 alongside Andy Roddick, Andre Agassi, and John McEnroe, while a group of rising competitors including João Fonseca, Alexandra Eala, and Learner Tien will feature in separate exhibition matches on August 27.
