Serena, Nadal in Ashe Twinbill; Azarenka, Del Potro in Armstrong’s First Night Session
· Day One on ESPN+: Muguruza, Raonic, Anderson and Americans Harrison, Muhammad, Querrey & Sock
· Opening Night Performance by Kelly Clarkson
· Monday Afternoon: Venus-Kuznetsova, Wawrinka-Dimitrov, Matches with Halep, Isner, Murray & Stephens
· ESPN: First Ball to Last Ball, Exclusive Daily Live Action
· 130+ Hours on TV plus 1,300 on ESPN+ / ESPN3 on the ESPN App
The 50th Anniversary US Open will double your evening pleasure starting Monday, Aug. 27, with the first-ever scheduled night session doubleheaders on the new Louis Armstrong Stadium alongside the matches on Arthur Ashe Stadium on ESPN2 at 7 p.m. ET. The Ashe twinibill has six-time champion #17 Serena Williams who is seeking a record-tying 24th Major title vs. Magda Linette followed by defending champion and top seed Rafael Nadal who will begin his quest for an 18th Major victory vs. fellow Spaniard David Ferrer. At the same time, two-time finalist Victoria Azarenka faces Viktoria Kuzmova on Armstrong before 2009 champ Juan Martin del Potro squares off with American Donald Young as the top half of each draw open the tournament.
ESPN2’s live coverage of the opening Monday night will include a performance from Arthur Ashe Stadium by Kelly Clarkson. The opening night 50th Anniversary festivities will be co-hosted by Billie Jean King and Mike Greenberg, co-host of ESPN’s weekday morning Get Up.
A number of big names will play earlier in the day on ESPN+, the new direct-to-consumer video service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Starting at 11 a.m., key players in action include #25 Milos Raonic, #12 Garbine Muguruza, last year’s finalist #5 Kevin Anderson vs. Ryan Harrison of the U.S., plus Americans #18 Jack Sock, Sam Querrey and Asia Muhammad.
ESPN has exclusive live action to the US Open beginning Monday, Aug. 27, with 130 hours on television and 1,300 more streaming live on the ESPN app via ESPN+ and ESPN3. The daily action from the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center will culminate with the Women’s Championship on Saturday, Sept. 8, and the Men’s Championship on Sunday, Sept. 9, both at 4 p.m. ET.
Day One Matchups on Ashe and Armstrong
Arthur Ashe Stadium – Noon
- Former winner Stan Wawrinka vs. #8 Grigor Dimitrov
- Battle of former champions, #16 Venus Williams vs. Svetlana Kuznetsova
Louis Armstrong Stadium – Noon
- Top seeded Simona Halep vs. Kaia Kanepi
- 2012 winner Andy Murray vs. James Duckworth
- Defending champion #3 Sloane Stephens vs. Evgeniya Rodina
Arthur Ashe Stadium – 7 p.m.
- Opening Ceremony
- #17 Serena Williams vs. Magda Linette
- #1 Rafael Nadal vs. David Ferrer
Louis Armstrong Stadium – 7 p.m.
- Victoria Azarenka vs. Viktoria Kuzmova
- #3 Juan Martin del Potro vs. American Donald Young, who made the draw via qualifying
Looking ahead to Tuesday’s play when the bottom halves of each draw take the court:
- The Ashe evening doubleheader will see five-time US Open champion #2 Roger Federer, owner of 20 Major titles, play Yoshihito Nishioka, followed by American #14 Madison Keys against Pauline Parmentier.
- The Armstrong night session starts with #30 Nick Kyrgios vs. Radu Albot then 2006 champion Maria Sharapova vs. Patti Schynder, who at 39 made the draw via qualifying.
Daytime matches include:
- #6 Novak Djokovic, who counts two US Open trophies and last month’s Wimbledon among his 13 Major titles vs. Marton Fucsovics
- #2 Caroline Wozniacki vs. 2011 winner Samantha Stosur
- 2016 winner Angelique Kerber, the #4 seed fresh off a Wimbledon title, vs Margarita Gasparyan
- #4 Sascha Zverev vs. Peter Polansky
Tuesday on ESPN+ is highlighted by:
- Two matchups of Americans – Taylor Townsend vs. 16-year old Amanda Anisimova and Christina McHale vs. Francesca DiLorenzo
- #5 Petra Kvitova vs. Yanina Wickmayer
- American #24 CoCo Vandeweghe, a semifinalist a year ago, vs. Kirsten Flipkens
- American Daniela Collins vs. #26 Aryna Sabalenka
- American Michael Mmoh vs. #14 Fabio Fognini
- #21 Kei Nishikori, a finalist in New York in 2014, vs. Maxmillian Marterer
ESPN / US Open Quick Links
- Complete preview of ESPN at the US Open: https://es.pn/2MI5BeP
- Media Conference Call with John and Patrick McEnroe: https://es.pn/2BJEdIT
- Media Conference Call with Brad Gilbert and Chrissie Evert: : https://es.pn/2Ms9LrR
ESPN & the 2018 US Open – Upcoming Schedule
| Date | Time (ET) | Event | Network(s) |
| Aug 27 – Sep 5 | 11 a.m. | US Open – up to 16 courts | ESPN+
ESPN3 |
| Mon Aug 27 | 12 p.m. | US Open First Round | ESPN |
| 6 p.m. | US Open First Round | ESPN2 | |
| 7 p.m. | Primetime at the US Open presented by IBM – First Round | ESPN2 | |
| Tue Aug 28 | 12 p.m. | US Open First Round | ESPN |
| 7 p.m. | Primetime at the US Open presented by IBM – First Round | ESPN |
-30-
-
-
-
-
-
