Spanish tennis players led by Carlos Alcaraz have begun their campaigns at the US Open 2026 in New York following the start of main draw play.
The annual tournament at Flushing Meadows in Queens represents the fourth and final Grand Slam event of the season, boasting extensive ranking points and prize money that attract top competitors from around the globe.
Early first-round action delivered a mixture of progress and disappointment for Spain's delegation on the hard courts. Dani Mérida earned a victory over Hungary's Marton Fucsovics to advance to the second round scheduled for Wednesday, September 2.
Jaume Munar joined Mérida in the second round after mounting a comeback to defeat France's Terence Atmane, setting up his next fixture for September 2. However, Pablo Carreño was eliminated in the opening round, while Martín Landaluce saw his match suspended due to rain and awaits confirmation on when play will resume.
The tournament also witnessed major international drama when Serbian star Novak Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam singles champion, was overcome with emotion after losing in the first round against Navone.
First Round Matches on Monday
The schedule for Monday, August 31, features three Spanish players competing across various courts in New York. Cristina Bucșa opens the day's schedule for Spain in a first-shift match against Sara Bejlek starting at 17:00 CEST.
Oksana Selekhmeteva takes to the court in the second shift at approximately 18:10 CEST against Japan's Aoi Ito. Headline star Carlos Alcaraz, the former world number one from Murcia, faces Roman Safiullin in a match scheduled not before 18:40 or 19:30 CEST.
Tuesday Schedule for Spanish Contenders
Tuesday, September 1, brings four more Spanish players into action as the first round concludes. Paula Badosa, one of Spain's leading women's players, starts her campaign against Daria Kasátkina during the second shift beginning from 18:10 CEST.
Jessica Bouzas faces Darja Vidmanova from 18:40 CEST, while Carlos Taberner takes on Belgium's Zizou Bergs from 18:10 CEST. Young prospect Rafa Jódar completes Tuesday's slate against Australia's Thanasi Kokkinakis from 19:20 CEST.
Tournament organizers emphasized that start times for second and third shift matches are strictly estimates. Actual appearance times depend on the precise duration of earlier matches held on each individual court.
How to Watch in Spain and Overseas
Tennis supporters in Spain can follow live coverage of the US Open via subscription platform Movistar Plus, owned by telecommunications company Telefónica. The network offers full tournament broadcasting from August 25 through September 13 across several dedicated channels.
Coverage is split between the main Movistar Plus channel, Vamos por M+, and Deportes por M+, which features 24-hour continuous programming focused on center court matches.
International viewers can access broadcasts through local rightsholders, including ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC in the United States, and Sky Sports in the United Kingdom. Viewers outside Spain can also use virtual private network services like NordVPN to access free-to-air coverage from Australia's Nine Network on 9Now, with NordVPN rates listed between 3.49 and 11.59 euros depending on promotion terms.
What Comes Next
With the opening round concluding on Tuesday, victorious players including Mérida and Munar will return to the court on Wednesday, September 2, for their second-round encounters as the tournament progresses toward its final weekend on September 13.
