For two weeks each summer, the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens becomes the focus of the tennis world as the US Open arrives. The 2025 edition gets underway with qualifying matches on Aug. 18, with the main draw beginning on Sunday. The tournament offers a number of intriguing storylines, from whether defending champion Aryna Sabalenka can repeat her success to how far can Jannik Sinner go after a Cincinnati final loss and a return to the main draw as a wild card. Also of note is a deep American contingent, led by last year’s runner-up Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe, who could join Madison Keys and Venus Williams in the quarterfinals. Rising talents Alex Michelsen, Learner Tien and Brandon Nakashima round out the American roster.
Those without tickets to matches inside Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong Stadium can find plenty of action on the outer courts, where the US Open’s first week of play runs through Saturday. The hotel at the center, the Kimpton Theta New York – Times Square, is offering a Grand Slam Getaway package that includes a hotel room, daily lunch for two at Il Bar and a bottle of Honey Deuce.
A classic first-round match pits an elite veteran against a young home hope. Shelton wants to take a step up from winning a Challenger event to a Grand Slam title, while Buse is making his main-draw debut and coming off a semifinal run at the qualifying tournament. This is one of the most compelling matches in the early rounds.