Days After the Australian Open’s Bold Step, US Open Follows Suit With a Historic Move for Tennis Fans

The 2025 Australian Open turned out to be a spectacular event, with top players enthralling the fans with scintillating performances. Over the course of two weeks, fans could hardly take their eyes off the event as the action heated up with each passing day. Eventually, it was Jannik Sinner and Madison Keys, who lifted the grand trophies. While there was much action on the court, this year’s Australian Open was also a unique addition to the tournament’s format. Days after its success, the US Open is also set to follow suit and replicate the Australian Open mode.

This year’s Australian Open began on Sunday, with the main draw action beginning on the weekend instead of the traditional start on Monday. This move was made keeping in consideration that a greater number of spectators might turn out on the first day of the tournament. Eventually, this move proved to be a masterstroke, with fans flocking to the stadium on the opening day of the event.

Going by the success of the Grand Slam Down Under, the US Open will also start on Sunday for the first time in the Open Era this year. Additionally, the first Sunday will have day and night sessions for reserved seats in both the main stadiums, Arthur Ashe Stadium and Louis Armstrong Stadium. With this, Wimbledon remains the only Grand Slam tournament to begin on Monday this year.

According to the new schedule, the US Open will now begin on Sunday, August 2,4 and end on September 7, making it a 15-day event. Additionally, the extra day is set to bring about 70,000 more fans to the event. Earlier, the tournament tried to bring in a Late Finishing Match Policy to mitigate the impact of late-night tennis on players. As a result, the Sunday start is the latest change that the US Open is implementing this time around.

Interestingly, the French Open was the first major tournament to have a Sunday start. The clay-court Grand Slam tournament began the unique Sunday start tradition back in 2006 to increase attendance at the event. But while the Sunday start has been popular among the fans, many players have expressed concerns regarding it. Even the likes of Maria Sharapova and Roger Federer have complained about it in the past.

When top players voiced their dissatisfaction over Sunday start

When the French Open began the 15-day tournament trend back in 2006, both Sharapova and Federer played on the opening Sunday. However, competing ahead of the traditional schedule meant that players had limited time to prepare for the tournament, especially given an already packed schedule. As a result, Sharapova expressed her displeasure over this move.

She said, “I asked if I could play later. The answer was, ‘You’re playing Sunday, fourth match.’ How did it make me feel? Well, it doesn’t make you feel great when you know that the French federation, all they’re thinking about is selling tickets, making money and about [French] players. I mean, can’t be too happy about that.”

Federer concurred: “I remember they sort of forced me to play on Sunday years back to promote their Sunday thing. I was against it just because I felt like the way they got the Sunday first was maybe, ‘oh, let’s try it out.’ Next thing you know like they have it for a lifetime or what? Is that how it works? So I didn’t agree with how things went along.” But the Swiss Maestro later conceded, “But I’m happy this time around. I told them if they wanted me to play Sunday, whatever, I’m fine with it.”

To make the event on Sunday popular, the tournament normally schedules the matches of top players on the opening day of the tournament – easing out the chaos of a roster-full Monday. Like every coin has two sides, this move also has its pros and cons as it is beneficial for the fans and tournament but not for the players.