Day 1 schedule: Veterans Novak Djokovic, Venus Williams begin campaigns

US Open 2026: Veterans Novak Djokovic and Venus Williams will begin their campaigns on Sunday at Arthur Ashe. Djokovic, chasing an elusive 25th Grand Slam title, will take on Mariano Navone, 25, of Argentina in the evening session.Novak Djokovic will begin his US Open 2026 campaign on Sunday (AP Photo)Novak Djokovic begins another attempt at history while home favourite Jessica Pegula gets another chance to chase her maiden Grand Slam title as the US Open gets under way on Sunday.Djokovic, the fifth seed, opens his campaign against Argentina’s Mariano Navone on Arthur Ashe Stadium as he continues his pursuit of a record 25th major title.The 39-year-old has come close since winning his 24th Grand Slam at the US Open in 2023, reaching two major finals and six semi-finals. He reached the Australian Open final earlier this year and the Wimbledon semi-finals, but the elusive 25th title remains out of reach.Djokovic, though, has no plans to step away. “I know a lot of people are retiring me already, for many years,” he said in a documentary released earlier this month.“Why would you want me to retire when I am still playing and competing at the highest level? I’m still top-five, top-10 in the world. Why would I talk about retirement when I am proving to myself that I can still win?” Two-time champion Venus Williams will make her 26th US Open main-draw appearance when she faces fellow American Sofia Kenin. Williams, 45, remains one of the most recognisable names in the tournament and will be looking to mark another appearance at Flushing Meadows with a strong start. Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open champion, stands in her way in an all-American first-round clash.Pegula, meanwhile, starts her 10th US Open main draw against Romania’s Elena-Gabriela Ruse.The 32-year-old came closest to winning a Grand Slam on home soil when she reached the 2024 US Open final, where she lost to Aryna Sabalenka. Sabalenka ended her run again in the semi-finals last year.Pegula has reached the Australian Open semi-finals and Wimbledon quarter-finals this year, while also making the finals in Washington and Cincinnati before arriving in New York.Elsewhere, Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk begins against Australia’s Storm Hunter as she looks to build on a breakthrough season. The 24-year-old reached the semi-finals at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon and enters the US Open at a career-high No. 11.“I want to cherish this moment. I want to appreciate how far we've all come, me and my team,” Kostyuk said after Wimbledon.The campaigns of defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, Aryna Sabalenka and Alexander Zverev will begin later in the tournament.ORDER OF PLAY ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 30Arthur Ashe StadiumFrom 9:30 PM ISTJessica Pegula vs Elena RuseDaniil Medvedev vs Hugo GastonTBD vs TBD4:30 AM IST (Monday)Mariano Navone vs Novak DjokovicVenus Williams vs Sofia KeninLouis Armstrong StadiumFrom 8:30 PM ISTJasmine Paolini vs Veronika ErjavecColeman Wong vs Tommy PaulTBD vs TBD4:30 AM IST (Monday)Elina Svitolina vs Solana SierraAlexander Bublik vs J.J. WolfGrandstandFrom 8:30 PM ISTJi Leheka vs Pablo Carreo BustaMarta Kostyuk vs Storm HunterMiomir Kecmanovi vs Denis Shapovalov2:30 AM IST (Monday)Emma Navarro vs Los BoissonStadium 17From 8:30 PM ISTKamilla Rakhimova vs Barbora KrejkovShuai Zhang vs Leylah FernandezJoo Faria vs Jenson Brooksby2:30 AM IST (Monday)Alex Michelsen vs Federico Cina- EndsPublished By: Akshay RameshPublished On: Aug 30, 2026 11:18 IST