How to watch the US Open Tennis Grand Slam online or on TV for free

Novak Djokovic during the 2023 US Open quarter-finals.
(Image credit: Al Bello/Getty Images)

The final tennis Grand Slam of the year is currently underway, as the US Open tennis tournament began on Monday, August 26 and will run for two weeks of action.

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It's been a busier than usual year for tennis players and fans, with three previous Grand Slams as well as the 2024 Olympic games in Paris bringing lots of drama and a few high-profile retirements too. 

Most of the world's top tennis players (well, those who didn't retire) have descended upon New York's Billie Jean King National Tennis Center for two weeks of play. Already we're seeing some impressive sports including the longest-ever match in US Open history which was a Dan Evans vs Karen Khachanov one that went on for over five and a half hours.

As one of the big sporting events of the year, it's easy to watch the US Open from around the world, with plenty of different broadcasters covering the tennis to different degrees.

We'll help you find a way to watch the US Open tennis from wherever you are.

How to watch the US Open Tennis in the US

The best way to watch the US Open is by signing up for ESPN Plus. ESPN's streaming service is set to host live streams of every match across all the courts, so it'll let you watch as much of the action as possible.

ESPN Plus currently costs $10.99 per month (soon to increase in October), though many choose to subscribe via the Disney Bundle which combines it with Disney Plus and Hulu for a reduced price.

If you don't want to sign up for a streaming service in order to watch the US Open, then there are two cable channels that will show coverage from the event: ESPN2 and ESPNEWS will provide "daily live TV coverage" according to the US Open website.

If your cable plan doesn't include ESPN2 and ESPNEWS. then a few live TV streaming services offer them: DirecTV Stream, Sling Orange and Fubo have both while YouTube TV has ESPN2 and Hulu with Live TV has ESPNNEWs.

How to watch the US Open Tennis in the UK

In the UK, there's only one way to watch the US Open, and it'll cost you.

This is via Sky Sports, which holds the broadcasting rights to the tennis event, so you'll be able to watch coverage via its online platform or its premium live TV channels.

Sky Sports is one of the priciest subscription services in the UK, costing between £40-£50 per month depending on your contract term and whether you can find a Sky TV deal to reduce the cost somewhat. This is because it's an add-on to Sky TV which is quite expensive in its own right.

How to watch the US Open Tennis in Australia

If you live in Australia, there are two ways to watch the US Open tennis, and there's one we'd recommend.

This one is 9Now because this streaming service is free to use; 9Now's exact coverage has yet to be confirmed but for Aussies who don't want to pay to watch the tennis it's a great option.

Some coverage is also expected to air on Stan Sports, as it hosts streams of every Grand Slam tennis championship. However with Stan Sports costing at least $27 per month (it's $15 monthly, on top of a Stan subscription which starts at $12 but goes up for more features), this won't be a cheap way to watch.

How to watch the US Open Tennis in New Zealand

In New Zealand, there's one way to watch the US Open; thankfully it's free so you can enjoy the tennis with no committment.

This is TVNZ+, which one again takes the broadcast rights like in previous years. This streaming service will host streams of the various games and also host highlights.

How to watch the US Open Tennis everywhere else

If you're going to be away from your normal TV setup but still want to watch the US Open you might run into some problems. Thankfully, you can solve this exact issue with a Virtual Private Network (VPN). 

A VPN lets you change your IP address to that of the area of what you want to watch, meaning you can tune in to your favorite sports, shows or other content even if you're not there. Our favorite is NordVPN, which is the No. 1-rated VPN in the world right now according to our sister site, TechRadar.

How to use a VPN to watch any stream

  • Download the app at NordVPN
  • Choose the location of the streaming service you want to watch (UK, US, etc)
  • Navigate to the streaming service and start watching!
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NordVPN is one of the simplest and most affordable ways to watch what you want, from wherever you want to watch it.

It's straightforward and easy to use, has great security, is available on loads of streaming devices and, best of all, it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it out 100% risk-free. Give it a go.

All you need to know about the US Open tennis tournament

Where does the US Open take place?

The US Open takes place in New York City's Queens borough, at the Billie Jean King Natinoal Tennis Center.

This hardcourt tennis center is the regular host of the US Open.

Tom Bedford
Streaming and Ecommerce Writer

Tom is the streaming and ecommerce writer at What to Watch, covering streaming services in the US and UK. His goal is to help you navigate the busy and confusing online video market, to help you find the TV, movies and sports that you're looking for without having to spend too much money.