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U.S. Open Announces Major Change For 2025 Tennis Tournament

Originally posted on The Spun | By Kameron Duncan | Last updated Jan 29, 2025 9:38 PM ET

Every August, the tennis world gathers in New York City for the final Grand Slam event of the year, the US Open. The world's best players take over the National Tennis Center in Flushing, Queens as they look to win one of the most prestigious events on the planet.

Fans who are looking to attend this year's tournament were greeted with a surprising announcement from the United States Tennis Association, who made a big change to this year's schedule.

According to an email sent to fans looking for ticket info, this year's US Open will run from August 24 through September 7. That means the tournament will start on a Sunday for the first time in the Open Era, which began back in 1968.

The additional day of tennis will put the US Open on the same schedule as the most recent Grand Slam event, the Australian Open. The French Open also made the shift to Monday to Sunday back in 2006, and has remained as a 15-day event ever since.

Some players were critical of the change, including former WTA star and career Slam winner Maria Sharapova.

“I asked if I could play later. The answer was, ‘You’re playing Sunday, fourth match,’” Sharapova said back in 2006 when the change was first made at Roland Garros.

“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,” she added. “I mean, can’t be too happy about that.”

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 26: Coco Gauff of the United States celebrates match point against Varvara Gracheva of France during their Women's Singles First Round match on Day One of the 2024 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 26, 2024 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)Al Bello/Getty Images

The first round will now extend to three days instead of the usual two, but the USTA says that “[n]o further adjustments to the singles main draw schedule after the first round are planned.”

Wimbledon is now the lone Grand Slam event to begin on a Monday, and the only one to play a 14-day schedule. The tournament is held at the All England Club in London, and is the only of the four Grand Slams to be played on grass.

Jannik Sinner won last year's US Open on the men's side, while Aryna Sabalenka won the women's tournament. Sinner just won the Australian Open last week, while Sabalenka finished as the runner-up to American Madison Keys.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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