​Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz are the defending champions in the singles draws [Getty Images]The US Open began on Sunday – and there is comprehensive coverage of the final Grand Slam of the year across the BBC.The world’s top players will gather in New York where, in addition to one of the sport’s major prizes, record prize money is on line.From the return of entertainer Carlos Alcaraz in the men’s singles to an eagerly anticipated doubles reunion for Serena and Venus Williams, here is all you need to know.When is the US Open 2026?The US Open main draw begins on Sunday, 30 August.The 15-day hard court tournament concludes with the men’s singles final on Sunday, 13 September, with the women’s a day before.The mixed doubles competition, which became a standalone two-day competition in 2025, took place earlier in the week.Czech pair Jakub Mensik and Karolina Muchova walked away with the title and $1m in prize money.Muchova & Mensik win US Open mixed doubles titleAlcaraz and Williams thrill in US Open mixed doublesWho won the US Open in 2025?Spain’s Alcaraz defeated Italian rival Jannik Sinner 6-2 3-6 6-1 6-4 to win the US Open men’s singles title last year.The women’s singles title was won by Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, who beat American Amanda Anisimova 6-3 7-6 (7-3).The men’s doubles competition was won by Spain’s Marcel Granollers and Argentine Horacio Zeballos, while Canada’s Gabriela Dabrowski and New Zealand’s Erin Routliffe won the women’s event.Japan’s Tokito Oda and Yui Kamiji won the men’s and women’s wheelchair singles titles respectively, while Dutchman Niels Vink took the men’s quad wheelchair title.How to follow on the BBCThe BBC Sport website will bring you live text commentaries, reports, features and analysis across the fortnight.BBC Radio 5 Live Sport will provide daily commentaries live from the Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York across BBC Sounds.Tennis correspondent Russell Fuller will be joined by fellow commentators Katie Smith, Abigail Johnson and David Law, plus summarisers Annabel Croft, Pat Cash, Daniela Hantuchova, Mark Woodforde and Leon Smith.There will also be podcasts recapping the biggest stories from of the tournament – just search ‘tennis’ on BBC Sounds to find it.No Raducanu or Draper – which British players are taking part?Arthur Fery will be making his US Open main-draw debut [Getty Images]Two of Britain’s big hopes in the singles competitions – Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper – have announced they will not compete at the US Open.Former US Open winner Raducanu is continuing her recovery from a stress fracture. The 23-year-old sustained the injury during the grass-court season and was forced to make a late decision to pull out of Wimbledon.Meanwhile, Draper, a semi-finalist in 2024, has withdrawn because of the long-term arm injury that has stalled his progress.The 24-year-old former British number one was ranked inside the world’s top five when he suffered bone bruising in his left serving arm and has played