Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev, Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula are set to join defending US Open champions Carlos Alcaraz and Ija Switek for two weeks of tennis in New York, and you can catch all the action this year without having to get on cable. .
The 2023 edition of the US Open Tennis Championships will kick off on Monday, August 28th at the USA’s Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, New York, and conclude on Sunday, September 10th. 4 p.m. ET on Saturday, September 9, while the men face off the next day at the same hour.
Once again, ESPN will offer “first-to-last ball” coverage of the US Open on cable, marking the exclusive sports network’s ninth year of the tournament’s 11-year run. (ESPN took over the broadcast rights to the US Open from CBS in 2015.)
no cable? No problem. Cord-Cutters have a variety of options for broadcasting this year’s US Open tennis tournament, including live TV services such as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, and Sling TV, all carrying the cable networks ESPN and ESPN2, as well as offering access to ESPN3 via ESPN app. ESPN+, ESPN’s live-only streaming companion, will broadcast the US Open matches.
While most of the US Open tennis tournament will only be available to watch via streaming or cable, there will be some live over-the-air coverage on ABC during “mid-Sunday” of the tournament, according to the USTA. These are slim picks compared to the wall-to-wall coverage CBS used to offer, but it’s better than nothing. (If over-the-air reception is bad, see TV antenna ratings).
Where is the 2023 US Open tennis tournament broadcasting?
ESPN+
Positives
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Excellent original programming
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Well-designed apps with minimal ads and extensive platform support
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Good choice for lesser known live sports
cons
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There is no direct channel or commentary to tie everything together
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Resuming unfinished software is daunting
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The pay TV package is still required for full season sports coverage
Five-year-old ESPN+ remains a bewildering and frustrating experience for sports fans. On the one hand, it offers a surprising amount of live and on-demand sports coverage; On the other hand, there is no SportsCenter equivalent on the major ESPN cable network, while ESPN mainstays such as Monday Night Football Available intermittently only. In short, ESPN+ is it Appendix to the ESPN cable network, not its simulcast.
As for the US Open tennis tournament, ESPN+ will broadcast a number of matches this year in addition to all of the qualifiers (which run August 22-25), but don’t expect that to be covered. all Match of the main tournament. So if you want wall-to-wall coverage of the US Open, you should also consider the live TV service’s sub-stream of ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN3 (the latter can be accessed via the ESPN app, as is ESPN+). As you’ll learn in a moment, Hulu with Live TV (detailed below) comes bundled with ESPN+, along with the other major ESPN networks. You also get ESPN+ as part of a Disney bundle that also includes Disney+ and Hulu ($19.99 without ads, $12.99 with ads).
(Note: On October 12, 2023, the price of ESPN+ will increase to $10.99 per month.)
Read our full review of ESPN+
sling tv
Positives
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The base price is lower than most other live TV services
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The app and web guide are easy to navigate
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Video quality settings help avoid data and buffering limitations
cons
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DVR storage is frustrating to manage
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Channel 60fps support is limited
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Multiple core packages and add-ons can cause confusion
Want to stream the major cable network ESPN without paying full price for a live TV service? If so, Sling TV might be your best bet, both for the US Open and beyond. Along with CNN, AMC, TBS, and other major cable networks, Sling Orange offers ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN3, all for just $40 a month, much less than the extra $70 you’ll spend on a typical live TV plan. If you’re wondering why Sling Orange is so much less expensive than regular live TV services, here’s why: local TV affiliates aren’t included. (Sling TV Do It offers local ABC, Fox, and NBC affiliates in select markets, but only if you sign up for a Sling Blue or Sling Orange + Sling Blue package.)
Read our full Sling TV review
Hulu + Live TV
Positives
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Excellent value for Disney package subscribers
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Expanded catalog upon request
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Recommendations and staff selection make the app fun to explore
cons
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Live TV can be inefficient for commuting
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It’s hard to know which programs allow ad skipping
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It is not possible to watch on TVs while traveling
Hulu + Live TV isn’t the best cable replacement service, but for some cord cutters, it may be the best value. For $70 a month, you get a wide variety of streaming and cable TV channels, including ESPN and ESPN2. Even better, you also get the full Disney package, including Disney+ with ads, Hulu on-demand service, And ESPN+, which means you’ll have more ways to watch the action on the field in Flushing. If you’re a fan of tennis who’s already paying for Disney+ or Hulu, then breaking into Hulu + Live TV at the US Open is a no-brainer. (Note: On October 12, 2023, the price of Hulu + Live TV with ads will increase to $76.99, while the ad-free version will increase to $89.99).
Read our full Hulu + Live TV review
YouTube TV
Positives
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Simple interface makes it easy to navigate live TV
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Unlimited DVR allows huge on-demand library (with skippable ads)
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Wide selection of local, news, sports and entertainment channels
cons
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Recordings cannot be deleted or marked as watched on TVs
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One-time registrations only work for live sporting events
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The listing doesn’t clearly separate DVR and Video on Demand (with ads that can’t be skipped)
YouTube TV isn’t quite the value it used to be, but it’s still a compelling alternative to more expensive cable and satellite TV packages. For $73 a month, you get wide local channel coverage, a wide selection of entertainment channels, and popular news and sports channels — including, of course, ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN News, perfect for keeping tabs on the US Open tennis tournament. All of this comes in a simple interface with a cloud DVR that lets you skip commercials in your recordings. However, YouTube TV’s DVR setup takes some getting used to, and competition Hulu + Live TV delivers more for your money at $70 per month — a price that also includes Disney+ and ESPN+.
Read our full YouTube TV review
DirecTV Stream
Positives
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Excellent grid directory with useful sorting options
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More sports (at least at the $100/month level) than other streaming services
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The DVR is easy to navigate and has its own menu section
cons
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No visual preview when fast forwarding on Fire TV and Android TV
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Slow performance on some low end streamers
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Some national sports channels are pushed to more expensive packages
In the world of live TV services, DirecTV Stream is on the expensive side. Its sports coverage—including ESPN, which means catering to your US Open tennis needs—is peerless, and there aren’t huge gaps in its lineup, provided you’re willing to pay the price. Formerly known as AT&T TV and DirecTV Now before that, DirecTV Stream nods to cable with its excellent network guide, easily accessible DVR menu, and the way it goes straight to live TV at launch. But with a starting price of $75 per month, DirecTV Stream is also one of the more expensive live TV services, and the addition of regional sports pushes the price up to $100 per month or more.
Read our full DirecTV Stream review
fobo
Positives
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Better regional sports coverage than most streaming services
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Well-designed app with unique features, especially on Apple TV
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Generous DVR storage with no time limits
cons
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The lack of TNT and TBS leaves huge gaps in sports coverage
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Managing DVR storage can be a hassle
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Fire TV and Android TV apps are much worse than other platforms
Fubo (formerly FuboTV) is a well-designed live TV service with a heavy focus on sports – and for US Open tennis, Fubo offers both ESPN and ESPN2, giving you live coverage of the entire tournament. Besides national sports, Fubo’s $75 per month pro plan offers a wide range of sports, news, and entertainment channels, including regional sports coverage that many other services lack. Even so, Fubo presents its own set of tradeoffs. You’ll forgo TBS and TNT, two important sources for basketball, baseball, and hockey, and miss some of the popular channels found on cheaper services.
Read our full Fubo review