Searching for how to watch 2026 US Open Round 2 live for free won't turn up a current live option because Round 2 is already over.
The second round ran Wednesday, September 2, and Thursday, September 3, with ESPN's schedule placing the main televised sessions on ESPN and ESPN2 and Spanish-language coverage on ESPN Deportes. ESPN also offered RedZone in the ESPN App for ESPN Unlimited subscribers. Round 2 wasn't scheduled for a free ABC broadcast.
Round 2 therefore can't be watched live on Friday, September 4. The remaining tournament still includes two ABC windows that can be received free over the air where a local ABC affiliate is available: Round of 16 coverage on Sunday, September 6, and the men's championship on Sunday, September 13.
RedZone finishes its tournament run Friday, September 4, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET. ESPN limits that feed to ESPN Unlimited access in the ESPN App.
Where to watch US Open tennis Round 2: what actually aired
Round 2 ran in two daily windows. On Wednesday, September 2, daytime coverage aired on ESPN from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, followed by primetime coverage on ESPN from 7 to 11 p.m. ET.
Thursday, September 3, kept the same daytime block on ESPN but moved primetime coverage to ESPN2 from 7 to 11 p.m. ET. ESPN Deportes carried Spanish-language Round 2 coverage on both days.
ESPN Unlimited subscribers also had RedZone from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET in the ESPN App. None of the Round 2 windows aired on ABC.
ESPN scheduled three ABC broadcast days during the tournament: opening day on August 30, Round of 16 coverage on September 6, and the men's championship preview and final on September 13.
US Open TV schedule and streaming: what's still ahead
With Round 2 finished, the remaining confirmed US television schedule includes:
Friday, September 4: Third Round coverage from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET on ESPN, followed by primetime coverage from 7 to 11 p.m. ET on ESPN2. RedZone runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET in the ESPN App for ESPN Unlimited subscribers.
Saturday, September 5: Third Round coverage from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET and 7 to 11 p.m. ET on ESPN2. ESPN also lists app coverage for ESPN Unlimited subscribers.
Sunday, September 6: Round of 16 coverage from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET on ESPN, followed by a free ABC window from 3 to 6 p.m. ET, then primetime coverage on ESPN from 7 to 11 p.m. ET.
Monday, September 7: Round of 16 coverage from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET on ESPN and from 7 to 11 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Tuesday, September 8: Men's and women's quarterfinals on ESPN from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET and 7 to 11 p.m. ET.
Wednesday, September 9: Men's and women's quarterfinals on ESPN from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. ET and 7:30 to 11 p.m. ET.
Thursday, September 10: Women's semifinals from 7 to 11 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Friday, September 11: Women's doubles championship at noon ET on ESPN2, followed by men's semifinals at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Saturday, September 12: Men's doubles championship at noon ET in the ESPN App for ESPN Unlimited subscribers, followed by the women's singles championship at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN Deportes.
Sunday, September 13: Men's championship preview at 1 p.m. ET on ABC, followed by the men's singles championship at 2 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN Deportes. ESPN2 carries an encore at 9 p.m. ET.
The women's singles final isn't scheduled for ABC. It airs Saturday, September 12, on ESPN and ESPN Deportes.
ESPN, ESPN Unlimited, and your TV provider: what each actually covers
The access rules depend on both the channel and the subscription attached to the ESPN App.
ABC over the air: A compatible antenna can receive the September 6 and September 13 ABC broadcasts for free if your local affiliate's signal reaches your location. ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN Deportes are not over-the-air antenna channels.
ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN Deportes: These channels can come through cable, satellite, live-TV streaming services, or ESPN Unlimited. Availability depends on the package you have.
ESPN Unlimited: This plan includes ESPN's linear networks and gives subscribers every-match, every-court streaming in the ESPN App. ESPN also lists Multiview and its Catch Up to Live and Start from Beginning tools with its US Open streaming coverage.
TV-provider customers: Some supported television packages already include ESPN Unlimited. ESPN currently lists providers including Hulu + Live TV, DIRECTV, Fubo, Spectrum, Verizon FiOS, U-verse, Cox, Comcast Xfinity, and YouTube TV among supported activation options, although eligibility can depend on the specific package. Check before paying for a separate subscription.
ESPN Select: Existing ESPN+ subscribers moved to ESPN Select. Select retains ESPN+ content but does not include the full set of ESPN linear networks that comes with ESPN Unlimited.
Disney+ access was limited to select Day 1 US Open coverage. ESPN's tournament announcement doesn't extend that offer to Round 2 or the later rounds.
Checking your access in the ESPN App
Open the ESPN App and sign in. If you already pay for a supported TV service, use your existing credentials before buying another ESPN plan.
Check whether your TV package includes ESPN Unlimited. Several major providers now bundle access with eligible packages, but activation may still be required through ESPN and a MyDisney login.
Open the specific match or feed you want to watch. ESPN's all-court feeds marked for the ESPN App require ESPN Unlimited during the US Open.
Check Multiview on a mobile device or connected TV. ESPN says the feature supports up to four matches simultaneously on supported devices for eligible subscribers.
Use Catch Up to Live or Start from Beginning when available. ESPN lists both among the US Open features available through its Unlimited coverage.
Check your local ABC reception at AntennaWeb before September 6 or September 13 if you want the remaining free over-the-air coverage. Reception depends on your location and local affiliate signal.
What to do next
There's no live Round 2 broadcast left to watch because those matches ended September 3.
For completely free television coverage, the next opportunity is ABC's Round of 16 window from 3 to 6 p.m. ET on Sunday, September 6. ABC returns September 13 for the men's championship preview at 1 p.m. ET and the final at 2 p.m. ET.
If you already have cable, satellite, or a live-TV streaming package that carries ESPN, check whether your provider also includes ESPN Unlimited before paying separately. Supported packages can unlock Unlimited after activation, including the all-court streams and other app features.
If you only have ESPN Select, don't assume it provides the same tournament access as Unlimited. ESPN Unlimited is the tier ESPN specifically names for every-match, every-court streaming during the 2026 US Open.
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