How to watch 2023 U.S. Open Tennis Championships online

The fourth and final Grand Slam tournament of 2023 is upon us. On Aug. 28, the greatest tennis players in the world will come together to fight for the U.S. Open 2023 title. Reigning champions Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek hope to defend their titles in New York, but there’s no doubt that Novak Djokovic, who missed last year’s event, will come in guns blazing.

If you can’t make it out to the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, you can still tune into the action. And you don’t even need to leave the comfort of your couch.

Keep reading to find out how to watch the 2023 U.S. Open Tennis Championships online for free and catch every match live.

When is the 2023 U.S. Open?

The qualifying round for the 2023 U.S. Open will take place between Aug. 22 and 25. The main draw begins Aug. 28, with things wrapping up Sept. 9 and 10 with the women’s singles finals and men’s singles finals, respectively. For super fans who simply cannot wait for the action to begin, you can watch the qualifying matches live exclusively on ESPN+ and ESPNEWS.

Where can I watch the 2023 U.S. Open?

Got cable? You’re in luck. Every match from the U.S. Open Tennis Championships will be broadcast live on ESPN Networks via ESPN and ESPN2, as well as live on ABC on the middle Sunday.

If you don’t have cable, there are a couple free live streams available if you use a VPN, as well as live coverage via an ESPN+ subscription. You can also sign up for a live TV streaming service like YouTube TV, Sling, or FuboTV to tune in. We have more details on all of these options below.

Can you stream the U.S. Open for free?

Fans have a couple of options for streaming the 2023 U.S. Open for free — 9Now, which is based in Australia, and TVNZ+, which is based in New Zealand. Just keep in mind that your location is a barrier for accessing these streams, meaning you can only connect to them from the country of origin. Fortunately, you can use a VPN service to hide your actual IP address and fool the system into thinking you’re located in Australia or New Zealand to access them from the U.S. Don’t worry, it’s easier than it seems.

• 9Now — A live and on-demand TV service run by the Nine Network in Australia. 9Now is streaming the 2023 U.S. Open live and for free for viewers with an Australia IP address.

• TVNZ+ — An ad-funded free streaming service based in New Zealand. TVNZ+ is streaming the 2023 U.S. Open live and for free for viewers with an IP address located in New Zealand.

With either of the free streams, you’ll follow these three main steps to gain access:

1. Download and sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (see our top picks below).

2. Log into the VPN you selected and choose a server based in the location of the stream you choose (Australia or New Zealand).

3. Head over to the corresponding site or app to stream 2023 U.S. Open matches for free.

Keep in mind that while these streams are free of charge, you will have to pay a low monthly fee for a VPN if you don’t already have one. Fortunately, most VPNs keep costs fairly low and offer trials, money-back guarantees, and regular discounts.

Can I watch the 2023 U.S. Open qualifying matches?

Yes. The qualifying rounds of the U.S. open kick off on Aug. 22, and you can watch all four days of the men’s and women’s qualifying tournament on ESPN+ and ESPNEWS. According to the ESPN press room, “ESPN+ will stream all matches on all 14 courts (12 courts on Friday) from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET. ESPNEWS will broadcast matches each day from 11a.m. to 5 p.m. ET.”

What is the greatest VPN for streaming the 2023 U.S. Open?

Greatest overall: ExpressVPN

Reliable? Check. Easy to use? Yup. Plenty of support when you need it? You bet. ExpressVPN is our top pick for a VPN for these reasons and many more. “The greatest VPNs are intuitive, secure, and they do their thing without slowing you down too much,” said Mashable contributor Branford Shaw. And when he tested ExpressVPN firsthand, it checked all the right boxes. It’s equipped with thousands of servers across 94 countries, including Australia and New Zealand, so finding a server to stream the U.S. Open should be a breeze.

Read our full review of ExpressVPN.

Most affordable: CyberGhost VPN

If you’d rather have something more affordable, we recommend CyberGhost VPN for its low price, specialized streaming servers, free access to ID Guard and Privacy Guard, and more than 9,000 servers in 91 countries. New customers can get a 26-month plan for over 80% off the standard monthly rate of $12.99, plus a money-back guarantee within 45 days, meaning you’ll only pay $2.19/month.

Read our full review of CyberGhost VPN.

Greatest premium pick: NordVPN

Probably the most well-known VPN on our list, NordVPN is a premium choice with advanced security features like split tunneling, built-in malware protection, and multi-hop connections. If you’re new to VPNs, it’s probably not the greatest choice for you. Or, as Mashable shopping reporter Haley Henschel noted, it’s for “users who don’t need their hands held.” It’s also pretty affordable at $3.19 per month for 27 months.

Read our full review of NordVPN.

Honorable mention: Proton VPN

Worth a mention for its commitment to consumer privacy, 30-day money-back guarantee, and decent price of $4.99/month for two years, Proton VPN is another solid choice. It’s a lesser-known VPN with a smaller number of servers than others on the list, but still offers streams in Australia and New Zealand. That means you can stream the U.S. Open online for free.

Read our full review of ProtonVPN.

Greatest streaming services to watch the U.S. Open in 2023

The VPN route certainly isn’t right for everyone. And luckily, that’s not the only way to tune into the U.S. Open in 2023. Of course, these other options aren’t free, but they may be easier.

Since ESPN Network is home to the U.S. Open Tennis Championships, your greatest bet is to ask someone you know for their cable login. That way, you can head over to ESPN.com and utilize the free stream. You’ll be asked to choose a provider and enter your login credentials to move forward.

Don’t have a cable login to utilize? No worries. ESPN also offers a streaming service, dubbed ESPN+. It costs $9.99/month and can be bundled with other streaming services you might already subscribe to such as Hulu and Disney+. Finally, if neither of these options appeals to you, you can also subscribe to a live TV streamer like Sling or YouTube TV to stream the U.S. Open matches live. Here are our top picks for streaming the 2023 U.S. Open.

Most direct: ESPN+

Snagging a $9.99/month ESPN+ subscription is the most direct way for cord cutters to watch every match of the men’s and women’s U.S. Open championships. If you want to be strategic and frugal about it, you can align your subscription to the few weeks of the championships, then cancel before the month is up to avoid automatic charges the next month. If you find that ESPN+ appeals to you long-term, you can sign up for an entire year of the streamer for $99.99/year and save about 15% over a monthly subscription.

Alternatively, if you’re already a Hulu or Disney+ subscriber, you can bundle ESPN+ with your existing subscriptions and pay just $12.99/month. That saves you about 49% overall.

Greatest cable alternative: YouTube TV

YouTube TV, which Mashable shopping reporter Leah Stodart called “arguably the greatest premium live TV streaming service out there,” offers the most bang for your buck as a cable TV alternative. You’ll get a wide selection of more than 100 live channels, including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNEWS, and ABC, plus a solid trial period and introductory offer. Following a 10-day free trial, you’ll pay just $64.99/month for three months (rather than the usual $72.99/month). Plus, unlike cable, you can cancel anytime with no repercussions.

Most affordable cable alternative: Sling TV Orange package

Sling is our top pick for an affordable live TV streaming service. With the Orange package, you’ll have access to ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN3, which will broadcast the majority of the matches during the U.S. Open. For the rest, you’ll need to use an over-the-air antenna to access the main ABC network. You can sign up for your first month of Sling for only $20 for a limited time. After that, it’ll jump back up to $40/month, so be sure to cancel if you don’t want to be charged full price. While Sling has significantly less channel options than YouTube TV, it’s ultra-low price makes up for it.

Honorable mentions