How to stream the US Open Tennis Championships 2023

The five-year-old ESPN+ remains a perplexing and frustrating experience for sports fans. On the one hand, it delivers a dizzying amount of live and on-demand sports coverage; on the other, there’s no equivalent to SportsCenter on the flagship ESPN cable network, while such ESPN mainstays like Monday Night Football are only sporadically available. In short, ESPN+ is supplement to the ESPN cable network, not a simulcast of it.

As for US Open tennis, ESPN+ will stream a number of matches this year as well as all the qualifying matches (which run from August 22-25), but don’t expect it to cover every match from the main tournament. So if you want wall-to-wall US Open coverage, you should also consider subbing for streaming live TV service for ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN3 (the latter of which is accessible via the ESPN app, same as ESPN+). As you’ll learn in a moment, Hulu with Live TV (detailed below) comes with ESPN+ included, along with the other main ESPN networks. You can also get ESPN+ as part of a Disney Bundle that also includes Disney+ and Hulu ($19.99 ad-free, $12.99 with ads).

(Note: On October 12, 2023, the price of ESPN+ will increase to $10.99/month.)

Want to stream the flagship ESPN cable network without paying full price for a live-TV streaming service? If so, Sling TV might be your best bet, for both the US Open and beyond. Besides CNN, AMC, TBS, and other basic-cable networks, the Sling Orange package offers ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN3, all for just $40 a month, well below the $70-plus you’ll spend on a typical live streaming TV plan. If you’re wondering why Sling Orange is so much less expensive than regular live streaming TV services, here’s the reason: your local TV affiliates aren’t included. (Sling TV does offer 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.)

Hulu + Live TV isn’t the best cable replacement service, but for some cord-cutters, it might be the best value. For $70 per month, you get a wide variety of live broadcast and cable TV channels, including ESPN and ESPN2. Even better, you also get the full Disney bundle, including Disney+ with ads, Hulu‘s on-demand service, and ESPN+, which means you’ll have even more ways to watch the on-court action in Flushing. If you’re a tennis fan who’s already paying for Disney+ or Hulu, snagging Hulu + Live TV for the US Open is a no-brainer. (Note: On October 12, 2023, the price of Hulu + Live TV with ads will go up to $76.99, while the ad-free version will increase to $89.99.)

YouTube TV isn’t the value it used to be, but it’s still a compelling replacement for more expensive cable and satellite TV packages. For $73 per month, you get broad local channel coverage, a wide range 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 Championship. All this comes in a simple interface with a cloud-based DVR that lets you skip through commercials in your recordings. Still, YouTube TV’s DVR setup takes some getting used to, and rival Hulu + Live TV provides more for your money at $70 per month—a price that also includes Disney+ and ESPN+.

In the realm of live TV streaming services, DirecTV Stream is on the extravagant side. Its sports coverage–including ESPN, meaning your US Open tennis needs will be satisfied–is without peer, and there are no major gaps in its lineup, provided you’re willing the pay the price. Formerly known as AT&T TV, and DirecTV Now before that, DirecTV Stream nods to cable with its excellent grid guide, easily-accessible DVR list, and the way it jumps directly into live TV at launch. But with a starting price of $75 per month, DirecTV Stream is also one of the priciest live TV streaming services, and adding regional sports pushes the price to $100 per month or more. 

Fubo (formerly known as FuboTV) is a well-designed live TV streaming service with a big emphasis on sports–and for the purposes of the US Open Tennis Championship, Fubo does offer both ESPN and ESPN2, giving you live coverage of the entire tournament. Besides national sports, Fubo’s $75/month Pro plan delivers a big bundle of sports, news, and entertainment channels, including the regional sports coverage that many other services lack. Fubo brings its own set of trade-offs, though. You’ll give up TBS and TNT, which themselves are important sources of basketball, baseball, and hockey, and it’s missing some popular channels found in cheaper services.