US Open 2020 tennis: Final dates, odds, TV channel, live stream, confirmed players, prize money

There will be a strange feel to the US Open when the men's and women's tournaments get underway at Flushing Meadows.

It will be the first Grand Slam event this century in which both defending champions have chosen not to participate due to concerns over their safety after the Covid-19 pandemic.

Last year's winners Rafael Nadal and Bianca Andreescu are just two of several top-ranked players who have opted not to travel to New York amid the ongoing crisis in the United States.

The absence of applause, boos or gasps in between points - and during - is just one of the many quirks on post-coronavirus tennis that players must adapt to, with strict guidelines involving face coverings and social distancing.

But with star names Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams keen to add to their trophy collection, there is still a lot of tennis to be played and the return of Andy Murray to top-level competition is a welcome sight after his troubles with a serious hip injury.

Here's everything you need to know about the US Open 2020 tournament...

Dates and schedule

The tournament will begin on Sunday, August 31 and is scheduled to run for two weeks. Order of Play is published on the eve of the first day of action on court.

The women's singles final will take place on Saturday, September 12 and men's singles final on Sunday, September 13.

The main draw for the men's singles matches will take place on Thursday, August 27.

Players

The tournament organisers have not yet a finalised list of confirmed US Open entrants, although notable players such as Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams have confirmed their participation.

However, each player who has announced their withdrawal from the US Open is listed below.

Men's draw

Women's draw

How to watch

Tennis fans in the UK will be able to watch the entirely US Open tournament on Amazon Prime Video Sport.

Prime customers in UK and Ireland can watch matches on Prime Video for no additional fees. Those without a subscription can start a 30-day free trial of Prime, which costs £7.99/month after the trial ends or £79/year. Alternatively, you can watch with a Prime Video subscription for £5.99 per month.

For more information, visit the Amazon Prime website.

Betting odds (via Betfair)

Men's singles outright winner:

• Novak Djokovic: 5/6

• Daniil Medvedev: 11/2

• Stefanos Tsitsipas: 17/2

• Dominic Thiem: 11/1

Women's singles outright winner:

• Naomi Osaka: 9/2

• Serena Williams: 5/1

• Karolina Pliskova: 12/1

• Sofia Kenin: 14/1

Odds correct as of 26/08/2020. Click here for more details.

Prize money

The total prize fund for this year's US Open is $39 million (£29.5m), which is down from the 2019 figure of $57m.

The winner of both the men's singles and women's singles tournaments will each receive $3 million (£2.28m) in prize money. Runners-up will be awarded $1.5m (£1.13m).

Those who win a first round match in the main draw will be awarded $61,000 (£46,148).

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