The 2026 edition of the US Open has already said goodbye to Novak Djokovic while Carlos Alcaraz returned to a professional court for the first time in four months in a busy start to the major tournament. There’s also been a minor row over the smell of cannabis and Venus Williams has extended her winless run to a staggering 15 games. And there are still more first round games to go.
As always with tennis, the timepieces are never far from the action. Rolex, like at Wimbledon, is the official timekeeper of the event, while you can always rely on the players to put on a show in the watch department. Then there’s the parade of celebrities in the best seats wearing the finest pieces money can buy.
With the US Open heating up, we’ve taken a look below at some of the best watches we’ve seen during the tournament so far.
Roger Federer – Rolex Oyster Perpetual 36
Inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Roger Federer took part in the Legends Series organised by the US Open with the icon taking on Andy Roddick with fans turning up in their droves to see him on the court one last time. A longtime Rolex ambassador, Federer always has his pick of the best watches but for his special appearance at the US Open, opted for a divisive piece. The Oyster Perpetual 36 with a Jubilee dial sees the classic stainless steel of the model crash into the modern, more colourful sensibilities Rolex have been experimenting with in recent years. The dial features no less than ten different colours which spell out Rolex in a pop art inspired motif. On the more affordable end of the Rolex spectrum, collectors are still divided about the dial’s pattern.
Kaia Gerber – Panthère de Cartier
Accompanied by her co-star in The Shards, Homer Gere, Kaia Gerber turned up to New York wearing a Cartier Panthère de Cartier in yellow gold. The compact piece is just 30mm and is reminiscent of old school ladies watches and is a particularly popular watch among the rich and famous including Taylor Swift, while Keith Richards is known to almost exclusively wear one from the 1980’s, despite the fact they are marketed as ladies watches.
Marta Kostyuk – Patek Philippe Aquanaut Luce
Wearing diamonds in the crowd is a given. Wearing diamonds on court is a little bit rarer. Yet, Marta KoSstyuk wore a Patek Philippe Aquanaut Luce during her victory over the wonderfully named Storm Hunter. Featuring 46 brilliant cut diamonds, Kostyuk’s Aquanaut is a vintage model from around 20 years ago and fitted with a blue strap providing a sharp contrast to her red gear.
Tommy Paul – De Bethune DB25
One of the newer Swiss brands, De Bethune were only founded in 2002 and took years to get into the green financially as a result of renewed interest in smaller, independent brands. They’ve partnered with American star, Tommy Paul, for a number of years with him frequently seen playing in their ultra-lightweight pieces. For his first round match at the US Open, Paul was seen wearing the DB25 which integrates moon phrases and a perpetual calendar and is made out of robust titanium to withstand the rigours of professional tennis.
Aryna Sabalenka – Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar
One of Audemars Piguet’s most notable ambassadors, the world’s number one female player turned up to Flushing Meadows wearing an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar in blue ceramic. A brand new release, the watch comes in at 41mm, which is incredibly large for a woman, and also features white gold hands and hourmarkers while the all blue dial, bracelet and bezel makes for a strong statement.
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