The return of Novak Djokovic to the US Open Tennis Championships is here! Arguably the greatest tennis player ever, Djokovic missed the 2022 event because of COVID-19 travel restrictions. Now “The Joker” returns, seeking yet another Grand Slam victory. However, he will have to go through defending champion and up-and-comer Carlos Alcarez to get there.

This year is the 143rd edition of the US Open. Here is everything you need to know before the year's final Grand Slam tournament.

When and where is the US Open?

The US Open is the fourth and final Grand Slam tournament of the year. Second-ranked Djokovic won the Australian Open and the French Open this year, while Alcarez, the top-ranked player in the world, won Wimbledon. In women's tennis, Aryna Sabalenka won the Australian Open, Iga Swiatek won the French Open, and Marketa Vondrousova won Wimbledon.

Now, the biggest names in tennis will face off in Queens, N.Y., to attempt to win the US Open. The tennis will be played at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

The tournament starts on Aug. 28 and lasts until Sept. 10.

The prize money for the tournament is $65,000,020. The matches are played on a hard surface.

How to watch?

Full coverage of the US Open will be on ESPN and ESPN+. The tournament can be streamed on fubo.

*Watch tennis matches LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Biggest storylines for the tournament

The second-ranked tennis player in the world and second seed in the upcoming tournament, Novak Djokovic, missed last year's US Open because of COVID-19 travel restrictions.

Djokovic last won the US Open in 2018, but he has had a very good 2023 season, winning both the Australian Open and the French Open.

Carlos Alcarez is the next (current) big thing in tennis. Not only is the top-ranked player in the world the defending US Open champion, but he also beat Djokovic in Wimbledon just over a month ago. A clash-off between the two biggest names in the sport seems inevitable.

No American has won the US Open (or any major singles title) since Andy Roddick in 2003. Taylor Fritz (9) and Frances Tiafoe (10) are the highest-ranked Americans.

On the women's side, Coco Gauff hopes to finally break through and win a major title. The 19-year-old broke onto the scene at Wimbledon at 15 years old. She has been climbing up the ranks and now ranks as the sixth-best player in the world. Gauff has some big wins under her belt in 2023, and she and fellow American Jessica Pegula both have serious momentum going into the tournament. Iga Swiatek is the top-ranked female in the world. She won the US Open in 2022, marking her first win at the tournament.

History of the tournament

This is the 143rd US Open. The tournament is typically the fourth and final Grand Slam of the year. It is the only Grand Slam that was unaffected by World War I, World War II, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

The tournament has five championships: Men's and women's singles, men's and women's doubles, and mixed doubles. There are also events for senior players, junior athletes, and tennis players in wheelchairs.

Novak Djokovic has won the US Open three times (2011, 2015, 2018). Will he be able to pull off another victory in New York, or will Carlos Alcarez defend his title?