The U.S. Open's "fan week" is underway as the world's top tennis players work to qualify for the tournament. The Athletic's Matthew Futterman joins "CBS News 24/7" with more details.

New York

Tennis enthusiasts are converging on New York for the US Open's fan week, a period before the main singles matches begin. During this time, fans have free access to practice sessions, qualifying rounds, and, uniquely this year, mixed doubles competitions, some of which are held with free admission at Armstrong Stadium.

The event has seen large crowds enjoying the opportunity to watch top players, including Venus Williams, Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Coco Gauff, and Naomi Osaka, as they prepare for the main draw. Fan week also features autograph sessions and other activities, making it a popular lead-up to the US Open's main events.

U.S. Open 'fan week' begins

Tennis fans are flocking to New York for the US Open while the singles matches aren't until next week You can still see the tennis pros acing the practice rounds and mixed doubles games right now during free fan week I want to bring in Matthew Futterman a senior tennis writer at the Athletic who joins us live right now from New York City to Talk more about this. So Matthew just for people who might not be aware explain what fan week is and what will people be able to experience? Thanks for having me Vlad fan week is the week before the sort of main draw of the US Open starts It's when the qualifying tournament happens. It's when lots of players are practicing this year. What makes this different is the USTA? Also decided to hold the mixed doubles competition During fan week and it was a you know An absolutely sort of amazing scene yesterday because you had tens of thousands of fans who were out there watching the biggest stars some of the biggest stars compete for you know an actual Grand Slam title and A lot of those fans who were watching were there for free Which is something that really doesn't happen in professional sports these days But half the matches that took place on the ones that took place on Armstrong Stadium We're just free admission. You could just walk right in and so it was quite a popular event there was real buzz about the place and Usually it's kind of a sleepy week and that was not the case yesterday. It won't be the case tonight Wow All right. So what matches will people be able to be able to see tonight? Well tonight if you want to see the mixed doubles matches, you're gonna have to buy a ticket and it's I think mostly sold out But you have you know, you have the mixed double semifinals and finals some of some big stars are in that lineup Jack Draper is there Jessica Pagoola is there he gives Fiontech? Who's been just about the best female player in the world the last few years. She's playing She just won Wimbledon Casper rude is her partner. So that's gonna be quite a feature That's gonna dominate things but you know throughout the grounds throughout all day whether permitting there's there's the qualifying matches There's a bunch of really really good players. You're talking about players who might not be in the top 100 But they're competing to get into for the last few spots to get into the main draw which starts Which starts Sunday and at the same time you'll also have big stars who are there practicing all day signing autographs Greeting fans doing all sorts of doing all sorts of other events So give us a quick little preview Matthew what kind of big stars are going to be competing at this year's US Open? I know that Venus Williams is is is coming back and that's a big deal because she's I think now one of the oldest Since probably I'm going back to the 80s early 90s woman to compete at the US Open. Yeah, she's 45 years old It's great to see her still going. She won a mat and she won her first singles match about 18 months in July in Washington, DC She's chugging along. She she's gonna keep it. She her plan is to keep at this for a while So this is not, you know a send-off. It's not a retirement appearance or anything like that So she's gonna be there. She wants to play. She still has a lot of tennis in those hands in addition to her You know the biggest stars in the world are all gonna be there Jokovic Alcarez sinner Coco Gauff leads the American women who are just been I've just been on fire at the Grand Slams the last year Every Grand Slam final has featured an American woman and American women have won two of those during the last year so The big there should be big crowds under the lights and all day long next week at the US Open for those But is Naomi Osaka competing this year Matthew? Absolutely. Naomi Osaka is there. She has been fighting her way back from maternity leave the last year and a half She's showing real progress of late. She made the final of the Canadian Open earlier this month She is the sort of player that no one wants to see next to their name in the draw She has won four Grand Slams. She's won the US Open twice She is what you know, she describes herself as a hardcore kid. She's not a kid anymore but she still has the spirit of a kid out there sometimes and she can you know hit the daylights out of the ball and She'll be there. She's one of the biggest stars in the world Not just in sports, but you know Just a massive celebrity people are always turning out for her and the energy that she brings love it. Love it Matthew Futterman Thank you very much. My friend really great breakdown. Appreciate it. Thanks for having me

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for keeping "the flame of democracy burning amid growing darkness." Machado opened up to CBS News about her decades of fighting for fair elections in an exclusive interview while in hiding.

Caracas

María Corina Machado wins Nobel Peace Prize

Eighteen people remain unaccounted for after a devastating blast rocked a military explosives plant in Tennessee. Residents miles away reported feeling the force of the explosion.

McEwen

Eighteen missing after blast at Tennessee military explosives plant

U.S. President Donald Trump will travel to the Middle East on Sunday to mark the first phase of his Gaza peace plan. Israel said a ceasefire took effect Friday and its military has begun to withdraw forces from parts of Gaza.

Jerusalem

Middle East Conflict

Trump prepares Middle East trip after Gaza peace plan agreement

Layoffs of federal workers begin as the government shutdown enters Day 10, OMB Director Russ Vought says. Some federal employees received notices Friday telling them they will be laid off in 60 days, CBS News has confirmed. Nancy Cordes has more.

Washington

Federal workers start receiving layoff notices amid shutdown

French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday named Sebastien Lecornu as prime minister, reappointing him after he quit the job earlier this week.

Paris

Macron reappoints Lecornu as French PM days after he quit the job

Officials say a deadly explosion at a military explosives facility in Tennessee killed multiple people, and others remain missing. CBS News' Shanelle Kaul reports.

Deadly explosion at military explosives facility in Tennessee

A federal judge has temporarily blocked the deployment of National Guard troops anywhere in the state of Illinois. CBS News' Ian Lee reports.

Chicago

Judge temporarily blocks National Guard deployment to Illinois

The Israeli military has begun withdrawing troops following a ceasefire agreement with Hamas. The deal, brokered by the U.S. and Egypt, includes releasing hostages and a plan for Gaza's future governance.

Gaza ceasefire agreement has come into effect, Israeli military says

Venezuelan political opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. CBS News' Ramy Inocencio reports.

Stockholm

U.S. President Donald Trump will travel to Egypt and Israel this weekend to attend the signing of the Gaza peace agreement, address Israel's parliament and witness the release of hostages.

Trump to visit Middle East for Gaza peace deal signing

New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted on one count of bank fraud and one count of giving false statements. She called the charges baseless and politically motivated, accusing President Donald Trump of using the Justice Department for revenge.

NY Attorney General Letitia James indicted on federal fraud charges

China dramatically expanded its rare earths export controls on Thursday (October 9), adding five new elements and extra scrutiny for semiconductor users as Beijing tightens control over the sector ahead of talks between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping.

Beijing

China tightens rare earth export controls ahead of U.S. talks

A French court on Thursday (October 9) rejected the appeal of a former construction worker found guilty last year of the aggravated rape of Gisele Pelicot, and increased his prison sentence by a year to 10 years, his lawyer said

Sentence increased for man convicted of raping Gisele Pelicot

At least two people have died in a powerful 7.4 earthquake that struck the south east coast of the Philippines on Friday (October 10). Authorities had initially issued evacuation warnings following tsunami threats; however, these have now been lifted.

Davao Oriental

Philippines hit by 7.4 magnitude earthquake, at least two dead

Peru’s Congress has voted to impeach President Dina Boluarte on grounds of moral incapacity, plunging the country into fresh political turmoil after months of unrest.

Quito

Peru's President Dina Boluarte impeached

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that his government has approved a plan to release all remaining hostages in Gaza. The move is part of President Trump’s peace plan and could bring an end to the two-year conflict in the region.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Israeli government approves framework to release hostages

New York Attorney General Letitia James has been indicted by a grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia. She faces two separate charges, one count of bank fraud and one count of false statements to a financial institution.

Alexandria

Federal grand jury indicts New York AG Letitia James

Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas signed an agreement on Thursday to cease fire and free Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, in the first phase of U.S. President Donald Trump's initiative to end the two-year war in Gaza.

Trump says Israel hostages to be freed early next week

The U.S. Senate held its seventh round of votes Thursday on Democratic and Republican plans to fund and reopen the government, but once again the bills failed to pass.

Senate votes to reopen government fail again on 9th day of shutdown

The chemistry award is the third 2025 Nobel Prize to be announced this week. Three U.S. scientists won the award in chemistry for creating a new molecular structure.

U.S. scientist trio win Nobel Prize in chemistry

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of wanting to sow "chaos" in Ukraine by launching strikes on his country's energy grid and railway infrastructure, in comments published Thursday.

Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

Zelenskyy says Russia aims to sow 'chaos' with energy strikes

U.S. President Donald Trump announced Wednesday (October 8) that Hamas has agreed to release hostages and Israel will pull back its troops in Gaza in the "first phase" of a peace deal. CBS News' Debora Patta reports.

Israel and Hamas agree to phase one of peace deal

Russia and China are sending high-level representatives to North Korea for celebrations honoring 80 years of the ruling party. CBS News' Ramy Inocencio reports.

Pyongyang

Russia, China send representatives to North Korea

The Toronto Blue Jays won Game 4 of their American League Division Series matchup against the New York Yankees to advance to the next round of the Major League Baseball playoffs.

Blue Jays defeat Yankees to advance to ALCS

The ongoing U.S. government shutdown has led to major delays and staffing shortages at airports, raising safety concerns. The flight attendants’ union says reduced oversight and overworked crews are putting additional strain on the aviation system.

Aviation less safe during any government shutdown, union warns

Earlier this week, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said one of the reasons for staffing shortages at airports is that a growing number of air traffic controllers have been calling in sick. Those controllers don't know when they'll get their next paycheck amid the government shutdown.

Los Angeles International Airport

Why the government shutdown is playing into travel delays

President Trump says he might travel to the Middle East as soon as this weekend as Israel and Hamas continue indirect negotiations to end the war in Gaza. CBS News senior White House and political correspondent Ed O'Keefe has the details.

Cairo

Trump 'may' go to Egypt or Gaza amid Israel-Hamas peace

A 29-year-old Florida man has been arrested on suspicion of arson in connection with the deadly Palisades Fire that scorched parts of Los Angeles earlier this year, officials said Wednesday.

Los Angeles

Man arrested for allegedly starting Palisades Fire in California

Former FBI Director James Comey pleaded not guilty to two counts in federal court on Wednesday (October 8) after being indicted by the U.S. Department of Justice in September.

James Comey pleads not guilty to charges brought by Trump's DOJ

Some air traffic control staffing issues and bad weather are affecting flight delays as the government shutdown enters its eighth day. CBS News senior transportation correspondent Kris Van Cleave has more details.

Breakdown