With its electric crowds, late-night drama and unmistakable New York energy, this year’s US Open delivered new champions, breakthrough performances and unforgettable battles. By Nichola Marie
There is no tennis tournament quite like the US Open. Wimbledon has its traditions and quiet elegance; RolandGarros has its red clay and French charm; the Australian Open has its relaxed, summer feel. The US Open is different. It is faster, louder and unmistakably New York. The crowds are passionate, matches can stretch deep into the night, celebrities fill the stands and the city seems to become part of the action. At Flushing Meadows, tennis meets entertainment, fashion and the energy of one of the world’s great cities.
This year, that sense of excitement was matched by what happened on court. There were dramatic comebacks, late-night battles, new stars and champions who finally got their moment. By the end, Alexander Zverev and Elena Rybakina had lifted the two singles trophies, while a new generation of players had given fans plenty to talk about.
Sport Meets Spectacle
The scale of the US Open is enormous. This year’s tournament offered a record $108 million in player compensation, a 20% increase over 2025. The men’s and women’s singles champions each received $5.5 million, while a first-round singles player was guaranteed $140,000.
But money is only part of the spectacle. During the tournament, Flushing Meadows becomes a meeting place for sport, fashion, music, food, celebrities and social media. This year’s star-studded stands included names such as Michelle Obama, Nicole Kidman, Brad Pitt, Rosalía and Jessica Alba. The crowds, the lights and the famous New York energy give the event an atmosphere that is hard to reproduce anywhere else. That is perhaps the US Open’s greatest strength: a spectator does not have to be a serious tennis fan to enjoy the experience.
A Long-Awaited Victory
For Zverev, the men’s title was about finally finishing a journey that had come close to ending in heartbreak. Six years ago, he had led the 2020 final by two sets before losing to Dominic Thiem. This time, he made no mistake. Zverev defeated American Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6, 5-7, 6-2 to win his first US Open title. It was also his second Grand Slam victory of the year, after winning the French Open. “There were question marks, there were doubts whether I was ever going to win one,” Zverev said after his victory. In New York, he finally had his answer.
America’s New Hope
Even in defeat, Ben Shelton was one of the stories of the tournament. The 23-year-old American reached his first Grand Slam final after beating defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a dramatic quarter-final and then overcoming fellow American Frances Tiafoe in the semi-final. The match against Alcaraz ended at 3:33 a.m, the latest finish in US Open history. Shelton’s run also made him the first Black American man to reach the US Open final since Arthur Ashe in 1972. He could not end America’s long wait for a men’s Grand Slam singles champion — the last was Andy Roddick in 2003 — but he left New York having firmly announced himself as a player to watch.
There was also a sweet personal moment around the final. US soccer star Trinity Rodman travelled to New York after playing for her club to watch Shelton, wearing a shirt with his face on it. Sadly for her, she arrived in time to see the end of his defeat.
Rybakina Rises To The Top
The women’s tournament produced a champion with an equally compelling story. Rybakina arrived in New York with an injury worry after hurting her ankle in Cincinnati. She then produced the best run of her career at the US Open, beating Coco Gauff in the semifinal before overcoming defending champion Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in the final. The victory gave Rybakina her first US Open title, her third Grand Slam trophy and, perhaps most importantly, the world No. 1 ranking. For Sabalenka, the defeat ended her bid for a third straight US Open title and brought her 20-match winning streak at the tournament to an end. After her victory, Rybakina said she was “falling in love with New York more and more” — an apt description of a player who had arrived with doubts and left as the world’s No. 1.
A Rivalry Takes Shape
The Rybakina-Sabalenka rivalry is becoming one of the most exciting in women’s tennis. They had already faced each other several times this year, including the Australian Open final, and their matches have become contests between two powerful players with very different personalities on court. Rybakina’s calm, controlled style was again on display in New York, while Sabalenka fought hard to protect her title. Their rivalry now has an interesting new twist: Rybakina is the new world No. 1, while Sabalenka will be looking for a way back to the top.
Nights That Made History
The US Open has always been known for its night sessions, but this year’s tournament pushed the idea of late-night tennis to another level. The Shelton-Alcaraz quarter-final ended at 3:33 a.m, with thousands of fans staying until the final point. It was the sort of match that captured everything people love about the US Open: drama, noise, emotion and the feeling that something extraordinary might happen at any moment. Such late finishes are also part of the debate around the tournament. How late should matches be allowed to run when players have to recover and compete again within a short time? It is one of the challenges facing a championship that has become as much about spectacle as sport.
More Than The Singles Titles
The tournament also celebrated champions beyond the two headline winners. Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova won the women’s doubles title, while Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik took the mixed doubles crown. One of the most impressive achievements came in wheelchair tennis. The Netherlands’ Niels Vink won the quad singles title to complete a calendar-year Grand Slam, taking all four major singles titles in 2026. Taylor Townsend offered a fitting thought after her doubles victory: “It’s about paying it forward and inspiring the next generation, because our time is finite.”
That idea goes well beyond doubles. Every US Open champion leaves behind more than a trophy; they give the next generation someone to watch, learn from and dream about becoming.
A Tournament Looking Ahead
Perhaps the most interesting thing about this year’s US Open was the feeling that tennis is moving into a new phase. Zverev turned years of near misses into a championship. Rybakina became world No. 1. Shelton announced himself on the biggest stage. Sabalenka’s reign came to an end, while her rivalry with Rybakina became even more compelling. There were victories and disappointments, comebacks and heartbreak, long nights and moments of pure joy.
And that is what makes the US Open so special. It is not simply about who lifts the trophies. It is about the stories that emerge along the way — and the feeling that, in New York, anything can happen. This year, New York did more than crown two champions. It gave tennis a glimpse of what comes next.
