Three weeks, hundreds of matches and enough plot twists to fill a season. With another US Open in the books, here are 26 thoughts on an unforgettable 2026 edition in New York.
1. Rybakina’s Double
Elena Rybakina didn’t just win the title, she rose to World No. 1 in the process. She won three consecutive three-setters to close the tournament and become a three-time major champion, bookending a season that began with her Australian Open triumph. From injury doubts before the tournament to the top of the tennis world — quite a turnaround.
2. Zverev’s Best Season
Alexander Zverev finishes the Grand Slam season with his second major title, further proof that finally breaking through at Roland Garros changed everything. After needing 41 Grand Slam appearances to win his first, he didn’t have to wait nearly as long for No. 2.
3. Shelton Rises, But Can’t Break the Curse
Ben Shelton had a breakout tournament and came within one victory of ending the long wait for an American men’s Grand Slam champion. The 23-year-old couldn’t get past Zverev in the final, meaning Andy Roddick remains the last American man to win a major, at the 2003 US Open. Shelton’s performance, however, provided more reason to believe the drought could end soon.
4. Townsend’s Milestone
Taylor Townsend completed the career Grand Slam in women’s doubles at the tournament that means perhaps more to her than any other. Winning the US Open with Katerina Siniakova gave Townsend the one major trophy missing from her collection — and another career-defining moment on home soil.
Kudos to her partner as well. Siniakova has now completed the Career Slam not once but twice!
5. Five American Champions
The Americans didn’t capture a singles crown, but there was plenty of homegrown hardware. Marcel Latak stormed to the boys’ singles title, the Penickova sisters captured girls’ doubles, while Townsend and Christian Harrison were among the American champions in doubles. Five American champions in all made sure the host nation had plenty to celebrate.
6. Terrific Tuesday
Was this the wildest day of the tournament? Four quarterfinals on Arthur Ashe Stadium produced four deciding sets and three match tiebreaks. After 13 hours and 47 minutes of incredible tennis, Ben Shelton finally knocked off Carlos Alcaraz at 3:33 a.m. — on Wednesday. Only at the US Open.
7. Carlos Returns
Carlos Alcaraz ultimately fell short, losing to Shelton in that unforgettable quarterfinal, but his return after four and a half months away gave the tournament an enormous jolt. Tennis is simply more electric when Alcaraz is part of the equation.
8. Fan Week Delivers
The best value at the US Open remains Fan Week. Free admission gave fans access to a qualifying tournament featuring 11 former Grand Slam quarterfinalists and four former major finalists. The names were big, the stakes were real and the grounds were already buzzing before the main draw even began.
9. Foe Shows His Heart
Frances Tiafoe showed what he was made of in more ways than one. He rallied from two sets down to defeat Alex Michelsen in the quarterfinals, then provided one of the tournament’s most touching images when he consoled his sobbing friend afterward. Fierce competition and genuine compassion can coexist.
10. From Qualifying to the Quarters
Zheng Qinwen put in 14 hours and 47 minutes of hard labor to reach the quarterfinals from qualifying. Along the way came a remarkable escape against Madison Keys from 5-0 down in the third set and another huge upset of Iga Swiatek. After a difficult road back, the former World No. 4 showed that she is rapidly climbing again.
11. Mixed Masters
Jakub Mensik and Karolina Muchova rose to the top of a star-studded mixed doubles field that included six former Grand Slam singles champions — not to mention the almost surreal pairing of Carlos Alcaraz and Serena Williams. The revamped event certainly didn’t lack star power.
12. Ram Says Farewell
American doubles legend Rajeev Ram bid an emotional farewell after his record 26th consecutive US Open men’s doubles appearance ended with a semifinal run. Ram and longtime partner Joe Salisbury leave their own special mark on tournament history as the only men’s doubles team to complete a US Open three-peat.
13. The Best Boys’ Singles Final Ever?
Marcel Latak’s path to the boys’ title was ridiculous. The unseeded American defeated the No. 1, No. 2, No. 4, No. 6 and No. 10 seeds, finishing the run by taking down top-ranked Brazilian Guto Miguel in a breathtaking final. Latak saved three championship points before converting his fifth. If there has been a better US Open boys’ final, we’d like to see it.
14. Sun Xinran Gets It Done
After reaching three consecutive Grand Slam girls’ singles finals, China’s Sun Xinran finally finished the job in New York. Persistence rewarded, and a fitting ending to an extraordinary season of consistency at the majors.
15. Monfils Magic
Gael Monfils won a match on his 40th birthday, becoming the oldest man to win a US Open singles match since Jimmy Connors in 1992. Doing it in his final US Open appearance made the moment even sweeter. There will never be another La Monf.
16. Stan the Man
Stan Wawrinka also said farewell to New York, falling to Matteo Berrettini in three sets on a jam-packed Grandstand on Day 2. The result almost felt secondary. The ambiance was unforgettable as New York gave a three-time Grand Slam champion a sendoff worthy of his career.
17. Americans Thrived in Week One
Of the 41 Americans who contested the singles main draws, 10 reached the second week — the most since 2002. For years American tennis has been waiting for its depth to translate onto the Grand Slam stage. In New York, it did.
18. Four Americans Into the Semis
There were no American singles champions, but half of the semifinalists were from the United States: Tiafoe, Shelton, Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula. Two men, two women, one very strong statement about the current health of American tennis.
19. Tiafoe Owns Armstrong
Frances Tiafoe improved to a remarkable 10-0 lifetime on Louis Armstrong Stadium. Arthur Ashe may be the biggest stage in tennis, but Armstrong has become Foe’s home away from home in Queens. At this point, opponents might want to request a court change.
20. A Tribute to Ashe
Shelton became the first Black American man to reach the US Open singles final since Arthur Ashe in 1972. More than half a century later, doing it on the stadium that bears Ashe’s name gave Shelton’s breakthrough another layer of meaning.
21. Still No Title Defense
The US Open men’s singles title remains the hardest major crown to defend. No man has successfully done it since Roger Federer completed his run of five consecutive championships in 2008. Eighteen years and counting.
22. The Three-Peat Is a No-Go
Aryna Sabalenka came within one victory of history, but Rybakina ended her bid for a third consecutive US Open title in the final. No woman has completed the New York three-peat since Serena Williams in 2014, and only two women have managed it in the Open Era. Sabalenka discovered just how difficult joining that club can be.
23. Youth Was Served in New York
Six players aged 21 or younger — Mirra Andreeva, Linda Noskova, Iva Jovic, Alexander Blockx, Learner Tien and Arthur Gea — reached the second week. Some are already established names, others are only beginning to arrive. Collectively, they offered another glimpse at the sport’s next wave.
24. $108 Million
The richest purse in US Open history totaled $108 million, with the singles champions each earning $5.5 million. After players pushed the Grand Slams for a greater share of tournament revenues earlier in the season, the US Open’s record payout was warmly received. The conversation about how tennis distributes its wealth isn’t over, but New York made a significant move.
25. Bet to Win
The US Open’s partnership with prediction market Kalshi, announced during the tournament, generated plenty of attention — and raised some uncomfortable questions. At a time when tennis is increasingly confronting the effects of gambling on players, including online abuse from angry bettors, the relationship between the sport and wagering continues to become more complicated. The money may be attractive, but so is the need for a serious conversation about where the line should be drawn.
26. Only in New York
How do you sum up this US Open? Maybe you don’t.
There were 3 a.m. finishes and overflowing grounds, epic comebacks and painful collapses, tearful farewells and first-time breakthroughs. There were legends saying goodbye, young players announcing themselves and champions surviving one impossible situation after another.
But more than anything, there were the fans.
They packed Ashe and Armstrong, squeezed into every available seat on the outer courts and stayed deep into the night when any reasonable person would have gone home hours earlier. They cheered, groaned, roared and occasionally drove the players crazy. They gave the tournament its pulse.
The US Open has always been a little louder, later and crazier than everywhere else. In 2026, it felt like all of that was turned up another notch.
The tennis gave them plenty to celebrate. The fans made it unforgettable.
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