Zverev and Rybakina win at US Open

Alexander Zverev and Elena Rybakina won the 2026 US Open singles titles in New York, with both players getting their second Grand Slam of the year.

Zverev defeated American Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-2 in the men’s final to claim his first US Open title. 

The German had already won the French Open earlier this year, and his latest success makes him a two-time Grand Slam champion.

The top seed dictated the pace of the match with his superb serve and heavy groundstrokes, giving Shelton little wiggle room. 

The American stayed in contention by taking the third set, but Zverev regained control in the fourth and closed out the match after three hours and 33 minutes.

Shelton was bidding to become the first American man to win a Grand Slam singles title since Andy Roddick at the 2003 US Open. 

He had reached the final after beating Carlos Alcaraz in a five-set quarterfinal and overcoming Frances Tiafoe in an all-American semifinal.

The defeat extended the wait for another home men’s champion at Flushing Meadows, but Shelton’s run still served as a major step forward. 

His progress through the tournament confirmed his growing status on hard courts and gave American tennis another reason for optimism.

For Zverev, the victory also brought a measure of redemption at a tournament where he had previously suffered a painful defeat. 

He lost the 2020 final to Dominic Thiem after holding a two-set lead, but this time he went home with the title.

Rybakina secured the women’s title by beating two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 on Saturday. 

The Kazakh had already defeated Sabalenka in the Australian Open final earlier this year, meaning she has now won both hard-court Grand Slam tournaments in 2026.

The 27-year-old had already been assured of becoming world number one before the final, but the victory made the achievement more special. 

Sabalenka responded after losing the opening set and forced a decider, only for Rybakina to regain control with her serve and clean ball-striking.

The result gave Rybakina her third Grand Slam title, following her Wimbledon triumph in 2022 and Australian Open success earlier this year. It also ended Sabalenka’s run of two consecutive US Open titles.

Both champions received $5.5 million from the record prize fund, with the men’s and women’s singles winners earning equal payouts.