Elena Rybakina and Alexander Zverev Are Your 2026 U.S. Open Singles Champions
By Alexus Mosley
Photo Credit: Getty Images
The 2026 U.S. Open has officially come to an end, and two new champions are leaving Queens with the trophy. Elena Rybakina captured the women’s singles title on Saturday, while Alexander Zverev followed with the men’s championship on Sunday, closing out two weeks of tennis at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Elena Rybakina ended Aryna Sabalenka’s U.S. Open reign, defeating the two-time defending champion 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in Saturday’s final.
The victory gave Rybakina her third Grand Slam singles title and her second major of 2026 after winning the Australian Open earlier this year. It also stopped Sabalenka from becoming the first woman in years to win three consecutive U.S. Open titles.
Rybakina entered the tournament as the No. 2 seed and was already guaranteed to take over the world No. 1 ranking after her quarterfinal victory. Leaving New York with the trophy made the moment even sweeter.
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On the men’s side, Zverev defeated American favorite Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2 in Sunday’s final, stopping his historic run. The victory earned Zverev his second Grand Slam title, following his breakthrough win at Roland Garros earlier this year. He finished the 2026 major season with an impressive 25-2 record across Grand Slam matches.
Shelton may not have walked away with the trophy, but history was still made. The 23-year-old became the first Black American man to reach a Grand Slam singles final since Arthur Ashe in 1972, after an unforgettable tournament that included a five-set quarterfinal victory over defending champion Carlos Alcaraz. Zverev ultimately proved too steady in the final, keeping his composure despite an Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd firmly behind Shelton.
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And that’s a wrap on Flushing Meadows. After two weeks of upsets, marathon matches and plenty of celebrity sightings in the stands, Rybakina and Zverev are officially the final names standing. Rybakina leaves New York as the new women’s world No. 1 and a three-time major champion, while Zverev closes out the strongest Grand Slam season of his career with two major titles.
While Shelton fell one match short of making history, his run gave American tennis fans plenty to be excited about heading into 2027.