US Open 2026 Recap: Zverev, Rybakina and What Club Players Can Learn
Serving Aces
The 2026 US Open finished with two first-time US Open champions. Alexander Zverev won the men's title and Elena Rybakina won the women's, and the fortnight in between delivered a 3:33am quarter-final, an all-American semi-final and the end of Aryna Sabalenka's two-year reign.
Here's how it played out, followed by the part that's useful for your own tennis: what club players can take from it, and how to get your gear ready for the hard-court season here in Melbourne.
The results
| Event | Champion | Runner-up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men's singles | Alexander Zverev | Ben Shelton | 6-3, 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2 |
| Women's singles | Elena Rybakina | Aryna Sabalenka | 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 |
The singles main draw ran from 30 August to 13 September at Flushing Meadows. Each singles champion took home US$5.5 million.
The men's draw: Zverev finally gets his US Open
The men's event was open from the start. World No. 1 Jannik Sinner withdrew before the tournament, the first Grand Slam he had missed since his debut at the 2019 US Open.
Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz went out in the quarter-finals to Ben Shelton in a five-set match, 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(7), that finished at 3:33am. Shelton then beat Frances Tiafoe in an all-American semi-final to reach his first Grand Slam final, the first African American man to reach a US Open final since Arthur Ashe in 1972.
Zverev, the top seed, closed it out in four sets. It was his second major of 2026 after the French Open, and it came six years after he lost the 2020 US Open final from two sets up.
The women's draw: Rybakina ends Sabalenka's run
Sabalenka came into the final as the two-time defending champion, on a 19-match winning streak in New York and chasing the first US Open three-peat since Serena Williams won three in a row from 2012 to 2014.
Rybakina stopped her in three sets. It was Rybakina's first US Open title and her third major, after she had also beaten Sabalenka in the Australian Open final in January, and it lifted her to world No. 1.
Further back in the draw, Alex Eala had her best US Open yet, reaching the third round as the 17th seed before losing a three-hour match to her friend Iva Jovic on Arthur Ashe Stadium. Read more about Alex Eala's breakthrough season.
What club players can take from it
Cut the errors before you chase winners
Rybakina converted only three of her 12 break points in the final and still won, largely because Sabalenka made 35 unforced errors, 14 of them in the first set. If the best players in the world lose finals on errors, club matches certainly are. Before your next match, decide on a safe target for your rally ball and use it whenever you're under pressure.
Fitness wins the long matches
Shelton beat Alcaraz in a match that ended after half past three in the morning, then backed up to win his semi-final. You won't be playing at 3am, but Melbourne summer pennant days can be long and hot. Build your fitness before the season, drink before you're thirsty and eat something between matches.
Against a big serve, make the return simple
Big left-handed serves like Shelton's pull returners off the court. If you're facing a big server at your club, stand a step further back, shorten your backswing and aim the return deep down the middle. Getting the ball back in play puts the pressure back on them.
Reset between points
Watch how the top players use the time between points: a turn to the back fence, a look at the strings, a breath, a plan for the next point. It's a habit any club player can copy, and it stops one bad point from turning into three.
Get your gear ready for hard-court season
Our summer is when most Melbourne players spend the most time on hard courts, and hard courts are tough on gear.
- Shoes. Acrylic courts wear soles down quickly. If the tread under the ball of your foot has gone smooth, it's time for a new pair. Choose a hard court sole for acrylic. Our guide to hard court vs clay tennis shoes explains the difference, and you can browse our tennis shoes.
- Strings. If you haven't restrung since last summer, your strings are well past their best. Book a restring before the season starts, and don't leave your racquet in a hot car: heat speeds up tension loss and can damage the frame.
- Grips. Sweaty hands slip. Change your overgrip as soon as it feels smooth or loses its tack. We stock a full range of overgrips and replacement grips.
- Balls. Hard courts wear the felt off fast, so open a fresh can for matches. The Dunlop Australian Open ball is a good all-rounder on Melbourne courts. Browse all tennis balls.
Zverev's racquet
Zverev endorses HEAD's Gravity range. HEAD released a limited Gravity Zverev 2026 edition in August, but it's a cosmetic version of the standard Gravity frames, so the regular models play the same.
The Gravity line suits players who swing fully and want control with a forgiving sweet spot. We stock the Gravity MP, MP L, Pro and Tour in our HEAD Gravity range. As with any pro, his own frames are customised, so treat his model as a starting point rather than a prescription. Our guide on how to choose a tennis racquet will help you find the right version.
Quick questions
Who won the 2026 US Open?
Alexander Zverev won the men's singles, beating Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2. Elena Rybakina won the women's singles, beating Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2.
When was the 2026 US Open played?
The singles main draw ran from 30 August to 13 September 2026 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York.
How much did the 2026 US Open champions win?
Each singles champion received US$5.5 million.
Did Jannik Sinner play the 2026 US Open?
No. Sinner withdrew before the tournament, the first Grand Slam he had missed since his debut at the 2019 US Open.
What racquet does Alexander Zverev use?
Zverev endorses the HEAD Gravity range. The limited Gravity Zverev 2026 edition is a cosmetic version of the standard Gravity frames.