2026 US Open Tennis: Zverev and Rybakina Win Titles

2026 US Open: Zverev and Rybakina Claim Flushing Meadows Titles as Both Defending Champions Fall

Alexander Zverev and Elena Rybakina are the 2026 US Open singles champions.

Zverev defeated Ben Shelton in the final, 6–3, 7–6(7–2), 5–7, 6–2, to win the men's singles title.

On the women's side, Rybakina defeated defending champion Aryna Sabalenka 6–4, 5–7, 6–2 to win her first US Open women's singles title.

Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka, the men's and women's singles defending champions, could not defend their titles.

For Zverev it was his second major of the year, following the 2026 French Open — making him the fourth man in the Open Era to win his first two majors in the same calendar year, and the first German man to win the US Open since Boris Becker in 1989.

The victory was Rybakina's third Grand Slam title and her second major championship of 2026.

The tournament ran from August 30 to September 13 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York.

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Tournament Overview

The 2026 US Open was the 146th edition of the US Open, and the fourth and final Grand Slam event of the year.

Each champion earned $5.5 million in prize money from a US Open purse that increased 20% year-over-year.

The fortnight delivered on virtually every front — an all-time late finish in the men's quarterfinals, shock first-round exits from former champions, and a women's draw that rewrote rankings at the very top of the WTA.

Men's Draw: Zverev's Fortnight

Alexander Zverev entered Flushing Meadows as the top seed and tournament favorite in the event contracts market —

his pre-tournament win probability on event contract platforms sat at approximately 47%.

He largely justified that positioning throughout the fortnight, dropping only one set before the final.

The men's draw was defined almost as much by who exited early as by who progressed.

Novak Djokovic's first-round defeat to Mariano Navone marked only his third career loss in the opening round of a major, his first opening-round loss at the US Open, and his earliest major loss since the 2006 Australian Open.

The tournament also marked the final major appearances of 2016 champion Stan Wawrinka and former world No. 6 Gaël Monfils — Wawrinka lost in the first round to Matteo Berrettini, while Monfils fell in the second round to Learner Tien.

In the quarterfinals, the most dramatic moment of the entire fortnight arrived.

Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz lost in the quarterfinals to Shelton, in a match that marked the latest finish in US Open history — 3:33 a.m. — surpassing the previous record from the 2022 Alcaraz-Sinner quarterfinal.

Men's Semifinals and Final

In the semifinals, Zverev defeated Karen Khachanov 6–3, 7–6(7), 7–6(6).

Ben Shelton defeated Frances Tiafoe in four sets in an all-American semifinal thriller to reach his first major final.

After struggling early, Shelton found his signature return game, teeing off on Tiafoe's second serve in the final three sets — Tiafoe won 69 percent of points on his second serve in the first set,

but that number dipped to 22 percent in the second and 20 percent in the third.

In Sunday's final on September 13, Zverev controlled from the outset.

The Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd backed Shelton loudly, but Zverev found an answer at every window of momentum — including jumping to a 5–0 lead in the second-set tiebreak on the strength of several well-executed shots.

Shelton's third-set victory came after he broke Zverev for the first time in 66 straight service games.

The respite was brief: Zverev reasserted control in the fourth to close out the match.

Shelton became the second American man since Andy Roddick to reach a US Open final, and the first Black man to play in the tournament's final match since Arthur Ashe.

The wait for an American man to win a Grand Slam singles title now stands at 23 years, since Roddick took this title in 2003.

The men's final averaged 3.2 million viewers on ABC — the largest viewership for that match since ESPN's family of networks began televising the tournament in 2009.

Women's Draw: Rybakina Ends Sabalenka's Reign

The women's draw was framed entirely around Aryna Sabalenka's pursuit of a third consecutive US Open title.

Sabalenka entered the tournament as the futures market favorite at +320, with Rybakina at a longer 14–1.

Sabalenka had led the women's market throughout the year, while Rybakina had spent much of that time as the second choice before falling in the rankings following an apparent Achilles injury in Cincinnati.

In the third round, Sabalenka survived Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova 7–6(1), 3–6, 7–6(7), and Gauff saved two match points to beat French Open champion Mirra Andreeva 2–6, 7–6(7), 6–2.

An unexpected subplot ran through the draw:

qualifier Zheng Qinwen won seven consecutive games to overcome a 5–0 deficit in the third set of her third-round win over Madison Keys, then did the same in the first set of her 7–5, 6–3 fourth-round win over Iga Swiatek.

Women's Semifinals and Final

Elena Rybakina defeated No. 4 seed Coco Gauff 3–6, 6–4, 6–4 in a thrilling three-set semifinal.

Gauff frustrated Rybakina early with strong defense, forcing 18 unforced errors in the opening set, but in the second set Rybakina found her rhythm, placing her serves with precision and breaking Gauff's momentum.

In the other semifinal, Aryna Sabalenka defeated Jessica Pegula, keeping her quest for an elusive three-peat alive.

Sabalenka won 14 of 19 points on Pegula's second serve and hit 29 winners — it was the third straight year she had dashed Pegula's title hopes.

Saturday's women's final on September 12, however, belonged to Rybakina.

Rybakina claimed her third Grand Slam title — after Wimbledon 2022 and the Australian Open earlier in 2026 — ending Sabalenka's 20-match winning run at Flushing Meadows and denying her a third straight title.

A notable ceremony followed: Rybakina received the trophy from retired Russian player Maria Sharapova, with tournament organisers allowing Sharapova to present the title as a tribute to her own victory there 20 years earlier.

How the Markets Called It

The event contracts market tracked this fortnight with notable accuracy on the men's side and meaningful drift on the women's. Zverev's position at the top of the men's market held firm from draw day to trophy day —

entering the semifinals his win probability on Kalshi had climbed to 57%, with Shelton at 43% after his stunning five-set win over Alcaraz.

The women's market offered the sharper lesson.

Heading into the final, Sabalenka was listed at –145 to Rybakina's +119 at DraftKings — a reflection of her dominant run through the draw.

Sabalenka had surged from 37% to 60% win probability at DraftKings Predictions after beating Pegula in the semifinals.

Rybakina's outright pre-tournament price of 14–1 proved the standout value position of the entire tournament for those who held positions from the opening round.

American players Pegula (+550 before elimination) and Gauff (+285) had been heavily backed by the US betting public in the futures markets.

Both exits on the same Thursday night liquidated those positions simultaneously, sending money toward the eventual winner at far shorter prices.

The Shelton-Alcaraz quarterfinal, running past 3:33 a.m., generated significant live-market activity, with Shelton's win over the defending champion dramatically re-pricing the men's draw overnight.

Track every live odds movement, match-by-match position, and post-tournament settlement at WeeBet's live hub — /events/us-open-tennis-2026 — where US Open event contracts remain open for settlement review and next-tournament futures are already live.

Week One: Early Shock Exits and American Momentum

The opening week set the chaotic tone.

Djokovic's first-round loss to Navone ended a run of 78 straight first-round wins at majors.

On the other side of the ledger, American men arrived in force:

Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, and Alex Michelsen all won in straight sets to reach the quarterfinals.

Michelsen reached the quarterfinals without dropping a set — the first unseeded man to achieve that here this century — while Shelton stayed in top form, dominating Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets to become the third American man to reach the quarterfinals.

On the men's side, Taylor Fritz's quest for the title ended stunningly in a five-set match he once led by two sets.

In the women's draw, Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka stayed in top form in week one, while Madison Keys lost despite leading 5–0 in the third set.

Rankings Impact

The results reshuffled the rankings meaningfully at the top of both tours.

Rybakina beat Sabalenka 6–4, 5–7, 6–2 and left New York as world No. 1.

Ben Shelton climbed four places to No. 4 on the ATP rankings, and Frances Tiafoe returned to the top 10 at No. 8.

Novak Djokovic fell seven places to No. 12 — out of the top 10 for the first time since July 2018.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who won the 2026 US Open men's singles title?

Alexander Zverev defeated Ben Shelton in the final, 6–3, 7–6(7–2), 5–7, 6–2, to win the men's singles title at the 2026 US Open.

It was the first time a German man had won the US Open since Boris Becker in 1989.

Who won the 2026 US Open women's singles title?

Elena Rybakina defeated defending champion Aryna Sabalenka 6–4, 5–7, 6–2 to win her first US Open women's singles title.

It was her third Grand Slam title, following Wimbledon 2022 and the 2026 Australian Open.

Did the betting markets correctly predict the 2026 US Open winners?

The men's market called it correctly — Zverev was the favourite from the outset and delivered. The women's market was wrong at the last hurdle:

Sabalenka entered the final as the –145 favourite,

but Rybakina, priced at +119 for the final and 14–1 at the start of the tournament, claimed the title.

What was the most notable storyline from the 2026 US Open?

Several competed for that distinction.

Zverev became only the fourth man in the Open Era to win his first two majors in the same year.

Shelton became the second American man since Andy Roddick to reach a US Open final and the first Black man to play in the tournament's final match since Arthur Ashe.

The Alcaraz-Shelton quarterfinal also set an all-time record for latest finish in tournament history, at 3:33 a.m.

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