Zverev and Rybakina Win Big at the US Open

The 2026 US Open tennis tournament wrapped up with some big wins and a few disappointments. Germany's Alexander Zverev won the men's title, and Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina won the women's title. The tournament is held each year in New York City and is one of the four biggest events in tennis, called Grand Slams. This year brought exciting matches, huge prize money, and a few things fans were not happy about.

Rybakina, who is 27 years old, had an amazing tournament. She beat Aryna Sabalenka in the women's final with a score of 6-4, 5-7, 6-2. That victory made her the new No. 1 ranked women's tennis player in the world. She had already won the Australian Open earlier in the year, making her a three-time Grand Slam champion. After her win, Rybakina was kind and gracious, and she even let a young girl at a lemonade stand hold her trophy.

Sabalenka had been the top-ranked player for 99 weeks in a row. She was trying to win the US Open three years in a row, which no player had done since Serena Williams did it about a decade ago. After losing, Sabalenka smashed her rackets, which showed just how upset she was. It was a tough loss, but many fans understood her frustration after such a long run at the top.

Zverev, 28, is from Germany and was the top seed in the men's draw. He had a tough start, being pushed to five sets in his first two matches. But he played better and better as the tournament went on, and he won the title by beating American Ben Shelton in four sets. He will take home $5.5 million for winning seven matches in a row at Flushing Meadows. In a funny moment at the end, Zverev did not even know he had won until he saw the crowd cheering loudly.

One of the most talked-about moments of the tournament happened on September 8 during the quarterfinals. All four matches at Arthur Ashe Stadium, the world's largest tennis arena, went to the maximum number of sets. Together, the four matches lasted 13 hours and 47 minutes. The longest match was between Ben Shelton and Carlos Alcaraz, which lasted four hours and 28 minutes and ended at 3:33 in the morning — the latest finish in US Open history.

Prize money was also a big story this year. The US Open gives out more prize money than any other Grand Slam. The singles champions each earned $5.5 million, up from $5 million last year. Even players who just made it into the main draw earned $140,000, which is a big deal for younger or lower-ranked players who are still building their careers.

Not everything about the 2026 US Open was great, though. Many people complained about social media influencers in the crowd. These influencers were more focused on getting likes and clicks online than on watching good tennis. Some used camera flashes and made noise right when players were about to serve, which bothered the players and other fans. Good sportsmanship and courtesy in the stands became a real issue during the tournament.

Wild card players also had a hard time. A wild card is a special invitation given to players who did not qualify on their own. No male wild card player made it past the third round, and no female wild card player made it past the second round. The last wild card to win the US Open was Kim Clijsters, a Hall of Famer, back in 2009. The one bright spot came in women's doubles, where wild card players Ashlyn Krueger and Robin Montgomery reached the final before losing to Kateřina Siniaková and Taylor Townsend.

American men's tennis fans had another tough year. No American man won a Grand Slam title in 2026. Shelton came close by reaching the final, but he could not stop Zverev. The wait for an American man to win a Grand Slam now stretches on at least until the 2027 Australian Open in January. Still, for most fans, the 2026 US Open delivered plenty of exciting tennis and memorable moments.