Temi Kings
Redemption at Last: Alexander Zverev Silences Ben Shelton in Men's Final
Six years after his heartbreaking collapse from two sets up in the 2020 final, Top seed Alexander Zverev finally conquered Flushing Meadows on Sunday night. The 29-year-old German produced a dominant baseline display to withstand a furious charge from 8th-seeded American sensation Ben Shelton, capturing his maiden US Open title with a 6-3, 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2 victory. The victory cements a remarkable season for Zverev, who adds the New York trophy to his French Open title earlier this year and becomes the first German male player to win the US Open since Boris Becker in 1989.
Zverev established control early on Arthur Ashe Stadium, suffocating Shelton’s heavy serve-and-forehand combinations with relentless depth and precise baseline returns. After taking a clinical opening set 6-3 and commanding a clutch second-set tiebreak 7-2, Zverev faced a wall of noise as Shelton—fueled by a raucous New York crowd—clawed back to claim the third set 7-5. Refusing to let history repeat itself, Zverev responded with absolute poise in the fourth, breaking the young American twice and serving out the match to wrap up an extraordinary 25-2 Grand Slam match record for the 2026 season.
Empress of New York: Elena Rybakina Dethrones Aryna Sabalenka
In Saturday’s women's final, 2nd seed Elena Rybakina produced a breathtaking three-set victory over two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka to capture her first US Open crown. In a high-stakes rematch of their Australian Open final earlier this season, Rybakina battled back after losing the second set to triumph 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, officially ending Sabalenka’s bid to become the first woman since Serena Williams to win three consecutive titles in Flushing Meadows.
Rybakina’s victory was built on serving precision and ice-cold composure under pressure, firing 12 aces and winning 85% of her first-serve points across the two-hour, 21-minute battle. After claiming the opening set 6-4, Rybakina absorbed a fierce mid-match rally from Sabalenka, who snatched the second set late. In the deciding set, Rybakina elevated her return game, breaking Sabalenka’s serve twice to race away with the final frame 6-2. Beyond capturing her third career Grand Slam title, the win ensures Rybakina will officially ascend to World No. 1 in the WTA rankings, ending Sabalenka’s 99-week reign at the top of women's tennis.