Tennis Panorama

Tennis News and Information, Tournament Coverage and Features

tournament coverage

Alexander Zverev Defeats Ben Shelton to Win the US Open for the First Time for his Second Major Title This Year

· ·

Alexander Zverev hits a forehand during a Men’s Singles match on Day Five of the 2026 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Thursday, September 3, 2026 in Flushing, NY. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/USTA)

(September 13, 2026) FLUSHING MEADOWS, NY – World No. 2 and top seed Alexander Zverev has won his first US Open with a 6-3, 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-2 win over No. 8 Ben Shelton. For the German, it’s his first US Open title and second major of the year and his career.

Zverev was just two points from losing his first-round match against Lorenzo Sonego.

Shelton, 23, was making his debut in a major final, trying to become the first American man since Andy Roddick in 2003 to win a major.

Zverev was in the US Open final in 2020, when he lost a heartbreaker of a final against Austria’s Dominic Thiem, when the German was two points away from the trophy.

This was Zverev’s sixth career major final; he’s 2-4 overall.

He has become the fifth active men’s player to win multiple major titles after Novak Djokovic (24), Carlos Alcaraz (7), Jannik Sinner (5) and Stan Wawrinka (3).

He is now the 18th No. 1 seed to win the US Open men’s singles title in 58 editions in the Open Era.

Zverev got on top of the American’s serve from the get-go, breaking serve to open the match and then again in the ninth game, courtesy of the gift of a double fault by Shelton, taking the set 6-3. Shelton had 31 unforced errors in the set.

In the second set, both men held firm to get to a tiebreaker. Zverev ran up the score to 5-0 and didn’t look back. Shelton’s unforced errors on his forehand held him from gains in the set overall. Zverev won 92% of his first serve points.

Ben Shelton in action during a Men’s Singles match on Day Eight of the 2026 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Sunday, September 6, 2026 in Flushing, NY. (Photo by Ben Solomon/USTA)

In the third set, Shelton looked as though he had the chance to get to a break point in the seventh game of the set at 30-30, and up at the net, but a backhand passing shot winner from Zverev in a 19-shot rally, which Shelton dove for the volley and fell to the court.

In the twelfth game, Shelton finally broke through on Zverev’s serve to win the set 7-5.

Shelton won 90% of his first-serve points, and his unforced errors dropped to just 7.

In the fourth set, Zverev opened the set with a break and earned a second break to win the set and the match in four sets.

More to follow….

Share

Elena Rybakina Stops Two-Time Defending Champion Aryna Sabalenka to Win her First US Open Trophy for Her Third Major Title

· ·

(September 12, 2026) FLUSHING MEADOWS, NY – Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina opened the major tournament season on the hard courts of the Australian Open, and they ended the major tournament season on the hard courts of the US Open, with Rybakina again taking the title 6-4, 5-7, 6-2. Rybakina holds two of the four major titles this year.

Sabalenka, 28, of Belarus was the No. 1 seed, but will relinquish her top spot to Rybakina on Monday.

The 27-year-old Kazakh stopped Sabalenka’s 19-match winning streak at the US Open with the victory.

This was the third US Open women’s singles final between World No.1 and World No.2 since 2000.

“Well, it’s going to be very different to wake up next morning knowing that you won just US Open, achieved No. 1 ranking, and it’s kind of relief, you know, because you do all the routines for the past two, three weeks. It’s a lot of work, a lot of nerves also,” Rybakina said to the media. “I feel that it’s going to be amazing to wake up knowing that you achieved such big things.”

“I always believed that it’s possible. We’ve been having great results. Of course, not every year is the same. I won Wimbledon in 2022. Then I wasn’t winning the slams, but I played final of Australian Open the next year. I think we were always there.

“Of course, on your path you learn a lot, a lot of things happening. I feel like now I have a great team, great people around me, and we just continue the work. It finally paid off, and I’m super happy, very proud.

“It’s never easy. Even now I finish here, I rest, I celebrate, and then still the tournaments are coming up. You still need to play. You still need to compete with the same players, and you still need to do your best.

“Yeah, it’s an amazing journey, and hopefully I can continue stay at the top as long as possible.”

For Sabalenka, this was her fourth straight US Open final: she lost to Coco Gauff in 2023, won the next two, and lost the current one to Rybakina.

Rybakina entered the tournament with a big question mark about her health after a foot injury that hampered her play early on. She injured herself during the Cincinnati Open.

“Well, it wasn’t the best time, for sure, because I was so upset,” said Rybakina. “I didn’t know actually how it’s going to be day by day. We arrive to New York. We did MRI. It didn’t look that great. We had to talk with a lot of doctors to get opinion what we should do.

“I was lucky enough to have very good doctor. She’s in Australia. She was on the phone with us all the time, and somehow with the team we made a plan, and we were sticking to it, every day discussing what we can do.

“Yeah, for seven days I was just going from my hotel room to the gym, three hours there spending, a lot of recovery, treatments. Yeah, couple dinners to also a little bit switch the mind.

“We went first day I think when we arrived to the cinema. Yeah, after that, I just continued to work, but unfortunately, not on the court.”

“I’m obviously not really happy with the level I played today, but she served incredible,” Sabalenka said in her media conference. “She played really aggressive, great tennis. Yeah, she was simply a better player today than me.”

“I think overall I should be happy with the level I played, and there’s lots of things to take from this tournament. I mean, as experience shows, that I only come back stronger and all of these lessons this season definitely already made me stronger, but definitely going to motivate me for the next year to do better job.”

“I think anyway when you go out there, you have target on your back. Doesn’t matter if you are No. 1, No. 2, 3, 4, whatever it is.

“I’ll just keep working hard and keep improving my tennis, my level. Hopefully I will win some more tournaments.”

“We have a great rivalry. We play a lot of great matches, great finals this season. Yeah, her serve is amazing, the way she able to step in and overpower you on court, and especially if it’s a US Open court where it’s super fast, definitely huge advantage for her.

“A lot of things makes her dangerous.”

Aryna Sabalenka in action during a Women’s Singles match on Day Two of the 2026 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Monday, August 31, 2026 in Flushing, NY. (Photo by Darren Carroll/USTA)

“I feel like the match was so close,’ said Rybakina. “Even first set I got early break. Then it was kind of a little bit easier to step in, to be aggressive.

“Then in the second we were going both, like, each game. We were taking our serve. I feel like she just played in these same important moments more aggressive. Yeah, she just went for the shots.

“I had some little opportunities. Made couple of mistakes. But then in the third set, I told myself that I can still do it. I need to focus on my serve and just risk a little bit more when I have the chance.”

Sabalenka saved three break points while serving at 1-1, in the first set, then recovered to hold for 2-1 with an ace. In the fifth game, Rybakina broke through to take a 3-2 lead as Sabalenka double-faulted. Sabalenka launched a ball into the crowd and was given a ball abuse warning from the umpire. Sabalenka fought off a break point in the sixth game but held on for 3-4.

Sabalenka saved a set point in the tenth game, but the Kazakh held on to the game and captured the set 6-4, despite only serving at 28% first serves.

Sabalenka finally got her first break points in the tenth game of the second set, which were set points, but failed to capitalize on them, and Rybakina dug out of the hole to hold for 5-5. Sabalenka finally broke serve to take the second set and send the match to a decider.

https://twitter.com/usopen/status/2098899177258328080?s=20

Rybakina stepped up her serve and her play overall, breaking Sabalenka twice to claim the US Open trophy with an ace to win 6-4, 5-7, 6-2.

Rybakina earned $5.5 million dollars for her win, the largest prize in major tournament history.

“I honestly was coming here for last ten years, and it was never successful, and I’m starting to like New York more and more,” said Rybakina.

More to follow…

Share

Top Seed Zverev Will Meet No. 8 Shelton for the US Open Title

· ·

Ben Shelton hits a backhand during a Men’s Singles quarterfinal match on Day Ten of the 2026 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Tuesday, September 8, 2026 in Flushing, NY. (Photo by Darren Carroll/USTA)

(September 11, 2026) FLUSHING MEADOWS, NY – It will be No. 1 Alexander Zverev vs. No. 8 Ben Shelton for the US Open title on Sunday.

Friday saw the top seed from Germany win in straight sets against former top-10 player and former semifinalist Karen Khachanov, 6-3, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (6), in the first semifinal.

The Friday night session semifinal saw an all-American battle, with Shelton, 23, winning 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 over No. 11 Frances Tiafoe.

“I wanted to be in a Grand Slam final. Obviously it was a big match,” Tiafoe, 28, said. “Ben played well tonight. Served really well tonight, which made it really tough on me.”

“On Foe, he’s like a big brother to me,” Shelton said. “To be honest, every time that we get to take this court together, Arthur Ashe, and play each other is super special. This is where we want to be: at the tail end of this tournament.”

“Hopefully I can not make the American dream come true on Sunday,” Zverev said to the media.

The last American man to win a major was Andy Roddick when he won the US Open in 2003, Shelton was only a few months old at the time.

“This is where we want to be: at the tail end of this tournament,” said Shelton.  “This is both of our favorite tournament in the world, our favorite court in the world and to be able to light it up in front of (this crowd) is the best feeling that there is.”

Zverev is 5-0 against Shelton. Zverev is looking for his second major title of the year, after winning the French Open in June.

Share

Four Americans Reach US Open Junior Finals

· ·

Marcel Latak reacts during a Junior Boys’ Singles semifinal match on Day Thirteen of the 2026 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Friday, September 11, 2026 in Flushing, NY. (Photo by Rhea Nall/USTA)

(September 11, 2026) USTA – Four American juniors – two girls and two boys – have advanced to the junior finals at the US Open. 

Marcel Latak (17; Darien, Illinois) has advanced to both the boys’ singles and doubles finals. He will face Junior World No.1 and first seed Luis Guto Miguel of Brazil in the singles final. He and doubles partner Tanishk Konduri (17; Cupertino, CA) will face France’s Aaron Gabet and Spain’s Valentin Gonzalez-Galino in the boys’ doubles final. The last American to achieve the singles and doubles sweep at a Grand Slam was Robin Montgomery at the 2021 US Open. 

On the girls’ side, the Penickova sisters, Kristina (17; Campbell, CA) and Annika (16; Campbell, CA) will face Polina Berezina and Alisa Terentyeva in the girls’ doubles final. 

All four matches are scheduled for Saturday, September 12.

Share

Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend Win US Open Women’s Doubles Title to Complete Career Grand Slam as a Team

· ·

(September, 11, 2026) FLUSHING MEADOWS, NY – Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend won the US Open Women’s Doubles by defeating the wild card team of Americans Robin Montgomery and Ashlyn Krueger 5-7, 6-0, 6-2 on Friday afternoon.

For the top seeds, this completed their career Grand Slam as a team. Siniakova already has a personal Golden Slam, one of only seven women to complete it, which also includes Barbora Krejcikova, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Gigi Fernandez, Pam Shriver, and Sara Errani.

Townsend is the only mother ever to accomplish this feat.

In the 1-hour-and-53-minute comeback, it also made Siniakova a two-time career Grand Slam winner. She also won all four major tournaments with her former longtime partner, Krejcikova.

Siniakova and Townsend teamed up for the first time at 2024 Rome and in just their third event together, they won the 2024 Wimbledon title. Last month, they became the first players to qualify for the 2026 WTA Finals Indian Wells.
“There was lot of nerves,” Siniakova said post-match on court. “We were really fighting for this one, so I’m just really proud. We did it.”

“Very proud I think of our team, how we managed to do it,” Siniakova said to open their media conference. “It’s really tough to find any words. I’m just really happy that we managed to win the title, and I think the match was very tight, very tough for us. But, yeah, we found a way to win it. We found a solution.

“So I’m just really happy that we have this one, and we can celebrate it together.”

The finalists, Montgomery and Krueger, won the junior girls’ US Open doubles title five years ago and last teamed up in 2023. Montgomery also won the junior girls singles title that year.

They came into the tournament ranked in the 600s in doubles.

“We put (the wild card) to really good use,” Krueger said.

Krueger and Montgomery talked about their road to the final , which included beating the second and ninth seeds, and about what they learned along the way.

Krueger said: “I mean, I think it takes a lot of grit. We were down match points, and there were a couple of matches where it was very close, and it could have totally not gone our way. You know, we both made up our mind to kind of keep fighting and be uncomfortable and continue to play and be aggressive.

“So in those moments, like, just remembering and reminding each other of that I think was super big. So that translates not only in doubles, but in singles, and I think that’s a really good lesson for us to learn.”

Montgomery: “I think we also learned that we have each other, and I think this past two weeks brought us even closer together.

“I think if, as Ashy said, in matches it could have gone either way, there were definitely moments, but we were both willing to commit to being uncomfortable with each other. During that process, it got, in a way, for us, if I’m not going to do it for myself, I’m going to do it for Ash, and vice versa. I think that really helped us become closer and then also work more together and bring that energy on the court.”

Townsend, 30, was a No. 1 Junior in 2012, the singles and doubles titles at the 2012 Australian Open.

Montgomery is a part of JTCC, Junior Tennis Champions Center, home to the same place where semifinalist Frances Tiafoe trained, who plays on Ashe Stadium later on Friday. This was the first time that both Krueger and Montgomery in the main stadium at the US Open.

“I mean, playing on Ashe is amazing. I think the atmosphere, especially today, was amazing. Honestly, I’m very glad I got to experience that with Ash. Well, Ashlyn. Sorry (laughing).

“I’m very grateful for being able to compete on that court. It’s an amazing experience, and I’ll always remember it.

“As for College Park, obviously it’s great that I was able to compete today on it and Frances is going to play on it later. I think they’re just like a second family. JTCC will always hold a place in Frances’ heart and my heart. I think seeing him do well, as well as Hailey and all of us coming out of there, it just motivates each other even more.

“I’m just glad I made it to the second week to still be with Frances, but I think it’s just community and family. We all push each other just to be better and try to strive for the top.”

“I’m really proud of us,” said Krueger. I think the last two weeks have been amazing for both of us, and really happy that I got to do it with Robin.”

Townsend talked about how they first got together as a team. They first played together in Rome in 2024 and went on to win Wimbledon next.

“We got together through a DM. I always say it. Guys, don’t be scared to slide in the DMs.

“But, yeah, I mean, it was unfortunate. Storm had gotten injured, so Kat was looking for a partner. I was already set with someone, but I was, like, I can’t pass up on this. She’s the best in the world.

“Then even our first year was crazy, because I got injured, so we weren’t even able to play as much as we thought we were going to play. We ended up winning Wimbledon that year and then continued since.

“I mean, what I’ve learned, she’s the best for a reason. I’ve learned more about her as a person. I’ve always had the best success with people who I am friends with and who I enjoy both on the court and off the court.

“I think today, more than a lot of the matches that I’ve played in a while, has been one of those days, because I was really nervous. I told Kat in the first set — we were down 4-1 or 5-2 or something like that — I was, just, like, I’m so nervous, and I’m just tight, and I’m not moving, and I’m not swinging. She just helped me up.

“She talked me through it and helped me to relax and helped me to feel like it’s okay. She kept telling me, It’s okay, it’s normal, it’s fine, it’s a final, it’s okay, you’ll find it.

“I think that’s what I’ve learned is just being able to have someone on my side that is able to help me through these situations and through these moments, and it helps to have someone that’s been here so many times and who has been able to get over the hump — what is it, 12 — 12 times.

“That’s the most important, and being able to feel comfortable enough to speak up and say, This is what I’m feeling, I’m sorry I’m playing like crap, I’m sorry, this is what I’m feeling, and being able to work together as a team to figure that out.

“So that has taken time. It’s taken experiences for us to be able to be comfortable with each other, to be able to speak that way, because you don’t want to feel that way. You want to be able to play your best and hold each other up and present strongly in a Grand Slam final after fighting so hard to get there.

“She really helped me through these moments. Yeah, I think it’s an invaluable thing to have, because that’s where the experience comes in in someone who has been so accomplished and so decorated in the sport. That’s what makes the difference, at least for me.”

“Of course, when I was finding a partner, I needed someone who was playing deuce, right, and I was playing, not few, a lot of times against Taylor, and I knew she can play, like, both sides,” said Siniakova.

“But definitely I felt that she knows what’s doubles. She knew what’s, like, to be at the net, and she wasn’t afraid. So when I was trying to text her, I knew that if I’m going to, you know, take her and we going to play together, definitely she can be really good doubles player.

“It was really good that we could get to know each other. Yeah, definitely Wimbledon show it. So for me I guess was Wimbledon, because we did play one tournament in Rome. Then, yeah, we didn’t play Paris, but Wimbledon, that was it.

“I mean, I knew it’s there. We just need to practice more and get to know each other more and kind of get, you know, the team working. For me, it was beginning.”

Townsend responded to Siniakova : “When she texted me, I already knew because she was a problem for me on the other side, and I was pissed. I’m, like, if I could have her on my side, great, amazing.”

Townsend was asked about the importance of this day, especially for Black American players, and about her, Montgomery, and the night match between Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton.

“I would say that I was fortunate enough to be around Donald Young, and he was a really successful junior and had great success in his career. His parents were my first coaches.

“My first memory was when he won Junior Wimbledon, and he came back and brought the trophy. Then he won — well, he won Junior Australian, and he brought the trophy back with the little stuffed kangaroo. I was, like, How cool, I want to do that.

“So, like, I was fortunate enough to have someone immediately close to me, and he came back and would practice with us. So I looked at him as someone that I wanted to, like, do what he was doing.

“But then when I looked at the women’s game and I saw the Williams sisters, and I saw, like — I remember one of my favorite players was Angie Haynes. I felt like everything that she was was kind of like me. Like, she wore a bandana, she was lefty, had a whip on the ball, like played with sauce. I was, like, Oh, she’s kind of dope.

“I think that being able to see people like sprinkled in there, I think that I always speak about representation, like, you only need one. You need somebody to be able to see that it’s possible, that you can. I’ve said this where if you don’t see it, then it’s harder to believe it, but also, you have to be a certain type of person to want to take on that feat and say, Well, I’m going to carve this path for myself or for someone else or for the others who come after me.

“So for me, I’m so proud to be able to click on the TV and watch Frances and Ben, and one of them is going to be able to be in a Grand Slam final, and that’s a beautiful thing. You know, Robin, myself, you know, it’s been Coco, it’s been a phenomenal US Open for people of color, and just being able to show people, like, it’s possible, you know?

“But we’re not the first; we’re definitely not going to be the last. Even being here and being able to watch even the juniors, and I’m, like, Wow, there are so many more people than even when I was coming up.

“So it’s just such a beautiful thing to see, because the more that I can be out here and present authentically myself and inspire people to pick up a racquet and try something that they never tried or feel like they can or that it’s possible or give the inspiration that they want to do it and say, Hey, like, I want to try this, then that’s what it’s about.

“It’s about paying it forward and inspiring the next generation, because our time is finite. It’s very short when you think about it in terms of the longevity of life, right? The tennis career is very short.

“So I want to have the biggest impact that I can, and if that’s being able to just be out here and be myself and show people that there’s an alternate path or you don’t have to conform or you don’t have to look like everyone else, act like everyone else, talk like everyone else, and you can be you and still successful, then it’s a win for me.

“I also take a lot of pride in that being a mom and having a son who looks at me, and I constantly try and pour into him to know that you’re enough, you’re beautiful, you’re amazing, you’re strong, you’re a light, and just be you. Being you is enough.

“So, yeah, I mean, I don’t know. I hope that whatever that I’m doing is having that ripple effect. I see it. I feel it, and I’m trying to lean into it more, because I get so much love and so much support.

“I take a lot of pride in it, and I’m going to continue to do what I can and show up as myself every single day.”

More to follow….

https://twitter.com/usopen/status/2098479650506698757?s=20
Share
© by TennisPanorama 2014 and beyond