Zverev and Rybakina: the US Open has names now
6-3, 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-2. 6-4, 5-7, 6-2. Flushing Meadows is finished.
Why this fortnight matters
On 8 September the US Open was still a quarter-final tournament. On 13 September it has two singles champions. Alexander Zverev and Elena Rybakina. That is the honest close.
What actually happened, men
ATP: Zverev beat Shelton 6-3, 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-2. Official US Open scores list the same four sets, duration 3:33. Shelton had already beaten Carlos Alcaraz 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (10-7) at 3:33 a.m., the latest finish in tournament history, and Frances Tiafoe 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 in the semi-finals.
Zverev is the fourth man in the Open Era to win his first two Grand Slam titles in the same season, per ATP. Roland Garros in June. New York in September. The American men’s Slam drought since Andy Roddick here in 2003 is still the drought.
What actually happened, women
Reuters and CBS: Rybakina beat Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 on Saturday. Third major, first US Open, new world No. 1. CBS: she dropped three points on serve in the third set and closed with a 12th ace after a double fault on the first championship point. Prize $5.5 million.
Sabalenka had won this tournament in 2024 and 2025. A three-peat would have sat with Serena Williams and Chris Evert. It did not happen.
The road that got them here
Tiafoe beat Michelsen 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (10-6) after trailing two sets and 0-3 in the fifth, per ATP. Sabalenka had beaten Linda Noskova 7-6 (7-1), 3-6, 7-6 (10-7) in the quarters. Those matches were the live desk on 8 September. They are results now.
Sources
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