Serena's return to Rybakina's first -- Most memorable moments at US Open 2026
This was one of the most exciting Grand Slams of recent times
New York does not do quiet fortnights, and US Open 2026 was no exception. With a record prize pool of $108 million on the line, the tournament arrived with more questions than answers.
Jannik Sinner of Italy had withdrawn with a knee injury before a ball was struck, Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz was easing back from months out with a wrist problem, and the usual hierarchy at the top of the men’s game looked shakier than it had in years. On the women’s side, the top seeds performed incredibly well and dominated the field.
There were matches that stretched until sunrise was near, qualifiers ripped up the script, and moments that had nothing to do with trophies but still brought Arthur Ashe Stadium to its feet. Here are the five moments from Flushing Meadows that will be talked about for a long time.
Elena Rybakina wins maiden US Open title
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Three weeks before the tournament even began, Elena Rybakina’s US Open looked in serious doubt. Trailing 4-1 in her Cincinnati quarterfinal against Poland’s Iga Swiatek, she pulled up in pain with a left ankle injury, played out one more hopeless point, and retired on the spot.
“It’s painful to walk, and we will know more tomorrow when I do the MRI,” the Kazakh admitted later. She arrived at Flushing Meadows with that cloud still hanging over her and played some of the best tennis of her career.
She brushed aside two-time US Open champion Naomi Osaka of Japan 6-1, 6-4 in just 66 minutes in the fourth round, then survived a scare against China’s Qinwen Zheng, dropping the opening set before recovering 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 to book her place in the semi-finals and secure the top ranking.
Next came Coco Gauff, the hometown favourite, in front of a raucous crowd of more than 20,000 that wanted nothing more than to see Rybakina go home. She lost the opener 3-6 before grinding out a 6-4, 6-4 finish that few gave her a chance of pulling off.
In the final, she faced two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, a rival who had beaten her in each of their last two meetings. Rybakina had no interest in a third straight loss, closing out a 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 win to claim her third Grand Slam and maiden title in Flushing Meadows. This has to go down as one of the best Grand Slam runs in recent times.
Related: List of records Alexander Zverev broke at US Open 2026
Pierce Brosnan’s perfectly timed cameo
It was a moment of television magic when ESPN’s broadcast cut to former James Bond star Pierce Brosnan, with the match clock showing 0:07. The perfectly timed shot played on Bond’s iconic association with the number 007, leaving fans amused and turning a routine broadcast moment into one of the tournament’s most memorable cameos.
Qinwen Zheng’s qualifying heroics
In 2024, Zheng was an Olympic champion and a top-five player. Then, elbow surgery sidelined her for the second half of 2025, knocking her out of the top 100. The Chinese star had to battle through qualifying to make the main draw.
What followed was one of the most improbable runs the tournament has seen in years. Down 5-0 in the deciding set against former major champion Madison Keys of the USA, Zheng somehow won seven straight games to steal the match.
A couple of days later in the pre-quarterfinals against Swiatek, she fell behind 0-5 in the opening set and staged another comeback to win 7-5, 6-3, becoming the first qualifier to reach the US Open quarter-finals since Emma Raducanu’s in 2021. She even gave the eventual winner Rybakina a huge scare.
Carlos Alcaraz vs Ben Shelton classic
Carlos Alcaraz and Ben Shelton needed four hours and 28 minutes to separate themselves in a quarter-final that shattered records, with the American eventually prevailing in five sets at 3:33 AM, the latest finish in tournament history.
The Spaniard was playing his first event since April because of a wrist injury and struggled physically as the match went the distance. This ended his title defence and an 18-match Grand Slam winning streak.
Stan Wawrinka’s farewell
Stan Wawrinka’s final US Open appearance produced plenty of drama against Italy’s Matteo Berrettini. The Swiss won a dramatic point in the second set after a lengthy video review determined whether he had made contact with the ball twice on a volley. The Italian protested the call, and the shot was eventually confirmed as legal.
The two players later stood arm-in-arm and shared a laugh before Berrettini paid tribute to Wawrinka after the match, pointing his racket at the Swiss veteran. Wawrinka eventually lost 7-6(4), 7-6(3), 6-0, but the result mattered little as the crowd gave the three-time Grand Slam champion a fitting farewell.
A blend of Compassion and sportsmanship spirit on court between players
Some heartwarming gestures were also displayed after hard-fought battles. Defeats are never easy to digest in a Grand Slam. Some of the players won not just matches, but also the hearts of fans and everyone involved.
After coming back from two sets down and a break to reach the semi-finals, Frances Tiafoe of the USA halted his own celebration to console a visibly emotional fellow American, Alex Michelsen, at the net. Russia’s Mirra Andreeva showed another instance of incredible sportsmanship by helping Anastasia Potapova of Austria when she injured herself in the fourth round.
The return of Serena Williams
It had nothing to do with a trophy, but it may have produced the competition’s loudest ovation. USA’s Serena Williams stepped onto the Arthur Ashe Stadium for the first time since her tearful farewell in 2022, partnering with Alcaraz in the mixed doubles.
The pairing breezed through their opener against Erin Routliffe and Lloyd Glasspool, including a 120mph ace by Williams, before falling in the quarter-finals to Flavio Cobolli and Belinda Bencic.
Serena then took the stage alongside sister Venus Williams, with the duo losing to the 14th seed duo of Maya Joint/Chan Hao-ching in the final set tie-break.
Who won the US Open 2026 women’s singles title?
Elena Rybakina won the US Open 2026 women’s singles title, her first of the event.
Who was the defending men’s singles champion at US Open 2026?
Carlos Alcaraz was the defending men’s singles champion at the US Open 2026.
How far did Serena Williams progress at the US Open 2026 singles competition?
Serena Williams did not feature in the singles draw. While she lost in the opening round of the doubles with her sister Venus, she reached the quarter-finals of the mixed doubles with Alcaraz.
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