Sunday, September 13, 2026

New York, New York...




The festivities are over. Now comes the clean-up.









=DAY 15 NOTES=
...in the week's three 125 events, Pastry Fiona Ferro won her second of the season, defeating Noma Noha Akugue 6-1/6-2 in Montreux (SUI).



In Antalya, Bulgarian Rositsa Dencheva defeated Alevtina Ibragimova 7-5/6-4. It's the 19-year old's biggest career title.



And in Barranquilla, Colombia, Bannerette Claire Liu defeated Anna Blinkova 6-0/2-6/7-5 to claim her first 125 crown since 2022, matching her biggest career title. Liu rallied from 5-2 down in the 3rd, saving 5 MP on return in game 8 and ultimately sweeping the final five games of the match.





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1. Elena Rybakina, KAZ ...the newly #1-ranked Kazakh put her foot down in New York, officially taking the lead in the singles "Player of the Year" conversation by winning her first U.S. Open title to claim a *second* major in a '26 season in which the current world #2-through-#4 (+Iga Swiatek) have all gone slam-less. Rybakina went 15-2 on summer hard courts but, in a quirky footnote, she was 0-2 vs. Swiatek, falling in the Toronto final and retiring in the Cincy QF vs. the Pole.
2. Coco Gauff, USA ...Gauff's level of play traveled up and down, and all across, the spectrum, from exalted to cover-your-eyes. But the one thing she did more than anything else was *win*, as in taking the title in Cincinnati, as well as reaching the Toronto and U.S. Open SF (her second straight final four run in a major). While Sabalenka will see Rybakina in her dreams/nightmares, it should also be noted that Coco was 14-0 against everyone not named Elena on summer hard courts, but 0-2 vs. the Kazakh.
3. Katerina Siniakova, CZE ...who *wouldn't* want to play doubles with Siniakova? I mean, other than anyone associated with the USTA, I guess, as the doubles #1 was forced to *qualify* for the U.S. Open's now-annual desecration of the MX major ideal (even when paired with the ATP's doubles #1). With her pair of doubles crowns this summer, in Toronto (w/ Zhang Shuai) and New York (w/ Townsend), the Czech improved to 7-0 in '26 doubles finals (she's won 9 straight finals back to last year, and is 11-1 since the start of '25). She completed a Career Doubles Slam with Townsend at the Open, making her the first doubles player to ever do so with *two* different partners (Krejcikova).
4. Siniakova/Townsend, CZE/USA ...I hope Townsend treats Siniakova to (at least) a nice birthday dinner come next spring, for the Czech has completely altered the course of the Bannerette's career. Before teaming with Siniakova, Townsend was a very good doubles players who'd reached but lost a pair of major WD finals. With Siniakova, in a little more than two years, she's spent time as the WD #1 (for 8 weeks in summer '25, briefly overtaking and then being replaced in the top spot by, naturally, Siniakova), while they won the Sunshine Double together (this year) and completed a Career Doubles Slam, joining with her Hall of Fame-bound partner to finish off their team set of slam trophies with a win this week at the U.S. Open.
5. Yui Kamiji, JPN (WC) ...no wheelchair player had ever really had a "second act" at the top until Kamiji. A #1-ranked star more than a decade ago before the rise of the historically dominant Diede de Groot, who went 15-0 vs. the Japanese player in major finals from 2018-24, Kamiji has climbed *back* into the top spot on the WC tour while the Dutch star has been slowed following '24 hip surgery. At the U.S. Open, she defeated de Groot in a second straight major final, winning in NYC for a fourth time and second straight year. Kamiji has swept the s/d titles at back-to-back majors, winning the U.S. Open's WC doubles with Zhu Zhenzhen as the pair collected a *third* consecutive slam title in '26.
6. Iga Swiatek, POL ...Swiatek's career of late has consisted of continual swappings of either good or bad (at least in perception) stretches. This summer, she ended an 11-month final drought (after having also ended a year-long such stretch *last* summer just prior to winning Wimbledon) with a title run in Toronto (def. Rybakina for the crown), her first career title in the alternating-Canadian-city 1000 event. A good SF run in her title defense attempt in Cincinnati gave her momentum heading into the U.S. Open, where things were going pretty well until she held a 5-0 1st set lead vs. Zheng Qinwen in the 4th Round before she was suddenly dumped from the event in straight sets. The question of her 4Q: will another final/title drought ensue, or will she circle back with some much-needed late-season success to carry into '27?
7. Aryna Sabalenka, BLR ...Sabalenka's post-Sunshine Double stretch of final-less tennis reached seven tournaments before the U.S. Open, with back-to-back 4th Round exits in Toronto and Cincinnati (after a 4r loss at Wimbledon). While she wasn't able to "salvage" her slam season again with a title run at Flushing Meadows, and she'll lose her #1 ranking after a 99-straight week stint at the top, Sabalenka *did* hit her way into yet another final, her fourth straight in New York and eighth in a row in the 2023-26 hard court majors. She's now gone 1-4 in slam finals the last two seasons.
8. Jessie Pegula, USA ...Pegula was always *right there* this hard court summer, just also *not quite there*, reaching but losing finals in Washington and Cincinnati, showing up in New York with a *chance* to be #1, and then being virtually run over by Sabalenka in the U.S. Open semis as she simply maintained her #3 ranking. Still, the Bannerette veteran put up her third straight SF+ result in New York, completing a 15-4 HC summer, and finished off her '26 slam campaign with a pair of SF (w/ AO) in a single season for the first time.
HM- Mirra Andreeva/RUS, Sara Bejlek/CZE, Bouzkova/Noskova (CZE/CZE), Alex Eala/PHI, Barbora Krejcikova/CZE, Kristina Liutova/RUS, Maia Lumsden/GBR (WD), Karolina Muchova/CZE (MX), Emma Navarro/USA, Linda Noskova/CZE, Diane Parry/FRA, Siniakova/Zhang (CZE/CHN), Sun Xinran/CHN (jr.), Lilli Tagger/AUT, Zheng Qinwen/CHN



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1. Elena Rybakina, KAZ
...Rybakina carried over her late 2025 surge into '26 with a title run at the Australian Open. An up-and-down spring/summer that saw her lose on both ends of the Sunshine Swing to Sabalenka (F/SF), have a disappointing grass season (3-3, w/ 3r Wimbledon loss) and an early RG exit (2r), though her title on indoor clay in Stuttgart at least partially salvaged the middle part of her season. Rybakina rediscovered her hard court form during the summer but, after a Toronto runner-up result, a foot/heel injury in Cincinnati left her prospects in doubt at the U.S. Open. The Kazakh removed all doubt, though, winning her first crown in New York, a second '26 major (in a season in which so many top names won zero) and repositioned herself atop the WTA rankings as the tour's 30th #1-ranked singles player.

2. Katerina Siniakova, CZE
...7-0 in doubles finals with a pair of partners -- 5-0 w/ Taylor Townsend and 2-0 w/ Zhang Shuai -- Siniakova has tacked on additional items to her long career resume in 2026: two more majors (RG/US, giving her 12 WD wins in her career) and her first Sunshine Double (all w/ Townsend), two more 1000 wins (Madrid/Toronto, one each w/ Townsend and Zhang), a Career Doubles Slam with a *second* partner (a tennis first) and, on Monday, reaching 200 career weeks as the doubles #1 (behind only Navratilova's 237). Another #1 WD season would give Siniakova three straight such finishes, five in six years and what would be a record sixth year as the season-ending #1.

3. Siniakova/Townsend, CZE/USA
...hmmm, a Sunshine Double in Indian Wells/Miami *and* a pair of slam wins in Paris and New York, completing a Career Slam for the pair. Pretty good.

4. Yui Kamiji, JPN (WC)
...the 32-year old, now a dozen years since she claimed her first major titles, reclaimed the top spot in WC tennis last year and has held onto it all year through '26, winning five of eight slam titles this season (WI/US singles, RG/WI/US doubles), five of eight in singles since the start of '25, while also playing on a newly-even competitive field (if not more, going 3-2 vs. her this year) with longtime rival Diede de Groot. After being without a win against her in a slam final since 2018, going 2-16 in 18 finals, Kamiji has defeated her in the last two in London (completing a Career Golden Slam) and New York.

5. Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
...she didn't take home a slam win in '26, but reached a pair of major finals to go along with her Sunshine Double combo in Indian Wells/Miami. Still #2, a solid-or-better (i.e. Rybakina '25-like) 4Q could still add some depth to a good year and maybe, maybe, put some pressure on Rybakina for the top ranking, if not this season then when the new #1 seeks to defend her AO crown in Janaury.

H.M.- Mirra Andreeva/RUS (RG champ), Coco Gauff/USA (2 slam SF, Cincy W), Kamiiji-Zhu/JPN-CHN (3 WC slam WD), Marta Kostyuk/UKR (2 slam SF, Madrid W), Karolina Muchova/CZE (Wimb.F, US MX, Doha 1000), Linda Noskova/CZE (Wimb.champ), Jessie Pegula/USA (2 slam SF, Dubai 1000), Elina Svitolina/UKR (slam SF, Rome W)










*WOMEN'S SINGLES FINAL*
#2 Elena Rybakina/KAZ def. #1 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR 6-4/5-7/6-2

*WOMEN'S DOUBLES FINAL*
#1 Siniakova/Townsend (CZE/USA) def. (WC) Krueger/Montgomery (USA/USA) 5-7/6-0/6-2

*MIXED DOUBLES FINAL*
Karolina Muchova/Jakub Mensik (CZE/CZE) def. #4 Belinda Bencic/Flavio Cobolli (SUI/ITA) 6-3/1-6 [10-6]

*GIRLS SINGLES FINAL*
#1 Sun Xinran/CHN def. #5 Anna Pushkareva/RUS 6-4/4-6/6-0

*GIRLS DOUBLES FINAL*
(WC) A.Penickova/K.Penickova (USA/USA) def. Berezina/Terentyeva (RUS/RUS) 7-6(11)/6-3

*WHEELCHAIR SINGLES FINAL*
#1 Yui Kamiji/JPN def. #2 Diede de Groot/NED 6-2/1-6/6-3

*WHEELCHAIR DOUBLES FINAL*
#1 Kamiji/Zhu (JPN/CHN) def. Guo/Ohtani (CHN/JPN) 6-1/6-2

*WHEELCHAIR JUNIOR SINGLES FINAL*
#1 Seira Matsuoka/JPN def. #2 Luna Gryp/BEL 7-6(3)/6-3

*WHEELCHAIR JUNIOR DOUBLES FINAL*
#1 PM Lopez Meza/Matsuoka (COL/JPN) def. #2 Gjerseth/Heald (SWE/USA) 6-4/6-3









...THE RYBAKINA WAY... ON DAY 15:





...THE NIGHT AFTER THE DAY... ON DAY 15:


"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." --Elena Rybakina #USOpen #WTA

— Diane Elayne Dees (@womenwhoserve.bsky.social) September 12, 2026 at 6:51 PM



...DIANE'S TOP 10 IS HERE!... ON DAY 15:


My U.S. Open top 10 womenwhoserve.blogspot.com/2026/09/my-u... #USOpen #WTA

[image or embed]

— Diane Elayne Dees (@womenwhoserve.bsky.social) September 13, 2026 at 10:49 AM



...THE BIGGEST REVELATION FROM LAST NIGHT? THAT MARIA MAKES ELENA LOOK ALMOST "LITTLE" (who knew?)... ON DAY 15:





...SPEAKING OF MARIA... ON DAY 15:





...SO, DID THEY PLAY THE MEN'S FINAL?... ON DAY 15:


I honestly totally forgot that it was even supposed to happen today until three hours after it was to have started. Suicidal scheduling vs. the NFL's opening Sunday slate.






...with the new rankings coming out on Monday, a quick update on the new state of things (NOTE: some Monday standings might be a spot or two off because, you know, the WTA refuses to provide offical "live" rankings, and some running ranking sites often have conflicting numbers)...

* - TOP 10: new #1 Elena Rybakina's title in New York gives her a significant cushion over #2 Aryna Sabalenka for any potential challenge for the the year-end top spot, with her lead at 2026 points rather than the just over 600 it'd been had Sabalenka completed her three-peat.

With a big gap between the Top 4 and #5 Mirra Andreeva (RG champ) and #6 Linda Noskova (Wimbledon champ), the year-end Top 4 will likely include three non-major winners -- Sabalenka, #3 Jessie Pegula and #4 Coco Gauff -- on the season.

The race for #2-through-#4 is on, though, as Sabalenka holds just a 610-point edge on Pegula, who leads Gauff by 21.

In one of the weirdly under-reported rankings developments of the past week, Marta Kostyuk makes her Top 10 debut in the #10 spot, becoming the second Ukrainian to crack that barrier. She knocks out '25 U.S. Open finalist Amanda Anisimova.

Iga Swiatek falls to #9. Since the rankings puzzle that was 2020, when she ended at #17 (after winning her first RG), Swiatek's worst season-ending finish has been #9 in 2021. She had 1-1-2-2 finishes the last four years.

* - TOP 20: Sorana Cirstea breaks through another ranking ceiling in her final season, rising to another new career high of #15.

* - TOP 50: Cincinnati semifinalist Sara Bejlek reaches a new career high of #28, while Monterrey champ Diane Parry cracks the Top 30 (#30) for the first time.

* - TOP 100: Monday brings back-to-back-to-back new Ukrainian career-high rankings for #41 Oleksandra Oliynykova, #42 Daria Snigur and #43 Yuliia Starodubtseva.

U.S. Open quarterfinalist Zheng Qinwen makes the biggest leap in the Top 100, rising 69 spots to #52. She's a former world #4.

Meanwhile, former #2 Paula Badosa climbs 17 to #70.

Former #4 Sofia Kenin goes up 10 and re-enters the Top 100 (at #100).

* - TEEN DREAMS: Five teenagers remain in the Top 100: #5 Andreeva, #16 Iva Jovic, #46 Lilli Tagger, #59 Tereza Valentova and #81 Alina Korneeva. The first teen to come up in the rankings outside of that is Memphis champ Kristina Liutova at #114, a new career high. The 16-year old is the youngest player in the Top 400.

* - SOME WILL RISE, SOME WILL FALL: Dasha Kasatkina slips 24 more spots to #85, while Emma Raducanu falls 19 to #89 as she begins the *second* five years since her 2021 U.S. Open title.

* - DOUBLES: Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend stay #1 and #2, with Luisa Stefani clicking up one spot to a new career high of #3. Meanwhile, Siniakova now begins her 200th career week in the doubles' top spot. The Czech is just second woman to ever hold the top spot for that long.

Wimbledon WD champ Kristina Mladenovic finally completes the long road back into the doubles Top 10, rising to #10 to be included in the tour's upper ranking echelon for the first time since October 2021.

After last month rising into the doubles Top 100 at age 46, Venus Williams falls 107 spots on Monday to #208.

* - RACE UPDATE: Rybakina is the only singles player to have officially qualified for the WTA Finals, points-wise, but slam winners Andreeva (#5) and Noskova (#8) will be able to automatically qualify by way of their singles standing and major wins.

As of now, the rest of the 8-player field includes #2 Sabalenka, #3 Pegula, #4 Gauff, #6 Svitolina and #7 Muchova. #9 Kostyuk and #10 Swiatek are likely the only two players with a chance to move up.

In doubles, Siniakova/Townsend, #2 Dabrowski/Stefani and #3 Danilina/Krunic have qualified.

#4 Guo/Mladenovic seem pretty secure, as well, with #5 Schuurs/Perez, #6 Zhang/Mertens, #7 Hsieh/Ostapenko and #8 Bucsa/Melichar-Martinez currently in the Top 8.






















All for now. 3Q Backspin Awards this week.

Read more...

posted by Todd.Spiker @ 7:44 PM  0 comments

Saturday, September 12, 2026

Elena's New York State of Mind


Elena Rybakina has never been about the "flash." It's never been about the clothes or jewelry, nor the celebrations or dances. It's just been about her and her racket, and her ability to use it to cleanly blast fuzzy little balls out of the reach of her opponents.

Over the past year, no one has done it better. And today in New York, she let her racket do all the talking yet again.



Thing is, two weeks ago, the realization of the 27-year old Kazakh's "New York State of Mind" wasn't exactly a sure thing. She came into the U.S. Open nursing a foot/heel injury that had forced her retirement in Cincinnati, and kept her completely off the court for a full week just before the start of the season's final major at Flushing Meadows.

But as the #2 seed came into Saturday's final, it was already clear that it'd turned out all right for her. Just by reaching the semifinals Rybakina had already assured that she'd become the 30th woman to reach the WTA's #1 singles position on Monday, and after being excluded from the schedule on Ashe Stadium court until the QF round, despite being the reigning Australian Open champ and the "live" top-ranked woman in the world since Day 1, the Kazakh had adapted quite well to the biggest stage at the major event that least naturally fits her long-time "button-down" personality.

As for top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka, well, she virtually *belongs* in the city. The two-time defending champ, looking to become just the third woman to three-peat as U.S. Open champ in the Open era (after Chris Evert's four-year run from 1975-78, and Serena Williams' three-year stretch from 2012-14) she came into the final on a 19-match winning streak in New York, with a 25-1 record in the tournament since 2023. The Belarusian was playing in her fourth straight U.S. final, and in her eighth straight at a hard court major.

But in her most recent slam final it was Rybakina who had prevailed, erasing a 3-0 3rd set deficit in January in Melbourne to get the job done.

This "Two Hearts Beat as #1" match-up was the first in the U.S. Open final between the top two ranked women since 2013, and highlighted what has become *the* current top rivalry in the women's game, with Sabalenka and Rybakina meeting both late and often in pretty much all the biggest hard court events on the schedule.

Today's final marked the fifth meeting between the two in the five biggest hard court events of the past year, after match-ups in the WTA Finals title match, the AO final, Indian Wells final, and Miami semis. Rybakina had won in the slam and Tour Finals meetings, with Sabalenka sweeping their matches during this year's Sunshine Swing (where she completed a Sunshine Double by claiming both titles). In 2023, they'd met in both the AO and IW finals, as well, splitting the titles.



Both Sabalenka and Rybakina came out on Saturday afternoon ready for battle, and their games were firing right from the start. With a combination of power and touch, Sabalenka held to open things, ending the game with a successful drop shot. With Rybakina opening up on the ground and swingly freely and accurately (usually not a good thing for her opponents) in her first U.S. Open final, the Kazakh held and got the first opening in the set, taking a 15/40 lead in game 3. Sabalenka ultimately saved three BP in the game, holding with an ace.

Two games later, though, Rybakina got another BP chance. This time Sabalenka DF'd to fall down a break at 3-2.

With Rybakina continuing to be "in the zone," playing without an unforced error until mid-set, Sabalenka tried to hang on. After Rybakina held at love, the #2 seed reached BP again at 30/40, with Sabalenka's frustration threatening to boil over. She saved the BP with an ace, and held for 4-3.

Rybakina showed that she was human a game later, missing on multiple first serves in game 8. But Sabalenka, though she got the game to deuce, was unable to take advantage of the Kazakh's good second serve as Rybakina still managed to hold. Two games later, the Kazakh stepped to the line with the chance to serve out the set with a 5-4 lead.

Rybakina lost the opening point of game 10, and had her first DF to bring the game to 30/30. Still, she saw multiple SP to take the match lead. Sabalenka saved one with an aggressive approach behind a second serve return, but on the second Rybakina controlled a hard-hitting rally with her backhand and held to secure a 6-4 1st set, having yet to face a BP on the day.



With Rybakina's force of shot putting her on her heels on the baseline, Sabalenka avoided an early hole in the 2nd, saving a pair of BP to hold for 2-1.

From there, the two went on an untroubled mid-set stretch, combining for six straight BP-free holds, with Sabalenka twice holding at love in consecutive games (and winning 12 straight points on serve), and Rybakina winning virtually every first serve she put in the box (13/14 in her first four service games). But it was Rybakina who was down on the scoreboard, having to hold to stay in the set at 5-4. She fell behind 15/30, then saw Sabalenka fire a backhand return winner down the line to reach her first BP (and SP) of the day. But a forehand error and wide backhand second serve return saw them go to waste. Rybakina held for 5-5.

Sabalenka then held from 15/30 down, on her third GP, for a 6-5 lead that again forced Rybakina to hold to extend the 2nd set. Again Sabalenka found her way to BP/SP, but only after clinging to life in the game with a drop shot winner from the baseline that leveled the score at 30/30, then a screaming backhand passing shot by a lunging Rybakina to reach deuce. A mishit from the Kazakh gave Sabalenka her third SP, and this time she put it away with a big second serve return to win the set at 7-5.



Ryabkina came out in the 3rd looking to reassert her previous position. Around a love service hold in game 2, she had a BP opportunity to open the set (Sabalenka held for 1-0) and two more in game 3. On her second BP chance, Rybakina got the edge in the set via a long Sabalenka forehand as she took a 2-1 lead. Occasionally flashing a clenched fist (for her, the equivalent of a full-body bellow from some players), Rybakina held at 15 for 3-1.



Down 15/30, Sabalenka pulled her chances from the edge of the proverbial cliff that another break would represent, holding to stay close at 3-2. But, by now, Rybakina had what felt like a "comfortable" break lead, considering she knew she'd have to have her serve broken to avoid winning the title, and that didn't seem like much of a possibility. She held at love for 4-2, having lost just one point on serve in the 3rd, then found more opportunities on Sabalenka's serve a game later.

A crosscourt backhand return winner got her close at 30/30, then a Sabalenka DF gave Rybakina a BP. She didn't get the first, but on her second BP chance the Kazakh put away a volley to take a commanding *double*-break lead at 5-2.

Serving for the title, the next game wasn't all smooth driving for Rybakina. She *did* have a pair of DF, one on her first MP, but they were the only points she lost in the game. On MP #2, she fired an ace to secure her maiden U.S. Open title, her second slam win this year, with a 6-4/5-7/6-2 victory just two days before she ascends to the #1 ranking.

To the victor go *all* the spoils.



Oh, my. Elena raised her arms and shook her fists. Not *too* emphatically, but still. She really *did* want this one badly.

And it's quite a get, as career major title #3 comes at a third different event, matching Iga Swiatek amongst active women who are just one title away from a Career Slam. The Pole is missing the Australian Open, while Rybakina needs a win in Paris.

With her run in New York complete, Rybakina's year long stretch of superior play leaves her at 64-15 over the calendar year since her Round of 16 loss in the U.S. Open to Marketa Vondrousova on the final day of August 2025. She's won two majors, the WTA Finals, plus two more 500 crowns, reached a pair of 1000 finals, recorded 18 Top 10 wins (including three over #1) and, of course, risen into the #1 ranking.

Handing Rybakina the trophy tonight was, as it turned out, Career Slam winner Maria Sharapova.



The end of her 99-week run in the top spot means that Sabalenka will spend the rest of '26 dealing with something of a loss of her "identity," as few players have seemed to have loved being #1 as much as her. If only it'd translated into taking advantage of every slam opportunity she was presented, she wouldn't even be close to falling to #2.

As it is, Rybakina will hold a just over 2000-point edge over Sabalenka in the new rankings, meaning that it's highly likely she'll end the season there (even with her large points defenses come the 4Q).

With all that, Rybakina surely has reason to shout. But, you know, it's Elena... she's officially perfected the task of walking softly while carrying a very big stick. Plus, it comes with a shiny trophy.







=DAY 14 NOTES=
...in the wheelchair final, Yui Kamiji's resurgence and new command over Diede de Groot continued, as the #1 seed defended her U.S. Open title and won her second straight major final this summer over the 24-time slam singles champion, prevailing 6-2/1-6/6-3. Before Kamiji's WI/US sweep this year, de Groot had won fifteen straight slam finals over Kamiji (and was 16-2 against in major finals in her career).



Overall, Kamiji lost 28 straight matches vs. de Groot from 2021-24, before winning consecutive times (including in the Paralympics final) before de Groot's late '24 hip surgery.

The long series between the two is now easily divided into chapters. Kamiji, around the time she rose to #1 more than a decade ago, led during de Groot's early career, going 11-4 against her from 2014-17. Then de Groot's long and legendary run at the top of the sport took hold, and included a 42-4 stretch vs. Kamiji from 2019 through mid-'24. Kamiji has gone 7-3 since.

This is Kamiji's fourth U.S. Open win, with her first coming a dozen years ago. Her singles/doubles title sweep is her second straight in a major this year after her historic, Career Golden Slam-completing run at Wimbledon, giving her 38 career slam titles (13s, 25d). She trails only de Groot (43) and Esther Vergeer (42) in women's WC history (Kamiji's Japanese countryman Shingo Kunieda is the sport's all-time leader w/ 50).

...meanwhile, as with Seira Matsuoka in the wheelchair juniors, a *third* '26 slam final proved to be a charm for top-seeded Sun Xinran in the junior singles final.

After losses in the RG and Wimbledon finals, the latter vs. Anna Pushkareva, Sun finally claimed the crown today with a 6-4/4-6/6-0 win over Pushkareva at Flushing Meadows.



Sun is just the second junior girls' singles slam winner from China, following Wang Xiyu's win eight years ago in New York.

16-year old Bannerette twins Annika & Kristina Penickova picked up their second major GD crown (w/ AO25) with a win in the final today over the all-Hordette pair of Polina Berezina & Alisa Terentyeva, 7-6(11)/6-3.









*WOMEN'S SINGLES FINAL*
#2 Elena Rybakina/KAZ def. #1 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR 6-4/5-7/6-2

*WOMEN'S DOUBLES FINAL*
#1 Siniakova/Townsend (CZE/USA) def. (WC) Krueger/Montgomery (USA/USA) 5-7/6-0/6-2

*MIXED DOUBLES FINAL*
Karolina Muchova/Jakub Mensik (CZE/CZE) def. #4 Belinda Bencic/Flavio Cobolli (SUI/ITA) 6-3/1-6 [10-6]

*GIRLS SINGLES FINAL*
#1 Sun Xinran/CHN def. #5 Anna Pushkareva/RUS 6-4/4-6/6-0

*GIRLS DOUBLES FINAL*
(WC) A.Penickova/K.Penickova (USA/USA) def. Berezina/Terentyeva (RUS/RUS) 7-6(11)/6-3

*WHEELCHAIR SINGLES FINAL*
#1 Yui Kamiji/JPN def. #2 Diede de Groot/NED 6-2/1-6/6-3

*WHEELCHAIR DOUBLES FINAL*
#1 Kamiji/Zhu (JPN/CHN) def. Guo/Ohtani (CHN/JPN) 6-1/6-2

*WHEELCHAIR JUNIOR SINGLES FINAL*
#1 Seira Matsuoka/JPN def. #2 Luna Gryp/BEL 7-6(3)/6-3

*WHEELCHAIR JUNIOR DOUBLES FINAL*
#1 PM Lopez Meza/Matsuoka (COL/JPN) def. #2 Gjerseth/Heald (SWE/USA) 6-4/6-3









...NICE USE OF THE ARCHITECTURE... ON DAY 14:





...AND NOW THE U.S. OPEN HAS ITS VERY OWN WALL OF CHAMPIONS, TOO... ON DAY 14:





...AIN'T NO PARTY LIKE AN ELENA PARTY... ON DAY 14:





...MEANWHLE... ON DAY 14:




This is awful.

But it doesn't change the long running argument about the rightful continued place of the Russian players on tour, though I'm sure some -- I think we know one -- will surely try to use it as just that.

BTW, if they were paying attention, I'm sure that same person-who-shall-not-be-named had a conniption fit that the trophy ceremony featured a Russian-born Hall of Famer handing a trophy to a Russian-born champion (whose parents apparently still live in Moscow) after she'd defeated a Belarusian.


...I WAS *ALMOST* THINKING ALONG THESE SAME LINES... ON DAY 14:




When I saw the starting time for the men's final on Sunday, my first thought was this...

Jon Snow Game Of Thrones GIFfrom Jon Snow GIFs


Talk about suidicidal scheduling, going up against Week 1 of the NFL in the U.S.. No sport is its own worst enemy more than tennis.

But putting a slam final in the late afternoon on a Monday isn't really the answer, either.

Really, if they're going to have the early Sunday start for Day 1, they *should* try to avoid the tournament-ending Sunday singles final completely (maybe play both *doubles* finals that day if they *have* to extend it that long?). All they'd have to do is play the women's final on a Friday night, then the men's final on Saturday (in the current women's final spot).

It makes too much sense, though -- especially if the USTA believes there's any chance that Ben Shelton won't be the last U.S. man to reach the final in the next five years -- so it won't happen. It's hard to "grow the sport" if you stupidly also try to hide it from all but the die-hard fans. Just ask the WTA.





















kosova-font












kosova-font

*CAREER SLAM SINGLES TITLES - active*
23 - Serena Williams, USA (7-3-7-6)
7 - Venus Williams, USA (0-0-5-2)
6 - Iga Swiatek, POL (0-4-1-1)
4 - Naomi Osaka, JPN (2-0-0-2)
4 - Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (2-0-0-2)
3 - ELENA RYBAKINA, KAZ (1-0-1-1)
2 - Coco Gauff, USA (0-1-0-1)
2 - Barbora Krejcikova, CZE (0-1-1-0)
[2 - Victoria Azarenka, BLR (2-0-0-0)]

*RECENT WOMEN'S SLAM WINNERS*
2024 AO: Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
2024 RG: Iga Swiatek, POL
2024 WI: Barbora Krejcikova, CZE
2024 US: Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
2025 AO: Madison Keys, USA*
2025 RG: Coco Gauff, USA
2025 WI: Iga Swiatek, POL
2025 US: Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
2026 AO: Elena Rybakina, KAZ
2026 RG: Mirra Andreeva, RUS*
2026 WI: Linda Noskova, CZE*
2026 US: Elena Rybakina, KAZ
--
* - first-time slam champ

*AGE OF 2020s SLAM WINNERS*
18 = Emma Raducanu, GBR (2021 US)
19 = Mirra Andreeva, RUS (2026 RG)
19 = Iga Swiatek, POL (2020 RG)
19 = Coco Gauff, USA (2023 US)
21 = Iga Swiatek, POL (2022 RG)
21 = Sofia Kenin, USA (2020 AO)
21 = Coco Gauff, USA (2025 RG)
21 = Linda Noskova, CZE (2026 WI)
21 = Iga Swiatek, POL (2022 US)
22 = Iga Swiatek, POL (2023 RG)
22 = Naomi Osaka, JPN (2020 US)
23 = Iga Swiatek, POL (2024 RG)
23 = Naomi Osaka, JPN (2021 AO)
23 = Elena Rybakina, KAZ (2022 WI)
24 = Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (2023 AO)
24 = Marketa Vondrouosva, CZE (2023 WI)
24 = Iga Swiatek, POL (2025 WI)
25 = Ash Barty, AUS (2021 WI)
25 = Ash Barty, AUS (2022 AO)
25 = Barbora Krejcikova, CZE (2021 RG)
25 = Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (2024 AO)
26 = Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (2024 US)
26 = Elena Rybakina, KAZ (2026 AO)
27 = ELENA RYBAKINA, KAZ (2026 US)
27 = Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (2025 US)
28 = Barbora Krejcikova, CZE (2024 WI)
29 = Madison Keys, USA (2025 AO)

*RECENT WOMEN'S U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONS*
2018 Naomi Osaka, JPN
2019 Bianca Andreescu, CAN
2020 Naomi Osaka, JPN
2021 Emma Raducanu, GBR
2022 Iga Swiatek, POL
2023 Coco Gauff, USA
2024 Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
2025 Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
2026 Elena Rybakina, KAZ

*RECENT U.S. OPEN DEFENDING CHAMP RESULTS*
2016 Angelique Kerber (1st Rd.)
2017 Sloane Stephens (QF)
2018 Naomi Osaka (4th Rd.)
2019 Bianca Andreescu (DNP; 4th Rd. in '21)
2020 Naomi Osaka (3rd Rd.)
2021 Emma Raducanu (1st Rd.)
2022 Iga Swiatek (4th Rd.)
2023 Coco Gauff (4th Rd.)
2024 Aryna Sabalenka (W)
2025 Aryna Sabalenka (RU)

*AO/US TITLES IN SEASON - OPEN ERA*
[Sept/Dec finals; 1977-86]
1982 Chris Evert, USA
1983 Martina Navratilova, USA
[Jan/Sept finals]
1969 Margaret Court, AUS
1970 Margaret Court, AUS
1973 Margaret Court, AUS
1988 Steffi Graf, FRG
1989 Steffi Graf, FRG
1991 Monica Seles, YUG
1992 Monica Seles, YUG
1997 Martina Hingis, SUI
2016 Angelique Kerber, GER
2024 Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
2026 Elena Rybakina, KAZ

*SLAM FINALS IN 2020s*
9 - ARYNA SABALENKA, BLR (4-5)
6 - Iga Swiatek, POL (6-0)
4 - ELENA RYBAKINA, KAZ (3-1)
3 - Coco Gauff, USA (2-1)
3 - Ons Jabeur, TUN (0-3)
2 - Ash Barty, AUS (2-0)
2 - Barbora Krejcikova, CZE (2-0)
2 - Naomi Osaka, JPN (2-0)
2 - Sofia Kenin, USA (1-1)
2 - Amanda Anisimova, USA (0-2)
2 - Karolina Muchova, CZE (0-2)
2 - Jasmine Paolini, ITA (0-2)


*MOST WTA FINALS in 2026*
5 - ELENA RYBAKINA (3-2)
5 - ARYNA SABALENKA (3-2)
5 - Jessie Pegula (2-3)
4 - Mirra Andreeva (3-1)
4 - Karolina Muchova (2-2)

*2026 #1 WINS*
Australian Open F - #5 Rybakina d. Sabalenka (W)
Madrid QF - #32 Baptiste d. Sabalenka
Rome 3r - #23 Cirstea d. Sabalenka
Roland Garros QF - #23 Shnaider d. Sabalenka
Berlin SF - #4 Pegula d. Sabalenka
Wimbledon 4r - #14 Osaka d. Sabalenka
Toronto 4r - #19 Alexandrova d. Sabalenka
Cincinnati 4r - #35 Bejlek d. Sabalenka
U.S. Open F - #2 Rybakina d. Sabalenka (W)

*CAREER WTA #1 WINS - active*
17 - Serena Williams, USA
15 - Venus Williams, USA
10 - ELENA RYBAKINA, KAZ
7 - Elina Svitolina, UKR
6 - Jessie Pegula, USA
5 - Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
4 - Belinda Bencic, SUI
4 - Coco Gauff, USA
[WTA all-time]
18 - Martina Navratilova
17 - Serena Williams
15 - Venus Williams*
15 - Lindsay Davenport
11 - Steffi Graf
10 - ELENA RYBAKINA*
10 - Gabriela Sabatini

*2026 - DEFEATED #1 SEED & DEFENDING CHAMPION*
Sorana Cirstea - Cluj-Napoca [F-Raducanu, QF-Potapova] - W
Hailey Baptiste - Madrid [QF-Sabalenka] - SF
Tereza Valentova - Prague [QF-Bouzkova] - SF
Alex Eala - Washington [F-Pegula, 2r-Fernandez] - W
ELENA RYBAKINA - U.S. OPEN [F-Sabalenka] - W

*MOST TOP 10 WINS in 2026 (#1 wins)*
10 - Rybakina(2)
8 - Kostyuk, Svitolina
7 - Eala, Pegula(1), Sabalenka
6 - Muchova
5 - Gauff, Mboko
[hard court]
9 - Rybakina(2)
7 - Sabalenka
6 - Pegula
5 - Mboko, Svitolina
4 - Eala, Kostyuk
3 - Bencic, Gauff, Muchova, Swiatek

*GIRLS WS SLAM FINALS - CHN*
2018 US Open - Wang Xiyu, CHN (W)
2026 Roland Garros - Sun Xinran, CHN (RU)
2026 Wimbledon - Sun Xinran, CHN (RU)
2026 US Open - Sun Xinran, CHN (W)

*RECENT U.S. OPEN GIRLS' CHAMPIONS*
[singles]
2014 Marie Bouzkova, CZE
2015 Dalma Galfi, HUN
2016 Kayla Day, USA
2017 Amanda Anisimova, USA
2018 Wang Xiyu, CHN
2019 Camila Osorio, COL
2020 DNP
2021 Robin Montgomery, USA
2022 Alex Eala, PHI
2023 Katherine Hui, USA
2024 Mika Stojsavljevic, GBR
2025 Jeline Vandromme, BEL
2026 Sun Xinran, CHN
[2025-26]
2025 AO: Wakana Sonobe, JPN
2025 RG: Lilli Tagger, AUT
2025 WI: Mia Pohankova, SVK
2025 US: Jeline Vandromme, BEL
2026 AO: Ksenia Efremova, FRA
2026 RG: Alisa Oktiabreva (RUS/CZE)
2026 WI: Anna Pushkareava, RUS
2026 US: Sun Xinran, CHN
[singles]
2017 Olga Danilovic / Marta Kostyuk, SRB/UKR
2018 Coco Gauff / Caty McNally, USA
2019 Kamilla Bartone / Oksaka Selekhmeteva, LAT/RUS
2020 DNP
2021 Ashlyn Krueger / Robin Montgomery, USA/USA
2022 Lucie Havlickova / Diana Shnaider, CZE/RUS
2023 Mara Gae / Anastasiia Gureva, ROU/RUS
2024 Malak El Allami / Emily Sartz-Lunde, MAR/NOR
2025 Alena Kovackova / Jana Kovackova, CZE/CZE
2026 Annika Penickova / Kristina Penickova, USA/USA
[2026]
AO: Alena Kovackova/Jana Kovackova (CZE/CZE)
RG: Jana Kovackova/Katerina Zajickova (CZE/CZE)
WI: Jana Kovackova/Katerina Zajickova (CZE/CZE)
US: Annika Penickova/Kristina Penickova (USA/USA)

*U.S. OPEN WHEELCHAIR CHAMPIONS*
[singles]
2005 Esther Vergeer, NED
2006 Esther Vergeer, NED
2007 Esther Vergeer, NED
2008 --
2009 Esther Vergeer, NED
2010 Esther Vergeer, NED
2011 Esther Vergeer, NED
2012 --
2013 Aniek van Koot, NED
2014 Yui Kamiji, JPN
2015 Jordanne Whiley, GBR
2016 --
2017 Yui Kamiji, JPN
2018 Diede de Groot, NED
2019 Diede de Groot, NED
2020 Diede de Groot, NED
2021 Diede de Groot, NED
2022 Diede de Groot, NED
2023 Diede de Groot, NED
2024 --
2025 Yui Kamiji, JPN
2026 Yui Kamiji, JPN
--
NOTE: event not held in 2008/12/16/24 (Paralympics)
[2026]
AO: Li Xiaohui, CHN
RG: Diede de Groot, NED
WI: Yui Kamiji, JPN
US: Yui Kamiji, JPN

*RECENT WC SLAM SINGLES FINALS*
2021 AO --> 2024 WI - Diede de Groot 15 consecutive titles
2025 AO - #1 Yui Kamiji/JPN def. #2 Aniek Van Koot/NED
2025 RG - #1 Yui Kamiji/JPN def. #2 Aniek Van Koot/NED
2025 WI - #4 Wang Ziying/CHN def. #1 Yui Kamiji/JPN
2025 US - #1 Yui Kamiji/JPN def. #3 Li Xiaohui/CHN
2026 AO - #3 Li Xiaohui/CHN def. (un) Diede de Groot/NED
2026 RG - #4 Diede de Groot/NED def. (un) Ksenia Chasteau/FRA
2026 WI - #1 Yui Kamiji/JPN def. #2 Diede de Groot/NED
2026 US - #1 Yui Kamiji/JPN def. #2 Diede de Groot/NED

*WC SLAM SINGLES FINALS - active*
33 - YUI KAMIJI, JPN (13-20)
30 - DIEDE DE GROOT, NED (24-6)
17 - Aniek Van Koot, NED (3-14)
7 - Jiske Griffioen, NED (4-3)
2 - Li Xiaohui, CHN (1-1)
1 - Wang Ziying, CHN (1-0)
1 - Ksenia Chasteau, FRA (0-1)
1 - Kgothatso Montjane, RSA (0-1)
1 - Momoko Ohtani, JPN (0-1)
1 - Zhu Zhenzhen, CHN (0-1)

*WHEELCHAIR SLAM SINGLES TITLES*
[AO-RG-WI-US]
24 - Diede de Groot, NED [6-6-6-6]*
21 - Esther Vergeer, NED [9-6-x-6]
13 - YUI KAMIJI, JPN [3-5-1-4]*
4 - Jiske Griffioen, NED [2-1-1-0]*
3 - Aniek Van Koot, NED [1-0-1-1]*
3 - Monique Kalkman, NED [0-0-x-3]

*WHEELCHAIR SLAM TITLES*
[singles/doubles]
43 - Diede de Groot, NED (24/19)*
42 - Esther Vergeer, NED (21/21)
38 - YUI KAMIJI, JPN (13/25)*
27 - Aniek Van Koot, NED (3/24)*
20 - Jiske Griffioen, NED (4/16)*

*ALL-TIME WC SLAM TITLES (M+W)*
50 - Shingo Kunieda, JPN (28/22)
43 - Diede de Groot, NED (24/19)*
42 - Esther Vergeer, NED (21/21)
38 - YUI KAMIJI, JPN (13/25)*
37 - ALFIE HEWETT, GBR (11/26)*
32 - GORDON REID, GBR (2/30)* -
27 - Aniek Van Koot, NED (3/24)*

RECENT U.S. OPEN "Ms. OPPORTUNITY" WINNERS*
2017 All-U.S. SF: Keys,Stephens,Vandeweghe,V.Williams
2018 Naomi Osaka, JPN and Anastasija Sevastova, LAT
2019 Belinda Bencic, SUI
2020 Laura Siegemund & Vera Zvonareva, GER/RUS
2021 Diede de Groot, NED [WC Golden Slam]
2022 Ons Jabeur, TUN
2023 Diede de Groot, NED [WC Grand Slam x 3]
2024 Jessie Pegula, USA and Emma Navarro, USA
2025 Yui Kamiji, JPN [WC]
2026 Karolina Muchova, CZE [MX]

*U.S. OPEN "KIMIKO CUP" VETERAN WINNERS*
2015 Flavia Pennetta, ITA
2016 Angelique Kerber, GER
2017 Venus Williams, USA
2018 Serena Williams, USA
2019 Serena Williams, USA
2020 Serena Williams, USA and Victoria Azarenka, BLR
2021 Samantha Stosur/Zhang Shuai, AUS/CHN
2022 Alize Cornet, FRA
2023 Sorana Cirstea, ROU
2024 Sara Errani, ITA
2025 Barbora Krejcikova, CZE
2026 Yui Kamiji, JPN (WC)

*RECENT U.S. OPEN "JUNIOR BREAKOUT" WINNERS*
2017 Maria Lourdes Carle, ARG & Emiliana Arango, COL
2018 Dasha Lopatetska, UKR
2019 Oksana Selekhmeteva, RUS
2020 [under 18] Katrina Scott, USA
2021 Robin Montgomery, USA
2022 Alex Eala, PHI
2023 Katherine Hui, USA
2024 Mika Stojsavljevic, GBR & Mimi Xu, GBR
2025 Jeline Vandromme, BEL
2026 Sun Xinran, CHN

*SLAM "ROLLER" AWARD WINNERS*
2026 RG: Ksenia Chasteau, FRA (1st GS final)
2026 WI: Yui Kamiji, JPN (Career Golden Slam + won all 8 s/d)
2026 US: Seira Matsuoka, JPN (first Jr. WC Slam in third '26 final)
--
AO: Roller Down Under
RG: Roland Garros Roller
WI: Lawn Court Roller
US: Big City Roller










TOP QUALIFIER: Lucie Havlickova, CZE
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): #7 Karolina Muchova/CZE (follows up MX title w/ 4 games lost 1r/2r)
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): (Q) Zheng Qinwen/CHN (comebacks from 5-0 in back-to-back sets over two rounds)
TOP LATE-ROUND (SF-F): #2 Elena Rybakina/KAZ (wins first U.S. Open title as becomes new #1)
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q2: #31 Andrea Lazaro Garcia/ESP def. Mai Hontama/JPN 5-7/7-6(6)/6-1 - saved 7 MP, four at 5-4 in 2nd set and three more at triple MP at 6-3 in TB
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 2nd Rd. - Cristina Bucsa/ESP def. (Q) Himeno Sakatsume/JPN 7-6(6)/6-7(0)/7-6(10-6) - three tie-breaks; Bucsa served 5-4 w/ 2 MP in 3rd, then again at 6-5
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): 3rd Rd. - #14 Iva Jovic/USA def. #17 Alex Eala/PHI 7-5/3-6/7-5 - 18 & 21-year olds duel in 3-hr. battle under the lights on Ashe; combine for 78 winners, not blinking under pressure of big stage)
TOP LATE-RD. MATCH (SF-F): #2 Elena Rybakina/KAZ def. #1 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR 6-4/5-7/6-2 - wins first U.S. Open title (slam wins at three different majors)
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: Jasmine Paolini/ITA (def. Veronika Erjavec/SLO)
FIRST SEED OUT: #27 Barbora Krejcikova/CZE (1r- lost to Kamila Rakhimova/UZB)
FIRST CAREER SLAM MD WINS: Polina Iatcenko/RUS (1st MD), Himeno Sakatsume/JPN (2nd), Lilli Tagger/AUT (2nd)
PROTECTED RANKING MD WINS: Nadia Podoroska/ARG, Mananchaya Sawangkaew/THA (both 2nd Rd.)
LUCKY LOSER MD WINS: D.Semenistaja/LAT (1r-L)
UPSET QUEENS: Spain
REVELATION LADIES: Great Britain
NATION OF POOR SOULS: SUI (0-3 1st Rd.; #12 Bencic hightest seed out; Teichmann w/d)
CRASH & BURN: Madison Keys/USA (3r- blew 5-0 lead in 3rd set vs. Zheng/CHN, had a MP)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF NEW YORK: Madison Keys/USA (2r- saved 5 MP vs. Bondar/HUN; Bondar 2 MP at 5-2 in 3rd, 3 more at 5-3, then served for again at 5-4; Bondar led 5-3 in MTB, Keys won last 7 points)
IT ("New #1"): Elena Rybakina/KAZ
Ms.OPPORTUNITY: Karolina Muchova/CZE (first major title w/ MX win)
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: Zheng Qinwen/CHN (QF)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Leolia Jeanjean/FRA, Sofia Kenin/USA, Taylah Preston/AUS, Sloane Stephens/USA (all 2nd Rd.)
LAST BANNERETTE STANDING: Coco Gauff/USA and Jessie Pegula/USA (both SF)
COMEBACK: Zheng Qinwen/CHN
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): Yui Kamiji/JPN (WC)
DOUBLES STAR: Katerina Siniakova/Taylor Townsend, CZE/USA
BIG APPLE BANNERETTE BREAKTHROUGH: Iva Jovic/USA
BROADWAY-BOUND: Naomi Osaka (and the nominee for "Best Costume Design" is...)
LADY OF THE EVENING: Sofia Kenin def. Venus Williams in 2:02 a.m. finish (latest 1r)
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: Sun Xinran/CHN
BIG CITY ROLLER: Seira Matsuoka/JPN (jr.)







All for Day 14. More tomorrow.

Read more...

posted by Todd.Spiker @ 11:45 PM  0 comments

Friday, September 11, 2026

US.13- The Day Before the Day, 25 Years After the Day











First...

No date in the lifetime of anyone in the U.S. with an active memory of this day 25 years ago, save for any remaining from the WWII generation, more highlighted the best and worst that we have to give as humans as 9/11 did, both on that awful day, as well as on those that immediately followed and the still-ongoing psychological, political and cultural reverberations that have emanated from it in ongoing waves, if not violently richocheted from those few hours of an otherwise beautiful summer day in New York and Washington, and above rural Pennsylvania.

In the moment, we all shared in a national tragedy, and for a brief moment we were maybe never more united. But only very briefly, as the nation has likely never been able to be truly united ever since. And the condition only seems to worsen as the years go by. The reactions both inward and outward to what happened that day, while so much heroism occurred during it, have since both revealed much of the dark underbelly of the nation that would be better left turned away from polite company, as well as helped to shape the stormy landscape on which we -- and, because of the oversized influence the U.S. has on the rest of the world, everyone outside our national borders -- exist today.

Even this week's 25th anniversary memorializations have been tinged with political, religious and personal conflict that always made *this* particular date tend to warily loom on the calendar because it was clear that a lot of old wounds couldn't help but be revisited and reopened all over again. Just in the last few days, not surprisingly, even the persistent menace that eats away at the national psyche has managed to try to (literally, through time) re-emerge from those very ruins that once made up Ground Zero with a whole new set of lies that will only continue to mark divisions rather than unify.

But, hey, this is a *tennis* post, right? So I just wanted to touch on the part that tennis played on, or at least around, that day in 2001 bacause, in a sense, the notion of one of the sport's biggest moments was still lingering in the air on that early Tuesday morning, tingling with expectation of great things to come.

Remember, it had been just a few days before September 11 that Serena and Venus Williams had played in the U.S. Open singles final. The first U.S. Open women's final held at night -- previously scheduled as if anticipating their meeting for the title and wanting to take full advantage of it -- was also the first of what would be nine major finals contested between the two.

So, just days after looking at a tennis court and believing anything was possible, we looked to the sky and realized that it *truly was*, and it was the most frightening thing imaginable.

As it turned out, the Williams sisters went on to produce another quarter century of memories as the world and nation around them changed, and in many ways *de-evolved* even as the technology of the day began to exponentially dwarf the now almost-quaint aspects that made that day so chillingly memorable at the time.

Cell phones, still only semi-common personal items in 2001, led to contact with passengers of a doomed plane, and soon-to-be-destroyed buildings, and allowed for final words between loved ones that just a few years earlier wouldn't have been possible. That ability to spread news to the final hijacked plane helped spur its heroic passengers to band together to prevent yet another tragedy from occuring in Washington as theirs turned out to be the one airliner that failed to reach it intended destination.

Of course, that early technology that provided connectedness and closure then, 25 years later, has grown so "smart" and ubiquitous that it's helped make us more disconnected than ever. The world is going to turn, and dare anyone to predict its future.

Yet, it's 2026, and *Venus and Serena* were both once again playing tennis at Flushing Meadows this summer, together again on the same Ashe Staduim court where they faced off in 2001. If that and they aren't a reminder that our fates still rest in our own hands, than what is?

Two and half decades later, still a symbol for things outside of tennis, but maybe in a deeper, more universal way than realized or even imagined, their story -- even as the wins are fewer and farther between -- continues to be one that keeps on giving.

While the perseverence of the two sisters from Compton, California has rightly been highlighted all over again as they've returned (or, in Venus' case, never really gone away), their presence, once a shining new light, now brings back memories of how things once were.

I don't know, maybe it should serve as a small hint to us all that, while their and our past can never be reclaimed and re-lived as it was, their continued presence has allowed many to recapture some of the excitement and inspiration that injected itself into tennis' collective veins all those years ago, just days before what would come to known as "9/11." While nostalgia will forever be only that, that's *still* a good thing.

Maybe, looking at that example, it should be recognzied that it's *never* too late for *all* of us to recapture some of the feelings of what has been lost in recent years, little by little, wherever we can find it. If enough people can piece enough things together, maybe it'll serve as a psychic victory just as the raising of the gleaming One World Trade Center at Ground Zero years ago began the long, difficult climb back to something resembling the "normal" that so many of us once took for granted a quarter-century ago.



Of course, as with everything, that's still an ongoing process. But the ultimate success of the endeavor surely depends upon us all.



=DAY 13 NOTES=
...meanwhile, the first champions of a *real* event were crowned at this U.S. Open on Friday, and it was an historic occasion, as top-seeded Katerina Siniakova & Taylor Townsend secured their first title in New York as a duo with a 5-7/6-0/6-2 win in the final over surprise wild card finalists Ashlyn Krueger & Robin Montgomery (who'd rallied from 8-2 down in a MTB to take their SF). The win completes a Career Doubles Slam for the duo.



Not only that, but the win makes Siniakova the first person -- male or female -- in tennis history to win a Career Doubles Slam with a *second* partner, as she previously completed a Career Golden Slam with fellow Czech Barbora Krejcikova.

The win gives Siniakova/Townsend a 36-4 record on the season, with a 5-0 mark in finals, including a Sunshine Double and wins at RG and now the U.S. Open. Even better, Siniakova is 47-6 overall in doubles in '26, and *7-0* in finals (w/ two more partnering Zhang Shuai) this year. With those sorts of numbers, a true case can be made that, should Elena Rybakina *not* win a second major on the season and the four singles slams are carved up between four different women, that Siniakova is a legit Player of the Year candidate (well, at least "Ms.Backpin," where *all* disciplines are considered equal, or mostly so).

Need a little more for Siniakova's case? Okay. Come Monday, she'll begin her 200th career week at doubles #1, second most all-time and just 37 weeks behind all-time leader Martina Navratilova. She's also well on her way to breaking her tie with Navratilova for the most all-time season-ending doubles #1 rankings (she'll lead #2 Townsend by nearly 2000 points as next week begins). After her finish atop the rankings last year, Siniakova's fifth such season in her career, she and Navratilova were tied for the most ever in WTA history.



...the junior singles final is set, and girls' #1 Sun Xinran will get a *third* chance to win her maiden slam title. Today the 16-year old from China defeated unseeded Bannerette Melije Clarke in three sets; while #5-seeded Hordette Anna Pushareva will get a chance to win a *second* straight junior slam after her 6-1/7-5 victory over #2 Jana Kovackova.

Pushkareva defeated Sun in the Wimbledon final earlier this summer, while Sun also lost to Russian-turned-Czech Alisa Oktiabreva in the RG final in the spring.

Indentical twins Annika & Kristina Penickova will try to make it two straight years with U.S. Open girls' doubles title-winning sisters -- after the Kovackovas in '25 -- when they face off with the all-Hordette pair of Polina Berezina & Alisa Terentyeva in this weekend's final. The U.S. siblings won the AO GD title last year.



...we'll get an eighth U.S. Open wheelchair singles final between #1 Yui Kamiji and #2 Diede de Groot, who both notched straights sets SF wins today over, respectively, Aniek van Koot and Ksenia Chasteau.

During their seven-year run of final match-ups at Flushing Meadows between 2017-23, de Groot won six straight titles after dropping their original title match. It'll be their 20th overall slam singles final match-up, with de Groot holding a 16-3 record. But Kamiji won their last meeting -- a stunning 6-0/6-0 win at Wimbledon that completed her Career Golden Slam -- though there is some question about whether de Groot played that final while injured (she'd retired from her s/d in her previous event, and then didn't play again for nearly two months, winning in College Park last week while dropping just ten games in four matches).

De Groot has dropped one set in three matches in New York (vs. Lizzy de Greef), but lost just eleven total games in her other six sets. Kamiji has won three straight sets matches, but was taken to a 7-5 1st today by Van Koot.

Also today, top-seeded Kamiji & Zhu Zhenzhen defeated Guo Luoyao & Momoko Ohtani, 6-1/6-2, in the WC doubles final.

It's the third straight major title won by the pair in '26, and Kamiji's fifth at the U.S. Open (25th career major doubles win, breaking her tie with Van Koot for the most all-time in women's WC history).



...the third time proved to be the charm for wheelchair junior #1 seed Seira Matsuoka. After losing in the AO and Wimbledon finals to Belgian #2 seed Luna Gryp, the Japanese teenager won 7-6(3)/6-3 today to claim her maiden title.



Matsuoka doubled up on titles today, also taking the junior WC doubles with Colombia's Paula Michelle Lopez Meza, defeating the SWE/USA duo of Emma Gjerseth & Lucy Heald.





*WOMEN'S SINGLES FINAL*
#1 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR vs. #2 Elena Rybakina/KAZ

*WOMEN'S DOUBLES FINAL*
#1 Siniakova/Townsend (CZE/USA) def. (WC) Krueger/Montgomery (USA/USA) 5-7/6-0/6-2

*MIXED DOUBLES FINAL*
Karolina Muchova/Jakub Mensik (CZE/CZE) def. #4 Belinda Bencic/Flavio Cobolli (SUI/ITA) 6-3/1-6 [10-6]

*GIRLS SINGLES FINAL*
#1 Sun Xinran/CHN vs. #5 Anna Pushkareva/RUS

*GIRLS DOUBLES FINAL*
Berezina/Terentyeva (RUS/RUS) vs. (WC) A.Penickova/K.Penickova (USA/USA)

*WHEELCHAIR SINGLES FINAL*
#1 Yui Kamiji/JPN vs. #2 Diede de Groot/NED

*WHEELCHAIR DOUBLES FINAL*
#1 Kamiji/Zhu (JPN/CHN) def. Guo/Ohtani (CHN/JPN) 6-1/6-2

*WHEELCHAIR JUNIOR SINGLES FINAL*
#1 Seira Matsuoka/JPN def. #2 Luna Gryp/BEL 7-6(3)/6-3

*WHEELCHAIR JUNIOR DOUBLES FINAL*
#1 PM Lopez Meza/Matsuoka (COL/JPN) def. #2 Gjerseth/Heald (SWE/USA) 6-4/6-3









...SEPTEMBER 8, 2001... ON DAY 13:





...SEPTEMBER 10, 2001... ON DAY 13:





...SEPTEMBER 11, 2001... ON DAY 13:





...SEPTEMBER 2026... ON DAY 13:






























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*RECENT U.S. OPEN WOMEN'S DOUBLES CHAMPIONS*
2016 Bethanie Mattek-Sands & Lucie Safarova, USA/CZE
2017 Chan Yung-Jan & Martina Hingis, TPE/SUI
2018 Ash Barty & CoCo Vandeweghe, AUS/USA
2019 Elise Mertens & Aryna Sabalenka, BEL/BLR
2020 Laura Siegemund & Vera Zvonareva, GER/RUS
2021 Samantha Stosur & Zhang Shuai, AUS/CHN
2022 Barbora Krejcikova & Katerina Siniakova, CZE/CZE
2023 Gaby Dabrowski & Erin Routliffe, CAN/NZL
2024 Lyudmyla Kichenok & Alona Ostapenko, UKR/LAT
2025 Gaby Dabrowski & Erin Routliffe, CAN/NZL
2026 Katerina Siniakova & Taylor Townsend, CZE/USA
[recent major winners]
2025 AO: Katerina Siniakova/Taylor Townsend (CZE/USA)
2025 RG: Sara Errani/Jasmine Paolini (ITA/ITA)
2025 WI: Veronika Kudermetova/Elise Mertens (RUS/BEL)
2025 US: Gaby Dabrowski/Erin Routliffe (CAN/NZL)
2026 AO: Elise Mertens/Zhang Shuai (BEL/CHN)
2026 RG: Katerina Siniakova/Taylor Townsend (CZE/USA)
2026 WI: Guo Hanyu/Kristina Mladenovic (CHN/FRA)
2026 US: Katerina Siniakova & Taylor Townsend, CZE/USA

*CAREER WOMEN'S DOUBLES SLAM TITLES - active*
14...Serena Williams
14...Venus Williams
12...KATERINA SINIAKOVA
7...Barbora Krejcikova
7...Hsieh Su-wei
7...Kristina Mladenovic
6...Sara Errani
6...Elise Mertens

*CAREER OVERALL SLAM TITLES - ACTIVE*
[singles/doubles/mixed]
39 - Serena Williams, USA (23-14-2)
23 - Venus Williams, USA (7-14-2)
13 - KATERINA SINIAKOVA, CZE (0-12-1)
12 - Barbora Krejcikova, CZE (2-7-3)
10 - Sara Errani, ITA (0-6-4)
10 - Kristina Mladenovic, FRA (0-7-3)
9 - Bethanie Mattek-Sands, USA (0-5-4)
9 - Hsieh Su-wei, TPE (0-7-2)
6 - Iga Swiatek, POL (6-0-0)
6 - Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (4-2-0)
6 - Elise Mertens (0-6-0)

*U.S. OPEN "DOUBLES STAR" WINNERS*
2014 Yui Kamiji & Jordanne Whiley, JPN/GBR (WC)
2015 Martina Hingis, SUI
2016 Laura Siegemund, GER
2017 Martina Hingis, SUI
2018 Ash Barty & CoCo Vandeweghe, AUS/USA
2019 Diede de Groot & Aniek Van Koot, NED/NED (WC)
2020 Yui Kamiji & Jordanne Whiley, JPN/GBR (WC)
2021 Desirae Krawczyk, USA
2022 Barbora Krejcikova & Katerina Siniakova, CZE/CZE
2023 Erin Routliffe, NZL
2024 Lyudmyla Kichenok & Alona Ostapenko, UKR/LAT
2025 Li Xiaohui & Wang Ziying, CHN/CHN (WC)
2026 Katerina Siniakova & Taylor Townsend, CZE/USA

*2026 WTA DOUBLES TITLES*
7 - KATERINA SINIAKOVA
6 - TAYLOR TOWNSEND
4 - Zhang Shuai
[2026 duos]
5...SINIAKOVA/TOWNSEND
3...Dabrowski/Stefani
[2020-26 - individuals]
32 - KATERINA SINIAKOVA (1/6/6/3/5/4/7)
17 - TAYLOR TOWNSEND (1/0/0/3/3/4/6)
15 - Barbora Krejcikova (1/5/3/4/1/1/0)
15 - Elise Mertens (1/4/2/2/3/2/1)
15 - Luisa Stefani (1/1/2/3/1/4/3)
14 - Gaby Dabrowski (0/1/3/2/2/3/3)
[2020-26 - duos]
14...Krejcikova/Siniakova (1/5/3/3/1/1/0)
9...Errani/Paolini (0/0/0/1/4/4/0)
8...Aoyama/Shibahara (1/5/0/2/0/0/0)
8...SINIAKOVA/TOWNSEND (0/0/0/0/2/1/5)
7...Dabrowski/Routliffe (0/0/0/2/2/3/0)
7...Siegemund/Zvonareva (1/0/2/4/0/0/0)

*2026 WTA DOUBLES FINALS*
7 (7-0) = KATERINA SINIAKOVA
6 (6-0) = TAYLOR TOWNSEND
6 (3-3) = MAIA LUMSDEN
5 (4-1) = Zhang Shuai
[2026 finals - duos]
5...SINIAKOVA/TOWNSEND (5-0)
4...Dabrowski/Stefani (3-1)
4...Danilina/Krunic (1-3)

*U.S. OPEN WHEELCHAIR CHAMPIONS*
[doubles]
2005 Korie Homan & Esther Vergeer, NED/NED
2006 Jiske Griffioen & Esther Vergeer, NED/NED
2007 Jiske Griffioen & Esther Vergeer, NED/NED
2008 --
2009 Korie Homan & Esther Vergeer, NED/NED
2010 Esther Vergeer & Sharon Walraven, NED/NED
2011 Esther Vergeer & Sharon Walraven, NED/NED
2012 --
2013 Jiske Griffioen & Aniek van Koot, NED/NED
2014 Yui Kamiji & Jordanne Whiley, JPN/GBR
2015 Jiske Griffioen & Aniek van Koot, NED/NED
2016 --
2017 Marjolein Buis & Diede de Groot, NED/NED
2018 Diede de Groot & Yui Kamiji, NED/JPN
2019 Diede de Groot & Aniek van Koot, NED/NED
2020 Yui Kamiji & Jordanne Whiley, JPN/GBR
2021 Diede de Groot & Aniek van Koot, NED/NED
2022 Diede de Groot & Aniek van Koot, NED/NED
2023 Yui Kamiji & Kgothatso Montjane, JPN/RSA
2024 --
2025 Li Xiaohui & Wang Ziying, CHN/CHN
2026 Yui Kamiji & Zhu Zhenzhen, JPN/CHN
--
NOTE: event not held in 2008/12/16/24 (Paralympics)
[2026]
AO: Li Xiaohui/Wang Ziying, CHN/CHN
RG: Yui Kamiji/Zhu Zhenzhen, JPN/CHN
WI: Yui Kamiji/Zhu Zhenzhen, JPN/CHN
US: Yui Kamiji/Zhu Zhenzhen, JPN/CHN

*WHEELCHAIR SLAM DOUBLES TITLES*
[AO-RG-WI-US]
25 - YUI KAMIJI, JPN [5-6-9-5]*
24 - Aniek Van Koot, NED [7-9-3-5]*
21 - Esther Vergeer, NED [7-5-3-6]
19 - Diede de Groot, NED [5-6-3-5]*
16 - Jiske Griffioen, NED [6-3-3-4]*
12 - Jordanne Whiley, GBR [3-2-5-2]

*JUNIOR WHEELCHAIR CHAMPIONS*
[singles]
2022 US: Jade Moreira Lanai BRA
2023 US: Ksenia Chasteau, FRA
2024 RG: Ksenia Chasteau, FRA
2024 US: Yuma Takamuro, JPN
2025 AO: Vitoria Miranda, BRA
2025 RG: Vitoria Miranda, BRA
2025 US: Sabina Czauz, USA
2026 AO: Luna Gryp, BEL
2026 RG: Luna Gryp, BEL
2026 US: Seira Matsuoka, JPN
[doubles]
2022 US: Jade Moreira Lanai/Maylie Phelps, BRA/USA
2023 US: Ksenia Chasteau/Maylie Phelps, FRA/USA
2024 RG: Ksenia Chasteau/Maylie Phelps, FRA/USA
2024 US: Rio Okano/Yuma Takamuro, JPN/JPN
2025 AO: Luna Gryp/Vitoria Miranda, BEL/BRA
2025 RG: Luna Gryp/Vitoria Miranda, BEL/BRA
2025 US: Sabina Czauz/Seira Matsuoka, USA/JPN
2026 AO: Lucy Foyster/Seira Matsuoka, GBR/JPN
2026 RG: Luna Gryp/Seira Matsuoka, BEL/JPN
2026 US: Paula Michelle Lopez Meza/Seira Matsuoka, COL/JPN

*SLAM WHEELCHAIR JR. GIRLS' SINGLES FINALS*
2022 US: Jade Moreira Lanai/BRA def. Yuma Takamuro/JPN
2023 US: Ksenia Chasteau/FRA def. Maylee Phelps/USA
2024 RG: Ksenia Chasteau/FRA def. Maylee Phelps/USA
2024 US: Yuna Takamuro/JPN def. Vitoria Miranda/BRA
2025 AO: Vitoria Miranda/BRA def. Sabina Czauz/USA
2025 RG: Vitoria Miranda/BRA def. Sabina Czauz/USA
2025 US: Sabina Czauz/USA def. Luna Gryp/BEL
2026 AO: Luna Gryp/BEL def. Seira Matsuoka/JPN
2026 RG: Luna Gryp/BEL def. Seira Matsuoka/JPN
2026 US: Seira Matsuoka/JPN def. Luna Gryp/BEL






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TOP QUALIFIER: Lucie Havlickova, CZE
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): #7 Karolina Muchova/CZE (follows up MX title w/ 4 games lost 1r/2r)
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): (Q) Zheng Qinwen/CHN (comebacks from 5-0 in back-to-back sets over two rounds)
TOP LATE-ROUND (SF-F): x
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q2: #31 Andrea Lazaro Garcia/ESP def. Mai Hontama/JPN 5-7/7-6(6)/6-1 - saved 7 MP, four at 5-4 in 2nd set and three more at triple MP at 6-3 in TB
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 2nd Rd. - Cristina Bucsa/ESP def. (Q) Himeno Sakatsume/JPN 7-6(6)/6-7(0)/7-6(10-6) - three tie-breaks; Bucsa served 5-4 w/ 2 MP in 3rd, then again at 6-5
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): 3rd Rd. - #14 Iva Jovic/USA def. #17 Alex Eala/PHI 7-5/3-6/7-5 - 18 & 21-year olds duel in 3-hr. battle under the lights on Ashe; combine for 78 winners, not blinking under pressure of big stage)
TOP LATE-RD. MATCH (SF-F): x
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: Jasmine Paolini/ITA (def. Veronika Erjavec/SLO)
FIRST SEED OUT: #27 Barbora Krejcikova/CZE (1r- lost to Kamila Rakhimova/UZB)
FIRST CAREER SLAM MD WINS: Polina Iatcenko/RUS (1st MD), Himeno Sakatsume/JPN (2nd), Lilli Tagger/AUT (2nd)
PROTECTED RANKING MD WINS: Nadia Podoroska/ARG, Mananchaya Sawangkaew/THA (both 2nd Rd.)
LUCKY LOSER MD WINS: D.Semenistaja/LAT (1r-L)
UPSET QUEENS: Spain
REVELATION LADIES: Great Britain
NATION OF POOR SOULS: SUI (0-3 1st Rd.; #12 Bencic hightest seed out; Teichmann w/d)
CRASH & BURN: Madison Keys/USA (3r- blew 5-0 lead in 3rd set vs. Zheng/CHN, had a MP)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF NEW YORK: Madison Keys/USA (2r- saved 5 MP vs. Bondar/HUN; Bondar 2 MP at 5-2 in 3rd, 3 more at 5-3, then served for again at 5-4; Bondar led 5-3 in MTB, Keys won last 7 points)
IT ("New #1"): Elena Rybakina/KAZ
Ms.OPPORTUNITY: Nominees: Sabalenka, de Groot
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: Zheng Qinwen/CHN (QF)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Leolia Jeanjean/FRA, Sofia Kenin/USA, Taylah Preston/AUS, Sloane Stephens/USA (all 2nd Rd.)
LAST BANNERETTE STANDING: Coco Gauff/USA and Jessie Pegula/USA (both SF)
COMEBACK: Zheng Qinwen/CHN
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): Nominees: Pegula, Kamiji
DOUBLES STAR: Katerina Siniakova/Taylor Townsend, CZE/USA
BIG APPLE BANNERETTE BREAKTHROUGH: Iva Jovic/USA
BROADWAY-BOUND: Naomi Osaka (and the nominee for "Best Costume Design" is...)
LADY OF THE EVENING: Sofia Kenin def. Venus Williams in 2:02 a.m. finish (latest 1r)
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: Nominees: Sun, Pushkareva
BIG CITY ROLLER: Nominees: Matsuoka (jr.), de Groot, Kamiji







All for Day 13. More tomorrow.

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posted by Todd.Spiker @ 9:00 PM  2 comments