The 2026 US Open is entering its decisive stretch at Flushing Meadows, with the women’s final set for Saturday and the men’s championship match to follow on Sunday at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
World No. 2 Alexander Zverev secured his place in Sunday’s men’s final with a 6-3, 7-6, 7-6 victory over unseeded Karen Khachanov in Friday’s opening semifinal. The German took the first set behind an early break, then survived two tense tiebreakers to close out the match, fending off two set points for Khachanov in the third set before converting his own chance to advance.
The win marks Zverev’s third consecutive Grand Slam final appearance. He broke through for his maiden major title at the French Open in June and also reached the Wimbledon final, and he will now bid for a second Grand Slam crown of the season in New York.
Zverev’s opponent will be determined Friday night, when No. 8 seed Ben Shelton faces No. 11 seed Frances Tiafoe in the tournament’s second men’s semifinal. The all-American matchup guarantees a U.S. man will reach a Grand Slam final for the first time since Andy Roddick’s title run at the 2003 US Open. Both players reached the semifinals after grueling five-set quarterfinal victories , Shelton outlasted defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a match that finished after 3:30 a.m., while Tiafoe rallied from two sets down against fellow American Alex Michelsen.
On the women’s side, top seed Aryna Sabalenka reached her eighth consecutive hard-court Grand Slam final, defeating No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula 7-5, 6-2 in Thursday’s semifinal. The world No. 1 is now one victory away from becoming just the third woman in the Open Era to win three consecutive US Open titles.
Standing in her way is Elena Rybakina, who battled back from a set down to beat Coco Gauff 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 and reach her first US Open final. Rybakina has already clinched the world No. 1 ranking for the next WTA rankings cycle and would strengthen her claim to the sport’s top spot with a title in New York, having already won this year’s Australian Open.
The women’s singles final is scheduled for Saturday, September 12, at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN, followed by the men’s final on Sunday, September 13, at 2 p.m. ET on ABC, closing out the year’s final Grand Slam tournament.
