Shortly after her victory in New York, Rybakina traveled to Bratislava, where she was welcomed by Slovak President Peter Pellegrini at the Presidential Palace. The Russian-born player has a strong connection to Slovakia, having spent part of each of the past six years there practicing and training.

Now, though, Rybakina has finally made her way to Kazakhstan. The US Open champion announced her arrival in Almaty by sharing a selfie with a bouquet of roses and tagging the city as her location.

The Kazakhstan Tennis Federation announced five days ago that Rybakina would spend a week visiting Almaty and Astana. During her stay, she is expected to hold masterclasses for young athletes, share her experience with aspiring players and meet with fans.

Her visit will also include an important medical check-up. Rybakina is set to undergo an examination for the Achilles tendon injury she suffered at the WTA 1000 tournament in Cincinnati, which forced her to withdraw from her quarterfinal match.

The injury continued to bother Rybakina throughout the US Open. Despite the pain, she managed to fight her way to the title, playing the latter stages of the tournament while taking painkillers.

Rybakina had already made history for Kazakhstan by winning Wimbledon in 2022 and the Australian Open in 2026. Her US Open triumph made her a three-time Grand Slam champion and gave Kazakhstan its third Grand Slam singles title.

 

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The four-time Grand Slam champion attended the event in an extravagant all-black look from Italian fashion house Roberto Cavalli. Osaka wore a black lace dress from the Fall/Winter 2026-27 collection, featuring a high neckline, a sheer bodice and long sleeves, while the voluminous skirt flared out into a floor-length train. Both the sleeves and skirt were finished with dramatic fringe-like detailing. She completed the outfit with chunky gold earrings and a matching Roberto Cavalli bag.

 

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Osaka had also been building anticipation for Milan Fashion Week, starring in a cinematic promotional video captioned “Arrivato.”

The Japanese was not the only tennis star at this high-profile fashion event. Aryna Sabalenka made her catwalk debut for Gucci, wearing a glittering chocolate-brown gown and sharing the runway with supermodel Irina Shayk.

 

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The 28-year-old Sabalenka made her runway debut at Vogue World: Milano 2026 at Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II on September 22, 2026, sharing the stage with supermodel Irina Shayk. The Belarusian WTA star wore a glittering chocolate-brown gown by Gucci, her sponsor since January.

“What a dream to walk the Milan runway in Gucci 🤎 Thank you Vogue Magazine for having me,” Sabalenka wrote on Instagram, sharing a collection of backstage and event photos.

“Meu amor can do it all,” her fiancé, Giorgios Frangulis, wrote in the comments on Instagram.

The happy news sheds new light on Kudermetova’s extended absence from the sport. She has been completely sidelined for the 2026 tennis season following an undisclosed surgery and medical procedure around the New Year, which initially forced her sudden withdrawal from the Australian Open and triggered an indefinite hiatus from the WTA Tour.

 

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The last singles match Kudermetova played was in October 2025 at the Ningbo Open, while in doubles she closed the season on a triumphant note, capturing the WTA Finals Riyadh title alongside Elise Mertens.

Demekhine, a former professional player and prominent tennis coach, has been a constant presence throughout Kudermetova’s career. The couple, who have been married since 2017, have built a successful professional partnership alongside their personal relationship. Kudermetova was just 15 when Demekhine, 13 years her senior, became her coach. Three years later, they began dating.

“At the age of 16 I just liked him but I didn’t even think about anything more. […] Even when I turned 18 and we started dating, sometimes I was still ashamed because of the age difference and the fact that he was my coach” Kudermetova once revealed.

With a baby on the way, the tennis community was quick to send its warmest wishes to the couple. Aryna Sabalenka, Caroline Garcia, Belinda Bencic, Anastasia Potapova, Elena Vesnina, and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova were among the first to publicly congratulate the parents-to-be.

More recently, Giorgi shared a glimpse of her baby boy in a onesie on her Instagram Stories, while continuing to keep his face private.

The baby’s father is Argentine coach Andreas Ignacio Pasutti, whom Giorgi married in Buenos Aires in February 2026. The couple revealed their marriage just days after announcing Giorgi’s pregnancy with an ultrasound photo.

Giorgi remained very active throughout her pregnancy, regularly working out at the gym and training on the tennis court. She also frequently shared photos of herself and her growing baby bump on social media.

The former world No. 26 retired from professional tennis in 2024, but has said she plans to return to the tour in 2027.

“Motherhood, even before it begins, is a new way of looking inward,” Giorgi wrote in one of her pregnancy posts. In another, she described motherhood as “the most precious chapter of my life.”

Did you know that the current World No. 1 in women’s tennis has called Slovakia home for the past six years?

Although Elena Rybakina represents Kazakhstan on the international stage, Slovakia has become her second home. She spends part of each year here training and preparing… pic.twitter.com/KMT8Wmvd0W

— Peter Pellegrini (@PellegriniP_) September 16, 2026

Rybakina has long maintained a base in Slovakia, spending part of each year there training and preparing for the biggest tournaments on the calendar. For a player who spends much of her life travelling from one tournament to another, the Central European country has become an important part of her sporting journey. As Pellegrini put it, Slovakia is Rybakina’s “second home.”

The 27-year-old Rybakina was presented with a bouquet of flowers by the President. Dressed casually in a beige collared shirt and loose white trousers, she posed with her US Open trophy and also brought a Yonex racquet as a gift for Pellegrini.

For most of the past two decades, the WTA Finals have moved from one global market to another, with the season-ending event hosted in cities across Europe, Asia, the Americas, and the Middle East. Now, the WTA is turning to the United States, with Charlotte selected following a competitive global bidding process. From 2027, the Finals will be held at Spectrum Center, home of the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets, bringing together the season’s top singles players and doubles teams to compete for the biggest title in women’s tennis.

Charlotte stood out for its strong sports infrastructure, business community, hospitality sector, and track record of successful public-private partnerships. The city and the WTA also share an ambition to create something that goes beyond a single week of competition. Most importantly, the WTA will relocate its global headquarters to Charlotte, which will cultivate deeper connections with the region’s business, civic, sports, and community leaders.

“In Charlotte, we found more than a host city,” said Valerie Camillo, Chair of the WTA. “We found partners who share that ambition and a place where we can build a true home for the Finals and for the WTA.”

In a matter of just a few days, the always calm and gracious Rybakina has won the US Open, risen to No. 1 and secured her place at the WTA Finals. Last year, she was the eighth and final player to qualify for the season-ending event; this year, she has become the first singles player to book her place in Indian Wells.

Rybakina has reached five finals this year, winning the Australian Open, the WTA 500 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix and the US Open, while also finishing runner-up at the BNP Paribas Open and National Bank Open. She additionally reached the Miami Open semifinals.

The qualification marks Rybakina’s fourth consecutive WTA Finals appearance. She joins three doubles teams already qualified: Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, Gabriela Dabrowski and Luisa Stefani, and Anna Danilina and Aleksandra Krunic.

TOP OF THE WORLD 🌎

Elena Rybakina defeats Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 to claim her first US Open title! pic.twitter.com/7XA520vTei

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 12, 2026

Rybakina, the world No. 2, was guaranteed the top spot in the WTA rankings by reaching the US Open semifinals. When she achieved that feat and dethroned Sabalenka, the Belarusian downplayed the disappointment, saying that winning the US Open for the third straight year was far more important to her. However, Rybakina got the better of her there as well, completing a remarkable double: taking away both her No. 1 ranking and her crown in New York within the same tournament.

Maria Sharapova hands Elena Rybakina her US Open trophy 🏆 pic.twitter.com/PcAGNt2UFp

— ESPN (@espn) September 12, 2026

Sabalenka screamed, gestured wildly, slammed her racquet against the court and at times disappeared beneath her towel, searching for a way to reset. But none of it could spark the breakthrough she needed, as Rybakina ultimately held firm to deny Sabalenka what would have been one of the most hard-fought victories of her career.

pic.twitter.com/6fJsdiSDir

— News Aryna Sabalenka (@Sabanewsss) September 12, 2026

What makes Rybakina’s victory even more remarkable is that, just weeks earlier, she was unsure whether she would even be fit enough to compete. The Kazakhstani was unable to walk and played no tennis for seven days after injuring her ankle in the Cincinnati Open quarterfinals, putting her participation at the US Open in serious jeopardy.

Rybakina had never before advanced beyond the fourth round in New York. This time, however, she embarked on a remarkable run, defeating Thea Frodin in the first round, Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the second, Yuliia Staroduptseva in the third, 2018 and 2020 champion Naomi Osaka in the fourth, Zheng Qinwen in the quarterfinals, and 2023 champion Coco Gauff in the semifinals before dethroning two-time defending champion Sabalenka in the final.

Roland Garros now remains the only Grand Slam missing from Rybakina’s collection, having already triumphed at Wimbledon in 2022 and the Australian Open in 2026.

Rybakina’s winning gear at the US Open: Yonex’ NYC apparel and Yonex VCORE 100 8th Gen racquet. Throughout the tournament, she alternated between the plum one-shoulder dress and the yellow crop top and black skirt combination.

Before this fortnight, the last time all four top seeds reached the women’s singles semifinals at a Grand Slam was Wimbledon in 2009, where Serena Williams defeated Venus Williams in the final. The last time this happened in New York was in 1975, when Chris Evert, Virginia Wade, Martina Navratilova and Evonne Goolagong reached the semifinals. Evert went on to win the title.

The achievement is particularly striking given the unpredictability that has defined the women’s game in recent years. Since 2020, 13 different women have won Grand Slam singles titles, compared with just seven different champions on the men’s side.

Now, the biggest names are all still standing and each has something major at stake.

[1] Aryna Sabalenka vs. [3] Jessica Pegula semifinal

Top seed and two-time defending champion Sabalenka faces Pegula in Thursday’s first semifinal, with the American the only semifinalist without a Grand Slam title to her name.

The pair have met 13 times, including at the US Open in each of the past two years. Sabalenka defeated Pegula in the 2024 final before fighting back from a set down to beat her in last year’s semifinals.

Although Pegula has beaten Sabalenka four times on tour, she is still searching for her first Grand Slam victory over the four-time major champion. It is a “hurdle” she admits she must overcome.

For Sabalenka, the stakes are historic too: she is bidding to become the first woman since Serena Williams in 2014 to win three consecutive US Open titles.

[2] Elena Rybakina vs. [4] Coco Gauff semifinal

The second semifinal brings together Rybakina and Gauff, with a huge milestone already guaranteed for the Kazakhstani.

By reaching the semifinals, Rybakina will become the new world No. 1 on Monday, ending Sabalenka’s 99-week reign at the top. But Rybakina has brushed off the significance of the ranking, calling it “just a number” and insisting that winning her third Grand Slam is the real goal.

Standing in her way is Gauff, the 2023 US Open champion, who is back in the semifinals after fourth-round exits in the past two years.

Gauff and Rybakina are tied 1-1 in their head-to-head, with Rybakina winning their most recent encounter after coming from a set down to defeat the American in last month’s Canadian Open semifinals.

Zheng won a monumental seven-deuce game to claim the opening set 6-3, but Rybakina stormed back in the second, leveling the match with a dominant 6-1. The third set was a tense affair. Rybakina saved a break point to level at 4-4 and then put immediate pressure on Zheng’s serve, racing to 40-0. Zheng, however, saved all three break points to force a deuce, but Rybakina finally got the breakthrough and closed out the match 6-4.

You gotta love Rybakina’s celebrations! A shy smile and, as always, and an understated reaction to a huge achievement. She calmly accepted her victory, knowing that she had reached her first-ever US Open semifinal and secured the WTA No. 1 ranking for the first time in her career.

In her on-court interview, Rybakina admitted to feeling a lot of nerves, particularly at the start of the match. The Kazakhstani said she was glad she managed to push through them, describing an internal battle in which she had to fight off the negative thoughts.

Her reaction to the historic achievement was iconic: “It’s just a number,” she said of the No. 1 ranking, making it clear that her real goal is to win the tournament. If she lifts the trophy in New York, Rybakina will claim her third Grand Slam title, following Wimbledon in 2022 and the Australian Open in 2026.

On Monday, after the US Open, Rybakina will officially top the WTA rankings, replacing Sabalenka, who first reached No. 1 on September 11, 2023, and returned to the top spot on October 21, 2024. The Belarusian’s 99-week uninterrupted reign ranks as the sixth-longest in WTA history, while her 107 weeks overall are the 10th-most all time.

Recently, commenting on the possibility of losing the top spot, two-time defending US Open champion Sabalenka was unfazed: “I would be more than happy to lose the No. 1 ranking and win the US Open and get three titles in a row. That sounds great.”

But what really sets this year’s edition apart is the sheer variety of looks. The top fashionistas have been serving up a different outfit for virtually every match, taking things a step beyond the now-familiar day-and-night kit rotation.

So, which players have brought the best fashion to the courts at Flushing Meadows? Let’s take a look at the standout outfits of the 2026 US Open, as part of our traditional Grand Slam fashion overviews.

It’s only natural to start with Naomi Osaka, who took the court in both silver and black versions of the cropped Nike Women’s Fall Naomi Tank, paired with a metallic skirt featuring open mesh trims and her NYC-marked GP Challenge shoes.

But the real stars of her US Open wardrobe were her hybrid walk-on ensembles. For her first-round match, Osaka arrived in a “wedding skirt” paired with an asymmetrical, floor-length streetwear hoodie covered in newspaper clippings.

Her second-round look went even further, blending bridal elegance with extravagant office glam: a white suit featuring racquet embroidery, finished with a dramatic long mesh train. For her third match, she opted for a smart-casual combination of wide-legged grey trousers and a hybrid piece that fused the relaxed feel of a hoodie with the structure of a men’s tailored vest.

For what would ultimately be her final match of the tournament, Osaka arrived in another dramatic statement piece: a patchwork coat covered in laundromat-inspired illustrations and finished with a plush fur-trimmed collar.

Even her hair made a statement. Osaka’s braids paid homage to NBA legend Allen Iverson’s iconic style, adding a layer of pop-culture inspiration. And if you’ve spotted Osaka’s mother at this year’s US Open, you’ll know exactly where she gets her love of attention-grabbing fashion.

Collaborating with celebrity stylist J. Bolin and costume designer Anthony Lattimore, Taylor Townsend showcased a series of theatrical, high-performance outfits that blended athletic functionality with dramatic self-expression.

 

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Her most viral look was a floor-length, hooded black coat covered in shimmering fringe and feathers worn for her Arthur Ashe Stadium match against Aryna Sabalenka, which revealed a rhinestone-embellished mesh tennis dress underneath.

 

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From Black Southern majorette-inspired kits with crystal waist fringe to navy sequinned leotards with vivid orange piping, Townsend’s independent style choices solidified her as the definitive fashion icon of the tournament.

Aryna Sabalenka alternated between the all-orange and all-black versions of Nike’s ultra-sheer Fall Slam Net Dress. The extremely revealing design sparked plenty of criticism, but Sabalenka made it clear that she loves her outfit. As she pointed out, people are never satisfied: when she wears something simple, she gets criticized for being boring, and now that she has gone bold and revealing, she’s being criticized for that too. Her conclusion? You simply can’t impress everyone.

Adding glamour to the look, Sabalenka wore chunky 18k yellow gold jewelry during her matches, including a statement necklace with numerous gemstones. The eye-catching pieces were all from New York-based brand Material Good.

Nike’s theme for this year’s US Open is basketball, following surfing at the Australian Open, ballet at Roland Garros and cricket at Wimbledon. In my opinion, the best interpretation of the theme was Alexandra Eala‘s royal-blue Nike Fall Slam Dress. Mesh netting panels along the racerback and sides provide just the right nod to basketball, giving the dress a sporty edge without taking the concept too far.

Ahead of the tournament, we showed you our favorite pieces from New Balance’s New York collection, built around a heron blue and enoki yellow palette. Coco Gauff, however, had a look of her own: she alternated between soft yellow and navy in a lovely sleeveless dress featuring a fitted bodice and a prominent cutout across the mid-back. From the waist down, the silhouette opens into a flowing, flouncy skirt, finished with a wavy asymmetric hemline that gives the otherwise sleek design plenty of movement.

The American’s shoes are her signature CG2s.

Playing at Flushing Meadows for the first time since 2022, Serena Williams hit the court in a two-piece white Nike outfit with navy blue trim and a matching navy headband. She paired the look with a custom, cropped black letterman-style Nike jacket featuring her name emblazoned across the back and the years of her US Open titles detailed down the sleeves.

Her sister Venus Williams kept things simple for their doubles match, wearing a simple white Lacoste dress with breathable mesh panels across the back and upper chest.

Marta Kostyuk is a quieter kind of style icon. Rather than showing off too much skin or arriving in floor-length capes and hoodies, the Ukrainian star makes her statement through feminine, elegant Wilson dresses. At the US Open, she opted for the lovely red New York Laser Cut Pleat Dress, paired with Wilson Intrigue Tour tennis shoes.

Elena Rybakina is on a quest for the No. 1 ranking, doing it in style in either the plum version of Yonex’s one-shoulder dress or the yellow crop top and black skirt combination from the same NYC collection.

Elina Svitolina looked every bit the ballerina in Adidas’ edgy Fall Slam Pro Bodysuit, with its open-back design offering a nod to ’90s nightlife style. Paired with a playful bubble skirt, the light pink outfit struck a fun balance between ballet-inspired femininity and retro clubwear. Super cute and wonderfully unique!

Karolina Muchova opted for a more sporty Adidas look, pairing maroon 2-in-1 shorts that combine a stretchy satin outer layer with a built-in shortie, with a white sleeveless tank featuring the brand’s new 3D capsule texture for enhanced breathability.

Belinda Bencic promoted Asics’ Fall Match Jacquard Dress, which she had already debuted during the American hard-court tournaments leading up to the Grand Slam. Her dark aubergine piece features a V-neckline with a mesh insert and a breathable jacquard texture.

Iga Swiatek continues to work On’s gradient separates, this time switching things up with a rich purple colorway.

Now that you’ve seen my comprehensive overview of the 2026 US Open fashion, do you agree that this has been the most fashion-forward Grand Slam in recent years?

Maybe it’s my age talking, but the prime Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams era will forever remain the golden age of WTA fashion in my mind. Still, I have to admit that this fortnight in New York has been spectacular, even if some of the fashion has felt a little forced. Back in the day, the biggest stars seemed to have a natural, unmistakable sense of personal style; this year, at times, it feels like the fashion statement itself is part of the performance. Either way, there’s no denying that the 2026 US Open has been an absolute feast for tennis-fashion fans.

Sabalenka made the stronger start, racing to a 4-1 lead and creating two chances to move even further ahead, but Noskova refused to let the set get away from her. The Czech clawed her way back and eventually leveled at 5-5, only for Sabalenka to take complete control in the ensuing tiebreak, winning the first six points and wrapping up the opener on her second set point.

Noskova absorbed the pressure at the beginning of the second set, saving two break points in the opening game and another in the fifth. Sabalenka could not capitalize on her opportunities, and the missed chances appeared to shift the momentum. The sixth seed finally broke through in the sixth game to take the only break of the set and eventually send the match into a decider.

The top seed suddenly found herself in serious trouble when Noskova surged 4-2 ahead in the third. But Sabalenka responded by winning three games in a row and forcing another tiebreak — this time played to 10 points. Noskova struck first, moving 2-0 ahead, but Sabalenka immediately answered with a mini-break and then unleashed her trademark aggression to seize control. After hitting a second-serve ace midway through the tiebreak, Sabalenka produced another one on her first match point at 9-7.

In an encounter packed with power, both players produced extraordinary numbers: Noskova fired 46 winners, including 18 aces, while Sabalenka answered with 42 winners and 12 aces of her own. The Czech also saved seven of nine break points.

The victory gives Sabalenka her first Top 10 win since defeating Coco Gauff in the Miami final in March and her sixth against a Top 10 opponent this season. More importantly, she has extended her Flushing Meadows winning streak to 19 matches and kept her bid to remain No. 1 in the PIF WTA Rankings firmly alive.

Zheng played only one tournament between July 2025 and February 2026 due to elbow surgery and recovery. Since returning, the Chinese had been unable to win more than two matches in a row and had fallen as low as No. 160 in the rankings before entering the US Open at No. 121.

Now at Flushing Meadows, she has won six straight matches, with the last four being three-setters. Against Keys, the Olympic gold medalist got breadsticked in the opening set, then won the second set in a tiebreak before coming back from 5-0 down in the third set, saving a match point at 5-1 40-30.

It’s an absolutely INSANE comeback! The match lasted 2 hours and 29 minutes.

“After the surgery it was not easy. It felt like I lost a bit of my energy on the tennis court,” Zheng said in her on-court interview. “I’ve been through really tough (moments) these last three, four, five months.

“But we’ve been working really hard… and yeah, the hard work finally paid off a bit. I want to say thanks to my team first for bringing me here. Let’s keep going.”

With this win, Zheng became the first qualifier to reach the US Open women’s singles fourth round since Emma Raducanu in 2021. And we all remember what happened next for Raducanu.

Sabalenka needed just 53 minutes to dispatch Iatcenko, recording one of the quickest Grand Slam wins of her career. But instead of focusing on her dominant performance, one reporter at her post-match press conference turned his attention to her Instagram activity, brand deals and off-court appearances, seemingly suggesting that Sabalenka’s focus had been elsewhere in the buildup to the US Open.

Reporters push Sabalenka to the breaking point

The tension was already noticeable from the first question.

A reporter pointed out that Sabalenka had played both of her opening matches on Arthur Ashe Stadium, despite being a player who has had more matches on Louis Armstrong Stadium than anyone else over the past decade.

The world No. 1 didn’t seem particularly impressed by the statistic. “I like how you guys come up with, like, random stats. I’m not really thinking about that,” she replied.

The next question irritated her considerably more. Another reporter asked about her mood now that the tournament had started, contrasting it with the “lots of parties, and fun and stuff like that” she had supposedly enjoyed before the US Open.

The top seed immediately shook her head and rolled her eyes.

“You guys are like a joke. Parties, fun, like… why would you even say that? Why would you even think about that? What kind of question is that?” she said.

“Just because I posted some activities with brands, you think that I’ve been partying [and] not training?”

The reporter attempted to improve the situation, saying he wasn’t suggesting Sabalenka had actually been attending parties, but was referring to her various events, sponsor appearances and other activities away from the court.

Sabalenka wasn’t having it. “You literally said that.”

The exchange then took another bad turn when the reporter asked whether Sabalenka now felt she was becoming “quite serious and combative” with the tournament underway.

Her response was dripping with sarcasm.

“Oh yeah, I wasn’t serious before that. Next question.”

She then added a blunt message to the reporter:

“Think before you say stuff!”

For Sabalenka, however, there appeared to be little reason to question her focus based on what she had shown on court. “I’m happy with my level. I’ve been working really hard,” she said.

Her performance against Iatcenko certainly backed that up. Sabalenka dropped just two games in a 53-minute demolition, keeping her bid for a third consecutive US Open title firmly on track.

Sabalenka on her Nike US Open outfit

Sabalenka was also asked about her Nike Fall Slam Net Dress and the different color combinations she has worn at the US Open. While Nike initially presented the look with a black mesh layer over an orange base, Sabalenka opted instead for solid all-black and all-orange versions in her first two matches. She explained that she wasn’t initially aware Nike had prepared separate looks for the day and night sessions, but once she realized she could wear the outfit monochromatically, she chose to go that route.

To announce the new partnership, Mladenovic posed in the streets of New York wearing a light blue and white Lululemon crop top paired with a matching micro-pleated skirt. Sharing the news on Instagram, the Frenchwoman wrote: “Very happy and super excited for this new chapter with @lululemon 🤩🤩🤩🤩 Can’t wait for what’s ahead!”

 

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Mladenovic, 33, is a 10-time Grand Slam champion, with seven major titles in women’s doubles and three in mixed doubles. The US Open remains the only Grand Slam missing from her collection, despite three women’s doubles final appearances.

At this year’s US Open, Mladenovic fell in the first round of singles qualifying and was eliminated early in the mixed doubles competition. She will now turn her attention to the women’s doubles draw, where she is partnering China’s Guo Hanyu, who is also associated with Lululemon.

The star-studded event, hosted by Gayle King, celebrated Stephens’ dual legacy as both the 2017 US Open Champion and a powerhouse force for social change. Through her own Sloane Stephens Foundation founded in 2013, she has spent over a decade empowering thousands of young people in Compton, Fresno, and Miami Gardens with education, mental health support, and tennis training.

Stephens’ recognition at the gala comes on the heels of major national accolades, including her recent selection to TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in Philanthropy and her receipt of the 2025 ESPY Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award.

“For a long time I thought God put me on this earth to be a great tennis player, but now I understand that tennis was just my vehicle,” Stephens shared in a powerful acceptance speech. She expressed deep gratitude for her mother and brother, who work alongside her in her philanthropic mission: “Getting to do this work with my family is one of the greatest honors of my life. We’ve been tested, we’ve been knocked down, but we keep showing up for each other and for the communities that we serve.”

The $2.7 million raised at Sunday’s gala will directly fund the USTA Foundation’s National Junior Tennis & Learning (NJTL) network. This network, co-founded in 1969 by Arthur Ashe, provides free tennis and academic programs to more than 233,000 under-resourced youth nationwide. High-profile attendees rallying behind the cause included Arthur Ashe’s widow and fellow humanitarian Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe, actor Orlando Bloom, fashion icon Vera Wang, Olympic Alpine skiing gold medalist Lindsey Vonn, and award-winning journalist Katie Couric.

Rybakina currently holds the No. 1 spot in the WTA live rankings. However, to dethrone Aryna Sabalenka and secure the official top spot after the US Open, she must reach the semifinals — or could secure it earlier if Sabalenka, Pegula and Gauff are all eliminated before then. The semifinals are two rounds further than her previous tournament best at Flushing Meadows, which was reaching the fourth round in 2025.

Sporting her new asymmetrical Yonex Women’s NYC Dress, the two-time Grand Slam champion eased past 17-year-old American wildcard Thea Frodin with a 6-3 6-2 victory on Grandstand. Rybakina looked dominant on serve, firing six aces and refusing to surrender a single break point during the 74-minute contest.

Despite the routine scoreline, Rybakina remains highly cautious about her physical health. Her North American hard-court swing had started strong with a run to the Toronto final, but momentum shifted abruptly during the Cincinnati quarterfinals. Managing just five games against Poland’s Iga Swiatek, Rybakina was forced to retire and was not even able to walk without pain. It was just ten days before her opener in New York.

In her on-court interview after the first-round win at the US Open, Rybakina kept her expectations modest:

We’ll see day by day. I’m glad that I played the match, I won the match. We’ll see how I’m gonna feel tomorrow. Because I had to take quite a break. I wasn’t playing or doing much physically. For me now a step at a time. The most important is to recover and listen to the body, but for now it’s been okay.

When asked about her motivation to capture the ultimate ranking crown, she added:

I’m definitely motivated. I feel like I had opportunities before and it didn’t go my way. Of course everybody plays really well. As I said, with this injury, I feel like for me each day is important. Of course it would be an amazing achievement but it’s still too far. I need to focus on my day off tomorrow, recovery, and then just keep on going.

Icon!

The absolute roar that went through Ash when Naomi waiting in the tunnel in her dress showed up on the video screen was something else. pic.twitter.com/rYjUXlYjpW

— Jimmie48 Photography (@JJlovesTennis) September 1, 2026

Arriving at Arthur Ashe Stadium to face Anastasia Zakharova in the opening-night match, Osaka once again turned heads in a dramatic floor-length look. She created a striking juxtaposition by pairing a long white tulle skirt that evoked bridal or ballroom glamour with the raw streetwear edge of an asymmetrical, sleeveless hoodie that trailed behind her like a cape.

 

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Irregular, frayed fabric patches gave the hoodie a deliberately distressed, deconstructed edge, while close-up photos revealed newspaper clippings woven into the fabric.

Naomi Osaka on her appreciation for Allen Iverson, who inspired her fit at the US Open 🔥 pic.twitter.com/8ln3lkzxJf

— ESPN (@espn) September 1, 2026

She styled her hair in Iverson-inspired braids, finished with a sporty headband, and wore mismatched athletic sleeves, black on one arm and red on the other. Once she removed the light grey hoodie and her “wedding skirt,” Osaka played the match in the Nike Fall NO Tank and Nike Fall NO Skirt, both from Nike’s special Naomi Osaka collection that we’ve previously covered.

Her black, NYC-inspired shoes are also available to purchase.

The fashion was spectacular, but the tennis required absolute grit. Facing world No. 101 Zakharova under the prime-time lights, the 13th-seeded Osaka was forced to work exceptionally hard to secure her spot in the second round, where she will face Katerina Siniakova.

Osaka started the match strong, using her trademark baseline depth to establish a seemingly commanding 5-2 lead. However, Zakharova mounted a ferocious comeback, exploiting unforced errors to storm back and push the set into a high-stakes tiebreak. Showing veteran composure, Osaka saved critical points to outlast her opponent and lock down the opening frame 7-6(6).

Naomi Osaka practices on Ashe ahead of her much-anticipated US Open R1 match tonight. pic.twitter.com/FrFgInE6Gd

— Jimmie48 Photography (@JJlovesTennis) August 31, 2026

The second set followed a similarly tight script, with both players trading blows from the back of the court. Osaka leaned heavily on her service weapon, firing 11 aces throughout the match and winning 75% of her first-serve points to keep Zakharova at bay. The set once again moved into a tiebreak, where Osaka elevated her precision to wrap up the match 7-6(3), avoiding a dangerous third set and advancing safely to the next round.

 

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We knew that Kostyuk would debut the elegant red Wilson New York Laser Cut Pleat Dress and matching Wilson Intrigue Tour tennis shoes at Flushing Meadows, but an unexpected luxury accessory quickly caught the attention of watch connoisseur Niccoloy. Adorning Kostyuk’s left wrist was a stunning timepiece featuring 46 brilliant-cut diamonds framing a royal blue dial, perfectly complemented by its blue strap, while she held her blue Wilson Ultra 99 Pro v5 racquet in her right hand.

On the move: Marta Kostyuk moves on into the second round in New York. pic.twitter.com/rB8r6XQP2D

— Jimmie48 Photography (@JJlovesTennis) August 31, 2026

According to DMARGE, the Patek Philippe Aquanaut Luce 5067A has been discontinued for years and was replaced by the larger 38.8mm 5267/200A. As a result, blue-dial, diamond-bezel examples of the 5067A are now a secondary-market proposition, with prices ranging from approximately US$48,000 to US$72,000 depending on the variant and condition.