US OPEN 2026 WRAP-UP

I know the US Open tennis tournament finished a week and a half ago, but I always feel better late than never. I hope you do, as well.

I actually would have just passed on doing my review of the proceedings, especially because I tweeted so much about them as the weeks went along, if Alexander Zverev had not won, which I’m very happy about. And I want to share my thoughts on that achievement. He was one of the highlights for me.

In case you didn’t watch every second of sports, as I do, Sascha, (Zverev’s nickname,) was the #1 seed at the US Open, (and the #2 in the general rankings.) But he almost lost in the first round, (in a match that was thrilling, gripping, and intriguing,) to Lorenzo Sonego, who is #89 in the world!!! It was hairy there for a while. And he almost lost in five sets in Round 2, as well. But he said that he was fine with those scares because it makes him stronger. And he said it with a smile, to boot!

And then he played American Ben Shelton in the Final, so the entire gigantic arena was against him. But he was masterful. I’ve never cottoned to Ben, and that continued here, so I was especially thrilled that Sascha won. And he’s always charming in his speeches.

The funny thing is that he’s always an afterthought in the world of tennis, with people speaking of only Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. But…they each won only one Major this year, while Zverev has won two! That accomplishment is, well, major.

And I love that they all get along and are good sports.

The saddest thing for me was Aryna Sabalenka losing the final. She was going for the three-peat, being the two-time defending Champion here. She had already lost her #1 ranking that week, (after holding it for 99 consecutive weeks!,) so I felt bad for her. But she had said she’d rather win the US Open than still be #1, so I was brokenhearted that she lost both. And to the same person, Elena Rybakina, who always seems like a nice girl, but I really wanted Aryna to have her three-peat. On top of all that, this is the first year that she hasn’t won any of the Majors in a very long time. Sad.

The most bittersweet part of all of it was seeing the incredible Gael Monfils play his final Major match! I could not stop crying. Gael is the best. He’s the most entertaining tennis player ever and a lovely, adorable person. I hope that he does not take the finance job he’s been offered, and goes into sportscasting instead. We need him! What a true gift to the world he is, making everyone so happy. Even his opponents adore him.

I’ve had so much else going on in my life, (both good and not-so-good,) that I totally forgot to take notes on the Mixed Doubles that took place before the US Open began, but it was tons of fun. I especially loved seeing married couple Gael Monfils and Elina Svitolina play together.

So here are the notes I did take beginning with Day 2 of the main competitions, mainly both singles:

Why do the Williams sisters put themselves through this humiliation??? I can’t figure it out at all. They don’t need the money, they know they’ll never win again, so what’s the point? Can’t they be happy with their private lives? Are they such big narcissists that they just can’t quit? As my friend once said about something funny—they’re making fools of themselves!

It’s disgusting how the American crowd rooted against American woman Sofia Kenin so loudly because, for some unknown reason, they wanted Venus Williams to win. But both women are Americans, for goodness sake! No one even applauded when Sofia won! Shameful of them.

Also shame on ESPN for going off the air that night without showing us Kenin’s post-win interview. If Venus had won, you know they would have stayed there for those few extra minutes!

The Williams are the most ungracious losers ever! Even Novak Djokovic smiled and hugged Mariano Navone, the #49 player in the world who beat him in the first round, after perhaps his worst defeat ever, (which might also be his last.)

This was pretty rude of ESPN commentator Jason Goodall, who’s usually a good guy. Three-time Major Champion Stan Wawrinka was playing in his final Major, having announced that he would retire right after it, and he had lost the first two sets, and was down 0-2 games in the third. And Goodall said, “Wawrinka celebrated many of those [wins] throughout his illustrious career, but it’s coming to an end here this afternoon.” Yes, it did look like that was correct, however a commentator can’t say that when it’s not over! He could have said, “…it looks like…,” but not declare it to be over in the middle of the third. Doesn’t he know it can go five sets??? So rude of him.

These commentators need to STFU!!! First Jason Goodall and then James Blake talked over the penultimate point of Stan’s career, which they knew it was! How do they not know they’re supposed to shut up when points are being played? Especially such an important one? And then ESPN cut away from Stan being about to receive a special framed memento of his entire career to hear desk pundits Malika Andrews, Mary Joe Fernandez, and Sam Querry bullshit some more! Disgusting.

I always laud Malika Andrews for her diction, so I’m shocked that she kept mispronouncing two players’ names all the time. She called NAomi Osaka “NIomi,” and my beloved Matteo Berrettini “BereNtini.” I can’t stand it!!! (And yes—I have tweeted both messages to her, to no avail.)

Even though I just stuck up for her correct name pronunciation, Naomi Osaka is sooo rude. Every single tennis player, including the top ones, carries their own bags out to the court with them. But because she thinks she’s so special to walk out looking like the Bride of Frankenstein, she had a worker bring hers out to her. Disgraceful!

It was sort-of creepy that the new blonde girl daytime ESPN host, Katie George, had to keep swallowing while she’s talking. It was so odd. That situation in life usually happens only when someone is nervous. But it’s enough already. She should not be on a major channel if she’s so scared.

Several times over the course of the tourney, Coco Vandeweghe referred to the late legendary UCLA basketball coach  John Wooden as “Johnny Wooden!” That is so disrespectful that I’m seeing red even writing this!

Couldn’t the ESPN peeps have mixed the sound better so we wouldn’t have had to deal with the massive and annoying crowd noise all the time??? They knew it was coming.

When “Filipina sensation,” as they refer to her, Alex Eala, was playing her first round match, ESPN never even mentioned Mary Stoiana, the girl Eala was playing, nor shown her, and…she’s American!!! Again, I must declare it’s shameful of them.

I love that someone referred to Iga Swatek’s “bakery” because of her “bagels,” (the opponent winning zero games in a set,) and “breadsticks,” (the opponent winning only one game in the set.) Very cute.

What’s up with none of the girls seeming to realize that their skirts are stuck up under their undies when they put the tennis balls in there???

The Williams sisters are the supreme examples of narcissists. There was no need for them to return to competition at this last date. They don’t need the money, and they have enough fame. They just wanted the applause again. And idiots are willing to oblige. I’m disgusted.

Canadian player Denis Shapovalov was absolutely correct about American Ben Shelton’s horrible and inconsistent grunts being different each time. It’s sooo distracting. In my Wimbledon wrap-up, I wrote about him doing that. It’s very rude and unsportsmanlike of Ben to make those noises all the time.

Chris McKendry, the woman who used to host ESPN’s tennis coverage, but was demoted to calling a few matches this year, (the idiot who adds an “l” to the end of “draw” and “saw,”) literally said, “Let’s go, Madison Keys!,” while she was calling the American’s match! OMG! Commentators, and especially play-by-play peeps, are supposed to be neutral, not jingoistic! As I said—idiot.

Then McKendry said, “Anisimova walks off court without even a wave.” That was so far from the truth! The woman doesn’t even pay attention to what is happening in the matches she’s calling!!!

What idiotic walk-onto-the-court attire from Naomi Osaka and Taylor Townsend this time. When Mr. X saw Naomi Osaka walk onto the court wearing this nonsense, he exclaimed, “How pretentious!” But I just laughed because she looked like an idiot. She thinks that she’s a fashionista, but this final getup looked like she had been lying on a blanket and dragged it with her by accident! Like toilet paper on one’s shoe.

This was very interesting—the top 6 seeds made it into the women’s quarterfinals, as they always should, but rarely do. (All top 8 should, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen that happen.) That was pretty amazing.

The ladies all-American quarterfinal of Jess Pegula beating Emma Navarro was the absolute quietest match I’ve ever seen! Neither of them made a sound the entire time. And the crowd barely did either.

In a dramatic moment, the possibility of which the commentators talked about for the entire two previous weeks, Elena Rybakina became the #1 tennis player in the World! But ESPN did not see fit to show us her post-quarterfinal on-court interview! Instead they cut to more chit-chat from their commentators. Shameful of them.

This was very interesting—the top 6 seeds made it into the women’s quarterfinals, as they always should, but rarely do. (All top 8 should, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen that happen.) That is pretty amazing.

Even more amazing is that all top 4 seeds advanced to the semifinals! That is such a rarity that this is the first time it’s happened in 51 years!!! OMG! And then #1 and #2 met in the Final, making the brackets even more special.

Here’s yet another thing that ESPN should be ashamed of themselves for: They put up a banner of women who accomplished something big, (I don’t remember what it was,) with pictures of them above their names. But above “Venus Williams” they put a pic of…Serena Williams! Even though the following one was also Serena! Does this sports channel have no one checking the work of others??? That was a terrible snafu!

These idiot commentators keep saying “Coco Gauff!” It’s either “Coco” or “Gauff.” There’s not one other player for whom they keep saying their entire name each time!!!

The American crowd was sooo creepy! And rude in their insane cheering for the Americans.

Even though tonight I rooted for Aryna Sabalenka, who I want to win the #tournament, I must laud Jessica Pegula for being the classiest player ever in defeat. I already really liked her, but now even more. Jess rocks!

And let’s leave it there, on a high note.