Grand Slam tennis is all over for 2026, following the conclusion of the US Open this past weekend. This year has produced new slam winners, shock results, qualifiers making a name for themselves, and high-level entertainment.
Take a trip down memory lane as we look back at some of the action and history created at the Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open.
Australian Open
The first slam of the year was the only ATP slam where the top four seeds reached the final four. The final provided one of the best moments in tennis history, and new names burst onto the pro tour to open the competitive year.
The WTA started as fans expected, and a certain player finally broke her duck and won a second slam.
Djokovic rolls back the years in his victory over Sinner
Novak Djokovic overcame Jannik Sinner in one of the most enthralling matches of 2026. In a four-hour and 10-minute slugfest, the Serbian overcame Sinner 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 and 6-4, sending the Australian crowd into raptures.
Sinner once again felt defeat in a match going the distance, but take nothing away from the sublime performance Djokovic showcased.
The 10-time Australian Open winner had one of his most impressive defensive performances, protecting 16 of the 18 break points he faced.
His stoic performance left Sinner shell-shocked, who, for the first time in his career, had run out of ideas to defeat the Serbian.
In the final two sets, SinnerâÂÂs energy levels depleted, but the 39-year-old Djokovic dug deep as all elite athletes do. He played phenomenally from the baseline and forced numerous errors from the Italiansâ racket on his way to victory.
A performance that will certainly be seen as one of the greatest of DjokovicâÂÂs year. A victory which sent him to the final against Carlos Alcaraz.
Alcaraz clinches the career Slam achievement
Alcaraz became the youngest male to achieve the Career Grand Slam after defeating Djokovic in the final. The then 22-year-old Alcaraz broke the record held by Don Budge and fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal.
Alcaraz had never reached the final before this year, and with the pressure of history on his shoulders. He defeated Djokovic in a 4-set match: 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 and 7-5.
The then world number one had the tennis world at his feet, putting his name in the history books again. Proving he is one of the greatest players of all time.
Djokovic hailed Alcaraz in an interview after their match-up, saying. âÂÂThe results are a testament to his already stellar career. He deserves every bit of the praise that he gets. He is already a legendary tennis player who made a huge mark in the history books of tennis.âÂÂ
Alcaraz was the strongest player throughout the tournament, dropping only three sets, including two in a semi-final where he suffered significant cramping, but still beat Alexander Zverev.
This achievement cemented Alcaraz in tennis history; he is undoubtedly already regarded as one of the best to grace the courts, but it will remarkably be the only slam he won this year after sustaining a wrist injury.
Embed from Getty ImagesRybakina wins her second Slam title
Elena Rybakina finally broke her duck of winning only a single slam by beating Aryna Sabalenka in Australia to claim her second slam.
Rybakina suffered fourth- and third-round exits in the 2025 Grand Slams and struggled to find form throughout that year. The Kazakh player was not a name touted for the title in Melbourne but shocked many with her run.
She defeated former world number two Iga Swiatek in the quarter-finals. She won in straight sets, including a breadstick against a title favourite, before beating Jessica Pegula to set up the final against Sabalenka.
In the final, RybakinaâÂÂs usual calm demeanour created frustration for Sabalenka, taking the game to the then world number one. She won the first set with a break in the 9th game, allowing her to serve out the set.
Sabalenka battled back, taking set two, but Rybakina found her first set level again and defeated Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.
A second slam title for the tournamentâÂÂs fifth seed, and this was just the beginning of achievements to come.
Roland Garros
The second slam of 2026 gave two stars their maiden slam titles and produced possibly the biggest upset of 2026.
The clay courts of Paris gave fans one of the best runs from a qualifier we have seen since Emma Raducanu at the 2021 US Open.
SinnerâÂÂs Kryptonite defeats him again
The European heatwave in May saw temperatures in Paris reach nearly 40 degrees Celsius. Unfathomable heat on court in the third-round match against Argentine Juan Manuel Cerundolo saw Sinner disintegrate and fall to a shock defeat.
Sinner didnâÂÂt have the luxury of the evening match and was put on court during the peak of the heat.
Everything seemed perfect for the world number one, but during set three, when serving out the match, the tennis robot proved heâÂÂs most definitely human.
SinnerâÂÂs body visibly shut down; his legs were shaking at every moment, the colour drained from his face, and basic shots became too much for the Italian.
Cerundolo hadnâÂÂt given Sinner a challenge until that third set, but after defending the match-winning game, he put Sinner to the sword.
Sinner took a medical time-out to try to regulate his core body temperature, but it was too little too late.
Cernudolo played numerous drop shots or found the corners of the baseline, leaving Sinner stranded on his haunches.
The Argentine then won set three 7-5 and the final two sets 6-1, ending SinnerâÂÂs cruel suffering, followed by muted celebration, understanding the harshness of the situation.
ChwalinskaâÂÂs remarkable run as a qualifier
Maja Chwalinska headlined one of the greatest stories this season; she embarked on a journey from qualifying to starring in the Roland Garros final.
The Polish star had endured long spells of injury throughout her career, but fortune was finally on her side. Any run for a qualifying player is tough, but ChwalinskaâÂÂs run was definitely stacked with some of the WTAâÂÂs best players.
The 24-year-old beat both Elise Mertens and Maria Sakkari, two well-established professionals and faced off with a home favourite in Diane Parry, who certainly had the crowd on her side.
ChwalinskaâÂÂs agility and control worked superbly on a surface which creates slower rallies and a bigger bounce. She manufactured openings against each opponent she faced up until the final.
She defeated Diana Shnaider in straight sets in the semi-final, causing many headaches for her opponents who thought theyâÂÂd brush her aside.
The final challenge came in the final against Mirra Andreeva, who was undoubtedly the queen of clay in 2026.
Teenage dreams became a reality for Andreeva
19-year-old Andreeva was crowned Roland Garros champion, becoming the youngest winner of the tournament in the 21st century.
Andreeva looked imperious all tournament and ended ChwalinskaâÂÂs fairytale run, finishing her own fairytale instead.
The Russian was potent on the clay all year and, when pressure mounted, showed how mature she can be in the difficult moments.
The clay surface suited Andreeva to a tee; with her power on both flanks and ability to glide across the surface, she took down each opponent she faced with ease.
The teenage star dropped one set in the entirety of the tournament and lost a total of 39 games across the 15 sets she played. Losing only one set in the second round.
ChwalinskaâÂÂs ability to slow the game to suit her tempo was nullified by AndreevaâÂÂs determination to dictate the match herself.
She defeated the Polish player 6-3, 6-2 to cap off one of the most dominant clay seasons in the WTA.
Embed from Getty ImagesZverev finally secures a Slam title
With Alcaraz injured and Sinner eliminated, the stars finally aligned for Alexander Zverev to capture a maiden slam. The only man standing between him and the title was Italian star Flavio Cobolli.
Zverev opened the final, crushing the ball and, in his first set, winning 6-1. But Cobolli had made a habit of comebacks and reaching elite levels of performance.
Cobolli won set two by 6-4, and Zverev won the third set 6-4. With the match on a knifeâÂÂs edge, a set-four tiebreak couldâÂÂve seen the German win his slam, but CobolliâÂÂs sheer determination forced a deciding set.
Zverev found his best level in the final set, winning 6-1 and finally lifting a Grand Slam title after faltering at times in the past. The world number two could finally put the question of whether he would ever win a slam to rest.
Wimbledon
An all-Czech womenâÂÂs final, Iga SwiatekâÂÂs struggles and Zverev looking for two slams in a row. Wimbledon hosted thrilling action and excellent tennis despite the humidity of the UK over the summer.
SwiatekâÂÂs struggles continued
Polish number one and former world number one Swiatek suffered an almighty shock at Wimbledon.
The then-defending champion struggled to contain her emotions after scraping by Taylor Townsend before she thoroughly beat Karolina Pliskova.
Swiatek had not performed well in 2026 and, after a change of coach, struggled to adapt her game.
In round three, she faced new fan favourite Alex Eala, who was becoming one of the toughest opponents to encounter this year.
Swiatek couldnâÂÂt control the sheer anguish and anxiety in her reactions, something which she usually copes with expertly.
Eala had the crowd behind her throughout their match-up, and Swiatek began to produce many unforced errors, which rallied the crowd even more.
Despite numerous breaks of EalaâÂÂs serve, the Polish star could not consolidate breaks of serve, and her opponent forced a tiebreak in set one.
A plethora of double faults left Swiatek down a set point at 10-9 in EalaâÂÂs favour. The Filipina took her chance and claimed the set before Swiatek exploded with sheer frustration, which carried into set two.
As Swiatek struggled, Eala grew in confidence; with two breaks of serve, she knocked out the reining champion 7-6, 6-4.
Noskova wins her maiden Slam in a Czech showdown
Linda Noskova defeated Karolina Muchova in the WomenâÂÂs final in a three-set thriller (6-2, 5-7, 6-3) between the Czech players, where nerves got the better of the athletes.
Czech stars have always been strong on grass courts, and both Noskova and Muchova had won titles on the surface before Wimbledon.
Muchova won in Bad Homburg after Naomi Osaka retired in their final, while Noskova had won the Berlin Open, defeating Pegula in the final.
Both players endured strong brackets to reach the final; Muchova defeated Coco Gauff in the semi-final in a super tiebreak in set three. Noskova defeated numerous seeded players, including Marta Kostyuk, one of the most in-form players this year.
NoskovaâÂÂs sublime ability to keep shots flat and powerful is one of her most valuable assets on a grass court. That, combined with her flat serve, caused havoc on MuchovaâÂÂs game plan.
The 21-year-old raced into a double-break lead, taking the opening set 6-2 and was by far the stronger player. However, in set two, nerves began to show, and Muchova grew into the match.
Noskova again proved to be the stronger player, but in game eight, she failed to convert three championship points.
Muchova fed off her opponentâÂÂs fear and thumped numerous winners. She broke NoskovaâÂÂs serve to level the score at 5-5, while her opponentâÂÂs body language faltered.
The experienced elder Czech managed to win the final two games to win the set 7-5. She was in the driving seat as Noskova struggled with footwork and shot angles after missing multiple championship points.
In set three, Noskova regained the form and power she had shown in the opening set. Playing with a spring in her step, she looked like the champion she would become.
A vital break in the middle of the third set allowed her to take control again. NoskovaâÂÂs ability to overcome the mental blockage was nothing short of admirable.
Putting the failed championship point opportunities behind her, the ninth seed set up another chance after an ace. On the sixth attempt, she converted the chance and rightfully claimed the Wimbledon title.
Sinner goes back-to-back
Sinner defended his Wimbledon title by beating Zverev and his newfound confidence in four sets (6-7, 7-6, 6-3, 6-4).
Zverev took the opening set in a tiebreak, but Sinner found a way, as the best players in the world always do.
Sinner stopped Zverev from overpowering him by introducing more drop shots into rallies, opening up opportunities for passing shots.
In the second-set tiebreak, fans saw the magic Sinner brings and conceded only two points to his opponents, levelling up the match at a set all.
The court conditions worsened by the day, and after the heat, wear and tear, and a rough patch on the court, Zverev took a tumble and slightly hyper-extended his knee, which hindered his performance.
Sinner made sure his opponent was okay after the fall but ultimately let his tennis do the talking. As the German struggled with movement, Sinner hit multiple winners and broke ZverevâÂÂs spirit.
While carrying the knock, the Roland Garros champion attempted to utilise his powerful serve but to no avail. Sinner had momentum on his side and cruised past his opponent with ease in the final two sets.
Wimbledon would be the final Grand Slam for Sinner in 2026 after he sustained a knee injury before the American hard-court swing.
Embed from Getty ImagesUS Open
The US Open was the final slam of this year, with its action concluding over the weekend. We had what felt like a full-circle moment in the WTA and an American athlete reach the final in the ATP.
What started Down Under finished under the bright lights of the States
Rybakina and Sabalenka met once again in a Grand Slam final on hard court, and once again the Kazakh prevailed as champion.
Rybakina was a serious doubt for the tournament after sustaining an Achilles injury in Cincinnati. She struggled through some matches this tournament, but her talent always got her out of trouble.
She ended SabalenkaâÂÂs 96-week reign as world number one before once again defeating the Belarusian to claim her second Grand Slam title of the season.
Sabalenka let emotion get the better of her and, despite winning the second set, was ultimately no match for Rybakina and the confidence she played with.
2026 is the first time in four years that neither Sabalenka nor Iga Swiatek have won a Grand Slam title. The dominant era of two of the best women to have graced the sport has come to an end.
Zverev wins his second Slam
From being surrounded by plaudits to whether heâÂÂd win a slam to claiming two in one year. Zverev defeated home favourite Ben Shelton (6-3, 7-6, 5-7, 6-2), finishing the Slam calendar as the strongest male player.
Zverev was undoubtedly the stronger of the two players; he rarely made errors, while Shelton faltered under pressure from the crowd and from being in his maiden Grand Slam final.
Shelton overhit many shots that couldâÂÂve been winners. His mistakes played into ZverevâÂÂs hands, who could return the AmericanâÂÂs power into the corners of the tramlines.
Shelton pushed himself out to the sides of the court while trying to maximise power, leaving gaps that were punished by the German.
Despite winning the third set, SheltonâÂÂs energy levels depleted rapidly days after his long battle against a recovering Alcaraz.
Zverev conserved his energy and, in the winning set, made Shelton succumb to his power and accuracy.
The German has had a stupendous 2026 season and deservedly won the two slams he claimed. Questions remain as to whether he could compete with a fit âÂÂSinCarazâ after losing to both of them this year in Slams.
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