{"id":2088,"date":"2026-09-14T20:45:55","date_gmt":"2026-09-14T18:45:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/?p=2088"},"modified":"2026-09-14T20:45:55","modified_gmt":"2026-09-14T18:45:55","slug":"us-open-mens-final-and-wrap-up-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/2026\/09\/14\/us-open-mens-final-and-wrap-up-3\/","title":{"rendered":"US Open &#8211; Men&#8217;s Final and Wrap Up"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Alexander Zverev defeated Ben Shelton in the 2026 US Open men\u2019s singles final, 6-3, 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2, to capture his second Grand Slam title of the year and deny Shelton a historic breakthrough. This marks Zverev\u2019s first US Open crown and caps off a dominant season where he also won Roland Garros.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83c\udfbe Men\u2019s Final Recap<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Zverev\u2019s consistency and big-match experience proved decisive against Shelton, who was contesting his first major final.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The German took the opening set with early breaks, then held firm in a flawless second-set tiebreak.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Shelton fought back to steal the third set, breaking Zverev late, but the No. 1 seed responded immediately in the fourth, closing the match with authority.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Zverev became the <strong>fourth German player in the Open Era to win multiple majors<\/strong>, joining Steffi Graf, Boris Becker, and Angelique Kerber.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83c\udfbe Women\u2019s Final Recap<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Elena Rybakina defeated Aryna Sabalenka in three sets to win her <strong>first US Open title<\/strong> and rise to World No. 1.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Her victory ended Sabalenka\u2019s bid for a third consecutive US Open crown.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Twelve fantasy league teams had picked Rybakina, earning a massive boost in points.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83d\udcca Tournament Highlights<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>American surge<\/strong>: Shelton, Tiafoe, Pegula, and Gauff all reached the latter stages, thrilling home fans.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Breakthrough stars<\/strong>: Alexander Blockx and Mirra Andreeva made deep runs, announcing themselves on the big stage.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Epic battles<\/strong>: Tiafoe\u2019s comeback from two sets down, Sabalenka\u2019s survival against Noskova, and Shelton\u2019s upset of Alcaraz were among the standout matches.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Fantasy drama<\/strong>: The leaderboard swung wildly with every upset. Dropshots and Hit and Run were separated by just a single point heading into the men\u2019s final, making this one of the tightest finishes in league history.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83d\udcc5 Season Wrap-Up<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>2026 will be remembered as the year of Alexander Zverev\u2019s dominance, Elena Rybakina\u2019s rise to No. 1, and the resurgence of American tennis with Shelton\u2019s breakthrough. For the fantasy league, it was a season of twists, rivalries, and nail-biting finishes \u2014 from the race for the crown to the battle for the wooden spoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thank you all for participating and making the league vibrant and competitive. Whether you were chasing glory, celebrating your picks, or fighting to avoid last place, you were part of the story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s a wrap for 2026 \u2014 see you next year for more tennis, more drama, and more fantasy fun!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83c\udfc6 Champions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Dropshots (Roger Lauf)<\/strong> \u2013 280 points Crowned the overall winner after a consistent run and strong picks in the finals. They will be taking home the R1000 grand prize to end the season off.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Hit and Run (Don Hugo)<\/strong> \u2013 273 points Just seven points behind, finishing runner-up in a nail-biting race. A strong end to the year and so nearly an overall win. However Don will have to settle for the R500 2nd place prize. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Hot Shots (Alastair Grey)<\/strong> \u2013 253 points Secured third place with steady scoring throughout the tournament. He will be taking home R300 for his efforts<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83c\udf96 Top Five<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Wobbles (Salome Coetzee)<\/strong> \u2013 245 points. A wonderful way to end the year for our stalwart of a supporter Salome. She will be taking home R200. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>SINsational (Nikki Godfrey aka Mom)<\/strong> \u2013 244 points<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Arthur Ash\u2019s Ace Mechanics (Charlotte Grey)<\/strong> \u2013 244 points\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Lastly a tie for 5th place means that Charlotte and Nikki willl each take home their entry fees (R50). <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These three were separated by a single point, showing how close the battle for the top tier was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u26a1 Top Ten<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Slamalenka (Alastair Grey)<\/strong> \u2013 240 points<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Canniballs (Romain Soula)<\/strong> \u2013 238 points<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Christopher Columbus (Max &amp; Jared)<\/strong> \u2013 237 points<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Serving looks (Anuschka Jansen van Nieuwenhuizen)<\/strong> \u2013 237 points<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The top ten was stacked with teams that stayed in contention right until the end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83c\udfb2 Spot Prizes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Tournament Director (Jared Godfrey)<\/strong> \u2013 215 points \u2192 Position 17 earns a <strong>R50 spot prize<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Meadowridge No1 (Jared Godfrey)<\/strong> \u2013 162 points \u2192 Position 42 earns a <strong>R50 spot prize<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Congratulations to both \u2014 proof that mid-table finishes can still bring rewards!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83e\udeb5 Wooden Spoon<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Pat\u2019s Pick (Pat Vd Munckhof)<\/strong> \u2013 113 points Despite a spirited effort, Pat\u2019s Pick finishes last and takes home the wooden spoon.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83d\udcc5 Season Wrap-Up<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This year\u2019s fantasy league was one of the most competitive yet:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The top two were separated by just seven points.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Twelve teams picked Rybakina in the women\u2019s draw, which proved decisive.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The men\u2019s final swung the leaderboard one last time, sealing Dropshots\u2019 victory.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Rivalries flourished across the table \u2014 from the podium chase to the wooden spoon battle.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Thank you all for playing, debating, and keeping the league alive with energy and fun. Whether you finished at the top, mid-table, or bottom, you were part of the story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The final leaderboard is below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Reminder:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Blue Highlighter = Picked Zverev and Rybakina <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Yellow Highlighter = Picked either Zverev or Rybakina<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Red Highlighter = Eliminated<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"688\" height=\"556\" src=\"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/09\/image-28.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2090\" srcset=\"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/09\/image-28.png 688w, http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/09\/image-28-300x242.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 688px) 100vw, 688px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"685\" height=\"536\" src=\"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/09\/image-29.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2091\" srcset=\"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/09\/image-29.png 685w, http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/09\/image-29-300x235.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 685px) 100vw, 685px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>Dream Team:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"252\" height=\"268\" src=\"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/09\/image-30.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2092\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Best Team Possible<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>Our Winner &#8211; Dropshots Team<\/strong> <strong>and Best team of Males<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Incredibly their males due to the sub system scored more than the dream team males. Well done Roger!<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"281\" height=\"289\" src=\"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/09\/image-31.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2093\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>Best Team of Ladies &#8211; 12th Place &#8211; Eish &#8211; Pat<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"261\" height=\"120\" src=\"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/09\/image-32.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2094\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>Some Notable Picks<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Men:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Alex Michelsen &#8211; Scored 36 Points (Just 2 People picked him)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Carlos Alcaraz &#8211; Scored 32 Points (35 people backed him)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Alexander Blockx &#8211; Scored 29 Points (Just 1 person backed him)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Botic Van De Zandschulp &#8211; Scored 28 Points (1 person picked him<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Ladies:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Coco Gauff &#8211; Scored 33 Points (28 People picked the American)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mirra Andreeva &#8211; Scored 30 Points (11 People picked her)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Jessica Pegula &#8211; Scored 30 Points (16 People picked her)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Taylor Townsend &#8211; Scored 26 Points (12 People picked her)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Thank you all for another amazing Fantasy League year. See you all in 2027 where we will be back for the Aussie Open once again.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Alexander Zverev defeated Ben Shelton in the 2026 US Open men\u2019s singles final, 6-3, 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2, to capture his second Grand Slam title of the year and deny Shelton a historic breakthrough. This marks Zverev\u2019s first US Open crown and caps off a dominant season where he also won Roland Garros. \ud83c\udfbe Men\u2019s Final [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2089,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2088","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-us-open-2026"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2088","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2088"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2088\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2095,"href":"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2088\/revisions\/2095"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2089"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2088"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2088"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2088"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}