Alexander Zverev, Yokozuna. Linda Noskova, Ozeki.

Alexander Zverev became the 

Alexander Zverev

20st male Yokozuna (= Grand Champion) of the open era today: his victory at the 2026 US Open, in combination with the title at the 2026 French Open and the (lost) final at the 2026 Wimbledon tournament, suffices for a promotion to the highest rank. Zverev has been the dominant male tennis player at the last three grand slams.

For a long time, the tall, 29-year old German looked promising but tended to fall a step short when it mattered most. Through end-2025, he reached three grand slam finals without winning any of them. Early in his early career, Zverev played in the shadows of the Dai-Yokozuna Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. He also missed an opening at the 2020 US Open, when he lost a narrow final to career-high Ozeki Dominic Thiem after being two sets up. In recent years, Zverev seemed to have been overtaken by the new superstars, Yokozuna Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. 

Linda Noskova

This season, Sinner and Alcaraz missed grand slam tournaments due to injury, or they played but struggled physically and exited uncharacteristically early. Zverev stepped into the void. In the US Open final, he was in control throughout and outplayed the muscular Ben Shelton in four sets - a masterful, Yokozuna-worthy performance.

 

In the ladies' game, Linda Noskova followed on her victory at the 2026 Wimbledon tournament with a quarterfinal participation at the US Open, where she lost a tight match against Yokozuna Aryna Sabalenka. As a result, Noskova became the 50st female Ozeki (=Champion) of the open era. 

Tournament winner Elena Rybakina earned a re-promotion to the second highest rank.