Alexander Zverev and Ben Shelton reached the 2026 US Open men's singles final after strong semifinal performances, with top seed Zverev advancing past Karen Khachanov in straight sets and eighth seed Shelton overcoming Frances Tiafoe in four sets. Shelton's earlier quarterfinal upset of defending champion Carlos Alcaraz highlighted his rising form on hard courts. On the women's side, Elena Rybakina defeated Coco Gauff in the semifinals while Aryna Sabalenka eliminated Jessica Pegula, setting up a clash between the top two seeds that Rybakina won to claim the title and the No. 1 ranking. These paths reflected recent rankings, head-to-head records, and late-tournament momentum in a Grand Slam draw where surface consistency and recovery between rounds proved decisive for finalist selection.