ALEXANDER
ZVEREV
A Binary 1702 experiment
the men's singles title
Who is Arthur Ashe?
Arthur Ashe Stadium is the centerpiece of the US Open and the largest tennis stadium in the world. It is the court where Ben Shelton faced off Alexander Zverev in the 2026 US Open singles finals, are played. The stadium is named after one of the most important figures in tennis history.
Ashe won the inaugural US Open in 1968, becoming the first Black man to win the tournament's singles title.
Ashe's 1968 victory came at a turning point in tennis history. That year marked the beginning of the Open Era, when professional players were allowed to compete alongside amateurs in major tournaments. Ashe was still serving in the U.S. Army and competing as an amateur when he won the title.
His significance extended far beyond tennis. He became an outspoken advocate for civil rights, opposed apartheid in South Africa, helped establish the National Junior Tennis League, and later worked extensively to raise awareness about AIDS.
Four years after his death in 1993, the US Open opened its new main stadium and named it Arthur Ashe Stadium. The venue opened in 1997 and seats more than 23,000 spectators, making it the largest tennis stadium in the world.
So when the final is played on Arthur Ashe Stadium,
the name above the court carries weight.
TWO PATHS.
ONE CHAMPIONSHIP.
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to see their 2026 US Open journey.
Four tournaments define the Grand Slam season.
Tennis has four Grand Slam tournaments, the highest-profile events in the sport. They are spread across the season and across four different cities: Melbourne, Paris, London, and New York.
Each has its own surface and rhythm. The Australian Open starts the year on hard courts. Roland-Garros follows on clay. Wimbledon switches to grass. The US Open closes the calendar in New York on hard courts.
That change in surface matters. Clay slows the ball and produces longer points. Grass rewards lower bounces and faster attacking play. Hard courts sit between the two, demanding both movement and aggression. For the US Open, that means the final major arrives after players have moved through three very different environments.