US Open 2026 Review: New Champions, Big Talking Points & Lessons from New York
Apple Podcasts 
Spotify 
Overcast 
Castro 
RSS Feed What a US Open! We saw two new champions crowned in New York, plenty of our pre-tournament predictions were ripped up, and both draws gave us lots of storylines.
In our final Grand Slam Review episode of 2026, Host Dan Kiernan is joined by our panel:-
- Denmark´s Davis Cup Captain and 2012 Wimbledon Doubles Champion, Freddie Nielsen
- Sports broadcaster and former CNN anchor Candy Reid
- Coach, podcaster and former agent Johnny Delgado
- Kieron Vorster, Fitness Coach to Tem Henman, Dan Evans & Wayne Ferreria
As ever, this isn’t just a review of the results. The panel gets into the realities behind elite performance: handling pressure, managing expectations, coping with defeat, the role of parents and coaches, and what players at every level can learn from the very best in the game.
In this episode:
- Alexander Zverev finally gets his US Open moment beating Shelton in the final, and his emotional on-court speech about his mother and managing Type 1 diabetes.
- Ben Shelton´s breakthrough run to his first Grand Slam final
- Could 2027 give us a new “Big Three”? The panel discusses whether Zverev can now consistently challenge Alcaraz and Sinner.
- Rafael Jodar’s shock first-round exit despite being a dark-horse pick off the back of a career-best summer.
- Elena Rybakina defeats Aryna Sabalenka. Why Rybakina’s balance, composure and first-strike tennis caused Sabalenka so many problems in the final , and the panel discuss how the best players handle nerves differently.
- Serena Williams skipping press conferences again and the panel's take on tournaments letting stars off the hook.
- The strength of the women's draw: Zheng Qinwen's run through qualifying, Iva Jovic, Mirra Andreeva and Coco Gauff's continued dominance on and off the court
- The Djokovic debate: a first-round exit, falling out of the world's top 10 for the first time in over two decades, and whether he can still go deep in a Slam at 37.
- Wheelchair tennis: GB´s Alfie Hewett, Tokito Oda and the extraordinary standard at the top of the wheelchair game.
- Neal Skupski and Christian Harrison's men's doubles title, and the debate around the future and recognition of doubles tennis
- Katerina Siniakova keeps making history! Her continued dominance and double Golden Slam achievement.
- What happens next? The panel looks ahead to the remainder of 2026, including the race for year-end No.1, Holger Rune’s return, the Next Gen Finals and the WTA Finals.
There are plenty of disagreements, predictions and laughs along the way, but also some brilliant takeaways for players, parents and coaches on pressure, resilience, expectations and what really separates the very best when the biggest moments arrive.
🎧 Sit back and enjoy our US Open 2026 Review!
This episode is brought to you by Novellus: https://novellusfinance.com/uk/
Links Mentioned in this Episode
Follow the Podcast here: Instagram | Facebook | Email us
SotoTennis Academy: https://www.instagram.com/sototennis
Mentioned in this episode:
Train Smarter Anywhere: Strength & Conditioning for Tennis Players On the Go 🎾
For players who don’t always have access to in-person coaching, progress doesn’t have to stop. TennisAthlete is an online Strength & Conditioning platform, designed specifically for tennis players who want structured, affordable and flexible training. Wherever they are in the world. TennisAthlete helps you stay consistent, improve performance, and train with purpose. Train smarter. Anywhere.
