Finals weekend at this year’s US Open will not feature Carlos Alcaraz or Alexandra Eala, but the duo left a lasting mark on the final Grand Slam of 2026 for all the right reasons.

The hype around Alcaraz and Eala was building for very different reasons in the days before the US Open, with the return of defending champion Alcaraz after a long spell out of the game with a wrist injury a story that captivated an audience outside of the tennis bubble.

Many observers suggested Alcaraz was crazy to roll the dice and make his comeback in a best-of-five-set event that would test his wrist to the full.

His partnership with Serena Williams in the mixed doubles event a week before the main draw started was a triumph for his sponsors and also for raising the profile of the US Open as it generated huge headlines around the sporting world.

Alcaraz’s tentative steps back into competitive singles action were also fascinating, as he moved through the opening three rounds impressively before clicking into top gear as he dismantled Tommy Paul in the fourth round.

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Ultimately, he came up short in a thrilling contest against Ben Shelton that concluded at 3.35am in New York, but this should be hailed as a successful tournament for the seven-time Grand Slam champion.

Alcaraz silenced the doubters who suggested he was wrong to play at the US Open without testing his wrist in a warm-up event and he admitted he didn’t expect to perform as well as he did over the course of his five matches.

The Spaniard will now have time to assess where his form is at ahead of his upcoming tournaments, which will include next month’s Laver Cup and the lucrative Six Kings Slam exhibition event in Saudi Arabia.

Alcaraz is back and that’s great news for tennis fans around the world, with his fame and popularity stretching beyond the tennis bubble and shining a light on the sport in a positive light.

The same is true of Eala, who elevated her superstar status to even higher levels with her performances during the North American hard court season.

Her victory in the WTA 500 tournament in Washington at the start of August was a huge moment in Eala’s career, with the impact she was having on social media platforms alerting all in the tennis ecosystem about her popularity.

Every post about Eala from the official US Open social media accounts generated huge levels of interaction, underlining the remarkable interest she sparked throughout the tournament.

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And while the Filipina’s run ended in the third round after an incredible battle with Iva Jovic, Eala can still be hailed as one of the breakout stars — and heroes — of this year’s US Open.

Appearances on American daytime TV are normally reserved for the champions at Flushing Meadows, but Eala’s impact saw her make it on to some of the big shows on Monday and she is now a global superstar with a huge reach beyond her Filipino fanbase.

Alcaraz and Eala are gifts to tennis and the good news is, they will be at the forefront of our sport for many years to come.

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