A month ago, the question of who had a better season—Sabalenka or Świątek—would have seemed almost laughable. After all, following her Australian Open victory, Sabalenka struggled through injuries and personal setbacks. However, she has since emerged as the unstoppable force in women’s tennis, surpassing even Świątek. After claiming the Cincinnati title, Sabalenka stormed through the US Open, dropping only one set on her way to victory. Even in her closest match, a third-round clash with Ekaterina Alexandrova where she lost the first set, Sabalenka quickly bounced back with a powerful onslaught.

In the final, she overpowered Jessica Pegula with a composed 7-5, 7-5 victory, asserting complete control despite the tight scoreline. This win marks Sabalenka’s second Grand Slam title of the year and her third overall. She now trails Świątek's total of five major titles but seems poised to close the gap soon, with the Belarusian showing no signs of slowing down.

Though Iga Świątek retains her position at the top of the rankings, her recent results tell a different story. Following her triumph at Roland Garros, the Polish star has struggled. She crashed out in the third round of Wimbledon and stumbled again in New York, bowing out in the quarterfinals to Pegula in a match filled with uncharacteristic errors.

Świątek's dominance appears to be fading, with her success in recent years primarily confined to clay courts. It has now been two years since she progressed beyond the quarterfinals of a major tournament outside of Roland Garros, raising questions about her ability to compete consistently at the highest level on other surfaces.

Jessica Pegula has had a rollercoaster season but has now solidified her place as one of the standout performers of 2024. After winning the grass-court tournament in Berlin and capturing a title in Toronto, she made her first-ever Grand Slam final at the US Open. Along the way, Pegula managed to eliminate Świątek in the quarterfinals and mounted an impressive comeback against Karolina Muchova in the semifinals.

Despite falling short in the final against Sabalenka, Pegula’s run has propelled her back into the world’s top three. Reflecting on her breakthrough, Pegula expressed surprise at her own success, acknowledging that reaching this milestone seemed far from possible at the beginning of the year.

Jannik Sinner’s victory at the US Open could have been the main headline, but his triumph has been overshadowed by off-court controversies. Earlier this year, Sinner was implicated in a doping scandal, testing positive twice, yet he was allowed to continue competing while investigations were ongoing. Even tennis legend Roger Federer questioned the inconsistency of the process, suggesting that Sinner should have been suspended pending a full investigation.

Despite the scandal, Sinner dominated in New York, showcasing why he’s considered one of the best hard-court players in the world. He cruised through the tournament, culminating in a commanding victory over Taylor Fritz in the final. His calm demeanor after clinching the title further highlighted his composed approach to the game, even amidst the swirling controversies.

For American men’s tennis, the 2024 US Open marked a resurgence. Taylor Fritz made an impressive run to the final, the first American to do so since Andy Roddick in 2003. Along the way, he defeated top opponents like Matteo Berrettini, Casper Ruud, and Alexander Zverev, showcasing the depth of his game.

However, against a player as dominant as Sinner, Fritz lacked the final spark to pull off the upset. Still, his journey to the final signaled that American men’s tennis may be ready to challenge for major titles once again.

For Novak Djokovic, 2024 has been a year to forget. After losing in the Wimbledon final to Carlos Alcaraz, Djokovic suffered a shocking third-round exit at the US Open, falling to Australia’s Alexei Popyrin. This loss has seen the Serbian drop to fourth in the rankings, more than 5,000 points behind the new leader, Sinner.

Djokovic’s decline has been attributed to a mix of injuries and a lack of match fitness. His sole bright spot this year was winning the gold medal at the Olympics, but with his current form, the days of Djokovic’s dominance may be numbered.

The 2024 US Open left tennis fans with plenty of storylines to follow. Sabalenka has emerged as a true force in the women’s game, Sinner is making his case as the next dominant player in men’s tennis, and American tennis has new hope for Grand Slam glory. Meanwhile, the once-dominant figures of Świątek and Djokovic are facing questions about their futures. As the season winds down, all eyes will be on how these stars regroup for the challenges ahead.