Maria Sharapova returned to Arthur Ashe Stadium for a special full-circle moment!
The 39-year-old retired tennis star presented Elena Rybakina with the women’s singles trophy after the 27-year-old athlete won the 2026 US Open on Saturday (September 12) in New York City.
Maria‘s appearance came exactly 20 years after she won the same championship in 2006. Following the ceremony, the two Grand Slam winners posed together on the court with Elena‘s new trophy.
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Maria Sharapova presented Elena Rybakina with the trophy
Elena defeated two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in three sets, winning the closely contested final 6-4, 5-7, 6-2.
After Elena celebrated with her team, Maria joined her on the court and personally handed her the Tiffany-designed championship trophy. Fireworks erupted inside Arthur Ashe Stadium as Elena raised the prize above her head.
The occasion created a direct link between two generations of champions. Maria was only 19 years old when she won the 2006 US Open, defeating Justine Henin-Hardenne 6-4, 6-4 in the final. That victory was the second of the five major singles titles she collected during her career.
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Twenty years later, Maria watched another player add New York to her own growing collection of Grand Slam victories.
Elena‘s win was her first at the US Open and the third major championship of her career. She previously won Wimbledon in 2022 and defeated Aryna in the 2026 Australian Open final. She is now missing only the French Open from a potential career Grand Slam.
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