New York in late August is a pressure cooker. It's loud, humid, and the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium doesn't just watch tennis—they participate in it. If you're asking who won the 2024 US Open, you're looking at two athletes who basically mastered the art of not cracking under that specific brand of NYC chaos.
Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka walked away with the trophies.
Honestly, it felt like a changing of the guard, or maybe just a consolidation of power. Both players had already won the Australian Open earlier in the year. By the time they finished their runs in Flushing Meadows, they had effectively declared a monopoly on hard-court Grand Slams for 2024.
The Men's Final: Jannik Sinner’s Clinical Silence
Going into the final, the narrative was heavy. You had Taylor Fritz trying to end a 21-year drought for American men. The last time a guy from the States won a major was Andy Roddick back in 2003. The atmosphere was electric. Taylor Swift was there. Travis Kelce was there. Half of Hollywood seemed to be sitting in the luxury boxes.
But Sinner didn't care.
He won 6-3, 6-4, 7-5. It wasn't that Fritz played poorly; it was just that Sinner was a wall. The Italian’s movement is weirdly smooth—he looks like he’s still skiing in the Dolomites sometimes, sliding into shots that should be winners. He made only 21 unforced errors in the entire match. That is a terrifyingly low number for a three-set final.
👉 See also: What Really Happened With Nick Chubb: The Injury, The Recovery, and The Houston Twist
Why Sinner’s Win Was Different
A lot of people were talking about the controversy surrounding his failed drug tests from earlier in the year. He had been cleared of any intentional wrongdoing just days before the tournament started. Some fans were skeptical. Some players were vocal about "double standards."
Sinner just put his head down.
He became the first Italian man to win the US Open. He also joined a very exclusive club—only Mats Wilander, Roger Federer, and Novak Djokovic had previously won both hard-court Slams in the same calendar year.
Aryna Sabalenka and the Redemption Arc
On the women's side, Aryna Sabalenka finally got her New York moment. She’s been so close for years. Semifinals in '21 and '22. A heartbreaking final loss to Coco Gauff in '23 where the crowd basically willed Gauff to victory.
This time, Sabalenka faced another American: Jessica Pegula.
✨ Don't miss: Men's Sophie Cunningham Jersey: Why This Specific Kit is Selling Out Everywhere
Pegula is a fighter. She’s the daughter of the Buffalo Bills owners, but she’s worked for every bit of her success, finally reaching a Grand Slam final at age 30. The match was closer than the straight-sets score suggests. Sabalenka won 7-5, 7-5, but it was a rollercoaster.
Sabalenka was up 3-0 in the second set. Then she lost five games in a row. Old Sabalenka might have smashed a racket and spiraled. New Sabalenka? She just reset. She won the next four games to take the title.
"I understood, especially in this tournament, how important the mental part is in this sport," Sinner said during his trophy ceremony. Sabalenka echoed that sentiment, proving she’s no longer just a power hitter, but a tactical mastermind.
What Most People Missed About the 2024 US Open
It wasn't just about the winners. The 2024 tournament was a graveyard for the "Big Three" era. Novak Djokovic lost in the third round to Alexei Popyrin. Carlos Alcaraz, who everyone expected to dominate, got bounced in the second round.
It was the first year since 2002 that none of the Big Three (Federer, Nadal, Djokovic) won a single Grand Slam.
🔗 Read more: Why Netball Girls Sri Lanka Are Quietly Dominating Asian Sports
We also saw the longest match in US Open history. Dan Evans and Karen Khachanov battled for 5 hours and 35 minutes in the first round. Evans won, but he could barely stand by the end.
Money and Rankings
The prize money in 2024 was staggering. The USTA handed out a record $75 million in total compensation. Both Sinner and Sabalenka took home $3.6 million for their singles titles. Even losing in the first round got you $100,000, which is huge for the lower-ranked players trying to cover their travel costs.
Who Won the 2024 US Open: Full Winners List
If you're looking for the other categories, here’s how the hardware was distributed:
- Men’s Singles: Jannik Sinner (Italy)
- Women’s Singles: Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus)
- Men’s Doubles: Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson (Australia)
- Women’s Doubles: Lyudmyla Kichenok (Ukraine) and Jelena Ostapenko (Latvia)
- Mixed Doubles: Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori (Italy)
The Italians really owned this tournament. Not only did Sinner win the big one, but the mixed doubles title went to Italy as well.
Actionable Insights for Tennis Fans
If you're following the tour after this massive shift in New York, here is what you need to keep an eye on:
- Watch the surface speed: Sinner and Sabalenka are currently the "Kings/Queens of Hard Courts." If a tournament is played on cement, they are the odds-on favorites.
- Monitor the American surge: Despite the losses in the finals, having Fritz, Pegula, Tiafoe, and Emma Navarro all go deep proves American tennis is in its best spot in decades.
- Check the "Big Three" health: With Djokovic's early exit, the debate is no longer if the era is over, but how the new generation will divvy up the spoils.
If you're looking to play like the pros, take a page out of Sinner's book: focus on the "mental part." He won because his "bad" days are still more consistent than most players' "good" days.
Keep an eye on the Australian Open 2025. It’s the next time these hard-court specialists get to defend their turf.