How Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic could help make tennis history at the US Open this year

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Since the Open Era began in 1969, the four Grand Slams haven’t seen four unique winners in men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, and women’s doubles in a calendar year.

But that could all change in 2026 if the US Open produces different winners in the four disciplines from what we’ve seen at the Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon.

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If history is to be made, the likes of Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka will need to step up to the plate at Flushing Meadows.

Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic can play a role in the most unique Grand Slam season ever

So far this year, there hasn’t been a repeat Grand Slam winner in men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, or women’s doubles.

Men’s singles Grand Slam winners (2026)

• Australian Open – Carlos Alcaraz
• French Open – Alexander Zverev
• Wimbledon – Jannik Sinner

Women’s singles Grand Slam winners (2026)

• Australian Open – Elena Rybakina
• French Open – Mirra Andreeva
• Wimbledon – Linda Noskova

Men’s doubles Grand Slam winners (2026)

• Australian Open – Christian Harrison/Neal Skupski
• French Open – Marcel Granollers/Horacio Zeballos
• Wimbledon – Harri Heliovaara/Henry Patten

Women’s doubles Grand Slam winners (2026)

• Australian Open – Elise Mertens/Zhang Shuai
• French Open – Katerina Siniakova/Taylor Townsend
• Wimbledon – Guo Hanyu/Kristina Mladenovic

So, if two different doubles teams and two different singles players emerge victorious in New York, history will be made.

On the men’s side, you’d have to imagine Djokovic is the most likely ‘different’ winner, having won 24 Grand Slam titles during his career.

And in the women’s game, despite not winning a Grand Slam this year, Sabalenka remains the world number one, and she is the defending US Open champion, making her a likely title contender.

Several pairs could challenge for the US Open men’s doubles title, including Marcelo Arevalo/Mate Pavic, and Andrea Vavassori/Simone Bolelli.

And you wouldn’t be surprised to see the likes of Gabriela Dabrowski/Luisa Stefani, Aleksandar Krunic/Anna Danilina, or Sara Errani/Jasmine Paolini, win the women’s doubles title.

There is certainly a chance that history will be made at this year’s US Open, even if ‘history’ tells us that one of Alcaraz and Sinner will double their Grand Slam tallies for the year in New York, and the doubles number ones Townsend and Siniakova will do the same.

Which Grand Slam seasons have produced the most different winners?

Since the first full year of Open Era tennis (1969), the four Grand Slams have produced unique winners in singles three times.

In 1990, 1998, and 2014, eight different players won Grand Slam singles titles.

However, repeat winners in the doubles prevented history from being made.

2014 was the closest tennis has been to a truly unique Grand Slam season in the Open Era.

If Errani and Roberta Vinci hadn’t won two majors that year, history would have been made.

As fate would have it, 12 years later, Errani could play a role in completing the remarkable feat by winning the US Open women’s doubles event.

This year’s US Open begins on Sunday, August 30.