Who Will Rule the 2026 U.S. Open?

**SPEAKER_1** (0:00)
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**Natalie Kitroeff** (0:31)
Hi everyone, it's Natalie Kitroeff. If you're not yet a Time subscriber, we have some news for you. You can enjoy full access to The New York Times without a paywall for 30 days. All you have to do is download the app to get your first month completely free. And if you're already a Time subscriber, you're the best. Thank you. Okay, here's today's show.
From The New York Times, I'm Natalie Kitroeff. This is The Daily on Sunday.
Right now, here in New York City, the greatest tennis players in the world are gearing up for the last and arguably biggest event of the year, the US. Open. The tournament is played in Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, which is home of the biggest tennis arena on Earth, Arthur Ashe Stadium.

**SPEAKER_4** (1:34)
Here goes Arthur Ashe, now leading off with the first serve.

**Natalie Kitroeff** (1:37)
It's where Pete Sampras ended his career in an epic match with Andre Agassi. Where Venus and Serena Williams first faced off in a major championship final.

**SPEAKER_5** (1:49)
Venus just jerking her sister from side to side.

**Natalie Kitroeff** (1:53)
John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg, Steffi Graf and Monica Sellis, Novak Djokovic and everybody.

**SPEAKER_5** (2:00)
Another winner, just flat-footed Nadal.

**Natalie Kitroeff** (2:03)
Some of tennis' most iconic rivalries played out at the US. Open. And that's happening again, but in a new era, with new stars jockeying for their place in history.

**SPEAKER_6** (2:15)
Carlos Alcaraz wins his first major.

**SPEAKER_7** (2:17)
Arena Sableca has now won the US. Open.

**SPEAKER_8** (2:20)
It is the first title of the year for Coco Gough.

**Natalie Kitroeff** (2:24)
So on today's show, I'm talking with Matthew Futterman, who covers Tennis for the Athletic, a sports publication owned by The Times, and is the author of the new book, The Cruelest Game, Chasing Greatness in Professional Tennis. We're going to talk about those new stars chasing greatness, their stories, their struggles, their friendships and rivalries. Everything that makes tennis maybe the most compelling and dramatic one-on-one competition anywhere in the world. It's Sunday, August 30th.
Matt, welcome to The Sunday Daily. Thanks for being here in studio, taking time away from the grueling US. Open schedule.

**Matthew Futterman** (3:10)
Oh, it's great to be here. Thanks for having me.

**Natalie Kitroeff** (3:13)
So, I want to start off with a bang. What to you is the greatest rivalry in tennis history?

**Matthew Futterman** (3:24)
Hands down, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova.

**SPEAKER_4** (3:28)
All she can think about is beating Chris Evert for the second time in three weeks.

**Matthew Futterman** (3:32)
They played 80 times.

**SPEAKER_10** (3:33)
We've seen back to back defeats for Chrissy there.

**Matthew Futterman** (3:36)
Sixty of those times that they played were in finals.

**SPEAKER_6** (3:40)
Wow.

**SPEAKER_11** (3:41)
Martina trying to defend her title and Chris trying to win the title for the seventh time.

**SPEAKER_6** (3:46)
Chris respect each other's games.

**SPEAKER_4** (3:48)
They both have great respect for each other.

**Matthew Futterman** (3:50)
They were such a contrast in styles.

**SPEAKER_7** (3:53)
Martina made a smart play. It came right in as she's been doing.

**Matthew Futterman** (3:58)
Nebrahtylova, Eastern European.

**Martina Navratilova** (4:01)
where I want and where I want and I didn't get this chance while being under the Czech government.

**Matthew Futterman** (4:07)
Chris Evert sort of, I will put this in quotes, that all-American girl next door.

**SPEAKER_11** (4:13)
Are you getting hit on all the time, as well, from men or you just scare the pants off?

**SPEAKER_12** (4:19)
Yeah, not that much.

**Chris Evert** (4:20)
I mean, I really don't see a lot of men around the circuit to tell you the truth.

**Matthew Futterman** (4:27)
This is a rivalry that had everything including an incredible personal relationship between the two of them.

**Chris Evert** (4:35)
They were friends?

**Matthew Futterman** (4:36)
They were incredible friends. They were doubles partners. And then that was too hard for Chris Evert to be doubles partners with her big rival.

**Chris Evert** (4:47)
Because I wasn't the kind of player that really liked to play my friends or my sister, people that I cared about, so.

**Matthew Futterman** (4:54)
And she stopped playing doubles with her.