The 2026 tennis season has witnessed countless significant moments, across both the WTA and ATP tours.
There is, of course, still a long way to go until the curtain closes on another campaign, with the year-end finals yet to take place. Scheduled for Indian Wells next month, the WTA Finals field has just been confirmed. And five places remain in the field for the ATP Finals, which take place in Turin the following week.
Before that, however, a handful of tennis legends have been tasked with recalling their favourite memories of the entire 2026 season. Andre Agassi, Martina Navratilova and Mats Wilander have all had their say.
Andre Agassi and Martina Navratilova pick their best 2026 tennis memory
As per Tennis Channel, ATP legend Agassi said: “Oh my God, that’s really putting me on the spot. The stories of the year, obviously Sascha (Alexander Zverev) getting over the line for his first Slam. That was incredible to see emotionally. I know it meant a lot to him. Sascha’s one of the hardest workers on the Tour, and having that rewarded with finally achieving some of his lifelong dreams, you can’t help but feel good about it.
“Great to see Carlitos (Carlos Alcaraz) back. And I hope [Jannik] Sinner is using this time wisely. Because those two guys are also so good for the game. So let’s hope for even a lot more better things in 2027.”
WTA hero Navratilova commented: “For me, Maja Chwalinska getting to the finals of the French Open. Came out of nowhere, now she’s going to finish top 20 in the world. And she plays kind of old-style tennis. For me, that’s the biggest surprise. Maja Chwalinska, the tip of the hat.”
And Agassi’s fellow ATP icon Wilander said: “I think the best memory for me is Novak Djokovic beating Jannik Sinner in the Australian Open. And then being really close, taking Alcaraz to five sets. That was unbelievable. I did not expect Novak to be that competitive. And he’s obviously proven towards the end of the year that he is very competitive. But that to me was the best part of the year.”
Alexander Zverev and Elena Rybakina show importance of Grand Slam success
The trio have certainly picked out some of the most iconic moments of the 2026 tennis season, but many more can be expected between now and the end of the year. It was, however, another fascinating Grand Slam season, with Zverev arguably the standout given that he claimed two titles, including his maiden major success.
However, Elena Rybakina has also finished the season with two Grand Slam titles, which has helped her become WTA number one for the first time in her career. Intriguingly, Zverev is heading for the same fate soon, with their rankings suggesting just how important peaking at Grand Slams is.
Zverev will be the year-end number one, with his only two titles of 2026 so far having arrived at Grand Slam level. He hasn’t enjoyed ATP Masters 1000 success, and the same can be said of Rybakina at WTA 1000 level. She boasts three titles, with two arriving at Grand Slams and the other coming at the WTA 500 Stuttgart. Of course, not every player is chasing the world number one ranking, but the duo have proven how important Grand Slam success is in achieving that significant milestone.