Key Takeaways
- Elena Rybakina invited a young lemonade stand worker named Emerie to lift the championship trophy, asking, “Do you want to hold it?”
- Upon holding the silverware, the ecstatic youngster exclaimed, “Guys I just won.”
- After learning the girl plays tennis, Rybakina encouraged her future aspirations by saying, “So hopefully in 10, 15 years.”
A heartwarming exchange at Flushing Meadows
Elena Rybakina celebrated her triumph at the 2026 US Open with a memorable and touching gesture off the court, offering a young worker the chance of a lifetime following her championship run.
Shortly after securing the title in New York, Rybakina encountered a young girl named Emerie working at a tournament lemonade stand. Instead of merely posing for photos, the newly crowned champion immediately included her in the celebration, asking, “Do you want to hold it?”
Stunned by the unexpected offer, the girl replied with disbelief, asking, “Really?”
Rybakina did not hesitate to reassure her, saying, “Yes of course.”
Holding the prestigious silverware, the overjoyed youngster could not contain her excitement, turning to others nearby and shouting, “Guys I just won.”
Inspiring the next generation
The interaction did not end there. Rybakina took the time to ask about the girl’s personal sporting ambitions, inquiring, “Are you playing tennis?”
After the youngster confirmed with a simple “Yeah,” Rybakina offered words of encouragement for the future, telling her, “So hopefully in 10, 15 years.”
The endearing moment capped off a remarkable fortnight for Rybakina at Flushing Meadows. She overcame a painful foot injury that made walking difficult during the event, battling through top-tier competition to defeat Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in the final. The victory halted Sabalenka’s unbeaten streak at the tournament, earned Rybakina her first US Open crown and third Grand Slam title overall, and propelled her to the world No. 1 ranking.
Rybakina letting the girl from the US Open lemonade stand hold the trophy was wholesome
Elena “Do you want to hold it?"
"Really?"
Elena “Yes of course”
"Guys I just won"😂
Elena “Are you playing tennis?"
"Yeah"
Elena “So hopefully in 10, 15 years"🥹 pic.twitter.com/zeej8zRqXj
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) September 13, 2026
Elena Rybakina in 2026
Currently ranked no.1, the Kazakhstani played her last match on the 12th of September when she overcame world no.2 Aryna Sabalenka 6-4 5-7 6-2 in the final of the U.S. Open to win her 14th career title.
At the moment, during this season Rybakina has managed to achieve an overall 49-13 match record. The Kazakhstani conquered 3 titles in 2026 at the Australian Open, Stuttgart and U.S. Open.
