Christian Harrison and Neal Skupski win US Open for their second Grand Slam men's doubles title

NEW YORK (AP) — American Christian Harrison and British partner Neal Skupski won their second Grand Slam men’s doubles title of the year by defeating Germany’s Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz 6-4, 7-6 (6) in the U.S. Open final on Saturday.

Harrison and Skupski were playing just their second tournament together when they won the Australian Open in January. They are the fourth men's team to win these two majors in the same year since Melbourne went to hard courts in 1988.

“It’s been a great year,” Harrison said. “To get two titles like this, I’m speechless — and to do it at home.”

They cruised through at Flushing Meadows, becoming just the third team since the Open era began in 1968 to win without dropping a set. It took fending off set point in the second during the tiebreak to join the duos of John McEnroe and Peter Fleming in 1983 and Bob and Mike Bryan in 2008 and '10 in the history books.

"It’s amazing what a year does in tennis," said Skupski, who lost in the 2025 U.S. Open and French Open finals with former partner Joe Salisbury. “Obviously I’ve been here in this moment before with the runners-up trophy a couple times, having match points last year in the championship match. This definitely feels a lot better.”

Harrison is a major champion on home soil after undergoing eight surgeries from 2009-18 that led him to largely abandon singles play to focus on doubles. That included two operations on his left femur, along with one on each hip and adductor.

“You always have doubts,” Harrison, now 32, said. “Missed eight-, nine-plus years of just stopping, starting. Of course, there’s always a little bit, especially as you’re getting older and you realize your body is not recovering the same. But I never lost my joy for playing.”

Father and coach Pat Harrison was in attendance along with other family members, putting aside his fear of flying to make the trip.

"Got my dad to fly up here," Christian Harrison said. “He doesn’t fly.”

Krawietz and Puetz came up short in the final for a second time in three years. They lost to the Australian pair of Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson in 2024.

“To lose a final hurts, of course,” Krawietz said. “See you next year.”

See AP’s full tennis coverage here

Christian Harrison, of the United States, left, and Neal Skupski, of Britain, right, pose for a photo with their trophy after winning the men's doubles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships against Kevin Krawietz, of Germany, and Tim Puetz, of Germany, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Neal Skupski, of Britain, celebrates with Christian Harrison, of the United States, after winning the men's doubles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships Kevin Krawietz, of Germany, and Tim Puetz, of Germany, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Neal Skupski, of Britain, left, celebrates with Christian Harrison, of the United States, right, after winning the men's doubles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships Kevin Krawietz, of Germany, and Tim Puetz, of Germany, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Neal Skupski, of Britain, bottom, celebrates with Christian Harrison, of the United States, top, after winning the men's doubles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships Kevin Krawietz, of Germany, and Tim Puetz, of Germany, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Neal Skupski, of Britain, left, celebrates with Christian Harrison, of the United States, right, after winning the men's doubles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships Kevin Krawietz, of Germany, and Tim Puetz, of Germany, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

VENICE, Italy (AP) — “Woman Unknown,” a drama about Denmark in the aftermath of the Nazi occupation directed by May el-Toukhy, won the prestigious Golden Lion at the 83rd Venice Film Festival on Saturday.

The Maggie Gyllenhaal -led jury announced the winners, which included a best actor prize for John Malkovich for his performance in the dark CIA comedy “Wild Horse Nine.”

Malkovich was not in attendance at the ceremony, but he sent a video message, explaining that he is shooting in Montreal.

“I am humbled to be chosen for this award which has been given to so many wonderful actors,” Malkovich said.

El-Toukhy, who was the only woman to have solely directed a film in the main competition this year, is only the eighth woman to have won the festival's top prize.

“To me personally, ‘Woman Unknown’ is about the female body as a battleground,” el-Toukhy said. “At the same time the film tells the tale of women who are unseen, invisible and voiceless.”

She thanked Gyllenhaal for using her voice to shine a light on unequal opportunities for women in moviemaking.

The film is centered on a young nanny and housemaid who is about to marry her wealthy employer in the immediate aftermath of the war. But she harbors a secret past intimate relationship with a German soldier that threatens to upend her reputation. The lead, Mathilde Arcel, won the festival's best actress prize.

Arcel was visibly emotional as she accepted the award, which she placed on the floor as she spoke as she said it was very heavy.

“This is my first lead role in a movie and my first time at a film festival,” she said. “I’m extremely honored.”

South Korean auteur Lee Chang-dong’s poetic portrait of class and labor, “Possible Love,” won the Silver Lion grand jury prize. “Possible Love” is Lee’s first film in eight years, following his acclaimed “Burning.”

“We are living in an era where the meaning of labor is fading and human connections are increasingly becoming severed,” Lee said through a translator. “I made this film to ask what cinema can and should do in times like these. I take this award as a sign that you want me to keep asking these questions.”

“NAZA,” a harrowing documentary about military strategies employed in the war in Gaza from Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, was awarded a special jury prize.

“It is really, really especially important to us that Israelis watch this film,” Abraham said.

The was added to the main competition late — at the request of the filmmakers — and debuted late in the schedule as well, but its impact was felt as it received a record-breaking standing ovation, lasting some 25 minutes, after its premiere.

Shot on the rooftops of Tel Aviv at night in extreme secrecy over three years, “NAZA” features testimony from 24 Israeli military insiders including intelligence officers and soldiers give who insight into the war in Gaza and what they say is the systemic killing of Palestinian civilians.

The jury gave the Silver Lion for directing to Ilya Krzhanovsky for his film “Dau,” a project about the Soviet physicists who built the atomic bomb that has taken over 20 years to make. Krzhanovsky, who renounced his Russian citizenship in protest of the war in Ukraine, dedicated the prize to Ukrainians, including his mother who was born there.

French director Stéphane Brizé’s won the screenplay prize for his corporate drama “A Good Little Soldier.” Malou Khebizi was given the Marcello Mastroianni award for emerging actor for her role in Cédric Kahn’s “A Place to Heal,” which is set in an adolescent psychiatric ward in a public hospital.

The jury this year included “The Voice of Hind Rajab” director Kaouther Ben Hania, English composer Daniel Blumberg, French filmmaker Xavier Giannoli, Afghan filmmaker Shahrbanoo Sadat and Hong Kong filmmaker Johnnie To.

Aside from Malkovich's win, the starrier, Hollywood films playing in competition were shut out of the awards, including “Primetime,” “Bunker” and “Ink.”

Some look to the Venice Film Festival awards for early indications of who might be in with a shot at Oscar nominations and wins. In recent years, Venice has launched winning best actor campaigns for people like Brendan Fraser and Adrien Brody.

Malkovich has yet to win an Oscar.

For more coverage of the 2026 Venice Film Festival, visit: https://apnews.com/hub/venice-film-festival

Jury member Johnnie To, left, presents director Lee Chang-dong the grand jury prize for the film 'Possible Love' during the closing ceremony of the 83rd edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

John Malkovich poses for photographers at the red carpet for the film 'Wild Horse Nine' during the 83rd edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026. (Photo by Alessandra Tarantino/Invision/AP)

Director May el-Toukhy poses for photographers after receiving the Golden Lion for best film for 'Woman Unknown' during the closing ceremony of the 83rd edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Lee Chang-Dong poses for photographers at the closing ceremony red carpet during the 83rd edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

May el-Toukhy, left, and Mathilde Arcel Fock pose for photographers at the closing ceremony red carpet during the 83rd edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Jury president Maggie Gyllenhaal poses for photographers at the closing ceremony red carpet during the 83rd edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Rachel Szor, left, and Yuval Abraham pose for photographers at the closing ceremony red carpet during the 83rd edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Maggie Gyllenhaal speaks to the audience prior to Ellen Burstyn receiving the golden lion for lifetime achievement during the 83rd edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Monday, Sept. 7, 2026. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Driector Lee Chang-dong, from left, Sul Kyung-gu, Jeon Do-yeon, Cho Yeo-jeong and Zo In-sung pose for photographers at the red carpet for the film 'Possible Love' during the 83rd edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026. (Photo by Alessandra Tarantino/Invision/AP)

John Malkovich, left, and Sam Rockwell pose for photographers at the red carpet for the film 'Wild Horse Nine' during the 83rd edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026. (Photo by Alessandra Tarantino/Invision/AP)

Directors Yuval Abraham, left, and Rachel Szor pose for photographers at the photo call for the film 'Naza' during the 83rd edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Robert Pattinson poses for photographers at the red carpet for the film 'Primetime' during the 83rd edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026. (Photo by Alessandra Tarantino/Invision/AP)