The women’s tour returned to the University Club of New York for the $20,000 NYC Open, the third Super Series event of the 2026–27 season and another important stop in the race to qualify for the inaugural SDA Super Series Finals.

World No. 1 pairing Kayley Leonard and Maria Elena Ubina arrived as top seeds, with Leonard defending the title she won last year. They left with the trophy after a 15–7, 15–6, 15–5 victory over third seeds Rachel Mashek and Olivia Walsh in Monday’s final, although their path to the title was far from straightforward.

Their toughest test came in the quarterfinals against seventh seeds Dana Betts and Lily Taylor-French in one of the best matches of the week. Betts was in her best attacking form. As another left-hander on the left wall, she presented Leonard with an unusual challenge, and Leonard seemed to struggle with it early on. Taylor-French, playing on the right wall for the first time, took to the position well, and her excellent court coverage showed she is one to watch. Betts and Taylor-French took the opening game 15–13 and pushed the top seeds all the way, before Leonard and Ubina came through in four games, edging a tight fourth 15–14.

Waiting in the semifinals were fourth seeds Jaime Minerson and Jackie Moss, who had come through the match of the tournament to get there. Playing her first event back after the birth of her first child, Minerson picked up exactly where she left off. She and Moss faced fifth seeds Meredeth Quick and Haley Mendez, who had pushed the top seeds hard in Maryland, with Mendez also back on court as a new mom. Quick and Mendez saved the fourth game 15–14 to force a decider, but Minerson and Moss held their nerve to close it out 15–11. Leonard and Ubina were far more dominant in the semifinal, controlling the match from the start to win 15–9, 15–10, 15–4.

In the bottom half of the draw, sixth seed Caroline Spahr and her partner produced the upset of the tournament, beating second seeds Lauren West and Line Hansen 15–12, 15–12, 15–14. Mashek and Walsh ended their run in the semifinals with a 15–11, 15–14, 15–9 win, having already beaten Reese Maclean and Ineta Hopton 15–11, 15–13, 15–6 in the quarterfinals. That completed an impressive run to the final without dropping a game.

The final, however, proved one-sided. Mashek and Walsh had been in excellent form all week, but Leonard and Ubina’s experience was decisive from the opening rallies, and the top seeds controlled the match from start to finish without dropping a game.

Elsewhere in the draw, local favorites Tara Harrington and Jess Davis pushed Spahr’s team to four games in the opening round, while local wildcards Habiba Mohamed and Brecon Welch, who was making her SDA debut, took on Maclean and Hopton.

The win gives Leonard and Ubina their second title of the season after the Maryland Club Open, adding another valuable haul of Super Series points and strengthening their hold on the No. 1 position. For Mashek and Walsh, a run to the final without dropping a game marks a strong start to the season. With Minerson returning to the tour and Taylor-French making an impression in a new position, the NYC Open also highlighted the growing depth across the women’s field.

Results

Round of 16

  • [7] Betts / Taylor-French d. [11] Palacios / Lorito 15–10, 15–9, 15–14
  • [5] Mendez / Quick d. [10] Wickers / Clary 15–9, 15–5, 15–7
  • [8] Maclean / Hopton d. [WC] Mohamed / Welch 15–10, 15–10, 15–6
  • [6] Pierrepont / Spahr d. [9] Harrington / Davis 15–11, 11–15, 15–11, 15–8

Quarterfinals

  • [1] Leonard / Ubina d. [7] Betts / Taylor-French 13–15, 15–12, 15–6, 15–14
  • [4] Minerson / Moss d. [5] Mendez / Quick 15–12, 11–15, 15–10, 14–15, 15–11
  • [3] Mashek / Walsh d. [8] Maclean / Hopton 15–11, 15–13, 15–6
  • [6] Pierrepont / Spahr d. [2] Hansen / West 15–12, 15–12, 15–14

Semifinals

  • [1] Leonard / Ubina d. [4] Minerson / Moss 15–9, 15–10, 15–4
  • [3] Mashek / Walsh d. [6] Pierrepont / Spahr 15–11, 15–14, 15–9

Final

  • [1] Leonard / Ubina d. [3] Mashek / Walsh 15–7, 15–6, 15–5