Alexander Zverev has cemented his status as the premier force in men’s tennis, claiming his maiden US Open title with a gritty four-set victory over American hopeful Ben Shelton. The German top seed secured a 6-3, 7-6 (7-2), 5-7, 6-2 win at Flushing Meadows, adding the New York crown to the French Open title he captured earlier this year.
In a bizarre final moment, the gravity of the triumph initially escaped Zverev. After a return from Shelton sailed long on match point, the German remained in his stance, seemingly ready to continue play. It was only after a glance at the stadium’s big screen that the reality dawned on him: he was a US Open champion.
“I feel like there was so much suffering for the Zverev family at Grand Slam level, that maybe 2026 is the year we should just enjoy,” Zverev told Sky Sports Tennis. “Now standing here with two Grand Slam trophies in the space of months is incredible.”
The final, played before a star-studded crowd that included Brad Pitt and Pierce Brosnan, saw Zverev dismantle Shelton’s rhythm early. Despite an exhausting tournament path—having spent over 19 hours on court to reach the final—the German maintained a blistering pace, breaking Shelton in the opening game. The American eighth seed, looking to become the first U.S. man to win a major since Andy Roddick in 2003, struggled to find a foothold against Zverev’s formidable serve, failing to earn a single break point until the third set.
Shelton, who had impressed by defeating top talents like Carlos Alcaraz earlier in the tournament, managed to keep the partisan crowd of 23,000 engaged by securing a break to clinch the third set. However, Zverev’s composure remained unshaken. A decisive early break in the fourth set effectively ended the contest, allowing Zverev to cruise to victory in three hours and 33 minutes.
Post-match, a gracious Shelton looked toward his own future. “What you’re doing is incredible,” Shelton told the champion. “You work harder than anyone I know. To New York, you guys drove me here today. I’m just getting started and I’ll be back here again.”
The victory completes a stunning turnaround for the 29-year-old Zverev. Once dogged by the label of the “best player never to win a major,” he now sits with two Grand Slam titles in a single season. Analysts lauded his evolution, with Sky Sports Tennis’ Tim Henman noting, “He has transformed himself to be more aggressive… he looked so comfortable.”
With 26 career titles and a new sense of tactical maturity, Zverev has firmly established himself as the man to beat. Having conquered both Paris and New York in 2026, the question now is not if he can win at the highest level, but how many more titles he might add to his rapidly growing collection.
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