Alexander Zverev Wins US Open After Shelton Battle
Alexander Zverev defeated Ben Shelton in four sets to win his first US Open title and claim the second Grand Slam trophy of his career.
The result ended another American bid to produce a home-grown US Open men’s singles champion. Andy Roddick’s 2003 victory remains the last time an American man won a Grand Slam title in New York.
For Zverev, the victory completed a major milestone. The 29-year-old German secured his first US Open title and the second Grand Slam crown of his career after also winning this year’s French Open.
The victory was especially significant because of what happened six years ago. Zverev had taken a two-set lead against Dominic Thiem in his first Major final at Flushing Meadows, only to lose the match. This time, he stayed composed when Shelton threatened to change the outcome.
Shelton, playing in his first Grand Slam final, broke Zverev’s serve in the 12th game of the third set to give himself a chance. The American had the backing of the home crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium, but Zverev responded immediately in the fourth.
The German broke in the opening game and added another break in the seventh. He then served for the championship without any further setback, sealing a memorable US Open victory.
Zverev had entered the contest with a 5-0 head-to-head record against Shelton. The two had never met at a Grand Slam, although their previous encounter came at the 2025 ATP Finals.
Shelton had every reason to believe he could challenge Zverev after defeating defending champion Carlos Alcaraz and fellow American Frances Tiafoe in his previous two rounds. However, the eighth seed made a difficult start.
He faced a break point during his opening service game and then produced a double fault. Zverev took advantage and showed the confidence of a player appearing in his sixth Major final.
The 6ft 6in German repeatedly relied on his powerful first serve, giving Shelton few opportunities to attack. Zverev won 85 per cent of his first-serve points, taking 68 of 80 points behind that delivery over the course of the match.
Shelton faced another break point in the ninth game of the opening set. Once again, a double fault proved costly, allowing Zverev to take the first set.
The American raised his level in the second set and prevented Zverev from creating another break opportunity. However, Shelton struggled in the tiebreak as Zverev quickly established a 5-0 advantage.
The German then moved two sets ahead when Shelton sent a forehand return into the net after another strong serve down the T.
Shelton eventually stopped Zverev from completing a straight-sets victory. The third-set win ended his run of 12 consecutive sets lost to Zverev, but the comeback ended there.
Zverev immediately regained control in the fourth set. His early break put him in command, while the second break in the seventh game left Shelton with little room to recover.
When Shelton’s final forehand return sailed beyond the baseline, Zverev had secured the championship. So focused was the German on completing the match that he initially did not appear to realise that he had just won his first US Open title.
The triumph also placed him in a select group. Zverev became only the second German man in the Open Era to win the US Open, following Boris Becker, who lifted the trophy in 1989.
While Shelton will reflect on a breakthrough run to his first Grand Slam final, Zverev leaves New York with another major title and fresh momentum after an outstanding season.
Can Zverev’s US Open triumph mark the start of a sustained period of Grand Slam success?
