Alexander Zverev has finally conquered the US Open, defeating American Ben Shelton in four sets to claim his first title at Flushing Meadows and the second Grand Slam trophy of his career.
The German top seed prevailed 6-3, 7-6 (7-2), 5-7, 6-2 in the men’s singles final at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sunday.
The victory represents a major turnaround for Zverev, who came agonisingly close to winning the same tournament six years ago. In the 2020 final, he surrendered a two-set advantage against Dominic Thiem before eventually losing in five sets.
This time, Zverev remained composed despite a spirited challenge from Shelton, who was backed by a heavily partisan home crowd.
Zverev controlled the opening two sets, using his powerful serve and consistency from the baseline to establish a commanding advantage. Shelton fought back in the third set, capitalising on a rare dip in the German’s level to extend the contest.
The American’s momentum, however, did not last. Zverev immediately regained control in the fourth set, breaking Shelton early before eventually closing out the match after three hours and 37 minutes.
The triumph caps an outstanding 2026 campaign for the 29-year-old, who also captured the French Open earlier in the year. He had reached the Wimbledon final as well, making this his third Grand Slam final of the season.
For Shelton, the defeat ended a historic run at his home Grand Slam. The 23-year-old had reached his first major final after defeating defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a dramatic quarter-final and compatriot Frances Tiafoe in the semi-final.
Shelton was also attempting to become the first American man
