Alexander Zverev solidified his status as a major force in tennis by overcoming Ben Shelton to win the US Open men’s singles title. The German’s 6-3, 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-2 victory on Sunday dashed the hopes of a partisan crowd, as the American men’s Grand Slam drought—dating back to 2003—continues. For Zverev, the win marks his second major title of 2026, following his breakthrough performance at the French Open, and serves as redemption for his painful runner-up finish in New York back in 2020.
Entering his first Grand Slam as the top seed, Zverev capitalized on an uneasy start from the 23-year-old Shelton, who was competing in his maiden major final. While Shelton fought back valiantly to steal the third set, Zverev’s composure and a dominant serving performance in the tiebreak ultimately proved too much. In a moment of brief confusion, Zverev initially did not realize he had secured the match, dropping back to the baseline expecting another point before eventually celebrating as the reality of the victory settled in.
Shelton’s quest to become the first American man to lift the trophy since Andy Roddick in 2003, and the first Black man to win the event since Arthur Ashe in 1968, was ultimately thwarted. Despite the defeat, Zverev offered high praise for the young American during his trophy ceremony, predicting that Shelton will undoubtedly claim this title in the future.
Reflecting on his historic run, an emotional Zverev remarked on the significance of his recent success: “We went 30 years without winning a Grand Slam title, and then won two in the span of three months. I think God has seen how hard we have worked and suffered, and the pain we went through. 2026 was the outcome for everything that we went through before.”
Zverev took time to pay tribute to his mother, crediting her for her unwavering support since his childhood diabetes diagnosis. “When your four-year-old son gets diagnosed with diabetes, and that sport will be difficult, it takes a very strong mother to say that he will be whatever he wants to be. This illness will not define us. I am happy we worked through it and we are doing things that we are doing right now,” he shared.
For his part, a somber Ben Shelton expressed deep gratitude for the support system that carried him to the final. “To do this with my family by my side. These four guys have dedicated their lives to my career. It is an unmatched level of commitment,” the American noted, acknowledging the immense effort required to reach this stage of his professional journey. The report also notes that zverev finally broke through in the majors by winning this year’s French Open and followed up by adding the title in New York that he so painfully let slip away in 2020.
