Alexander Zverev completed the most successful Grand Slam season of his career by winning his first US Open title, defeating American Ben Shelton in four sets at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York. The top-seeded German claimed a 6-3, 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2 victory in three hours and 33 minutes, adding another major trophy just months after winning the French Open at Roland Garros.
Zverev Takes Control of the US Open Final
Zverev entered the men’s singles final as the No. 1 seed, while Shelton, seeded eighth, carried the hopes of a home crowd eager to see an American tennis player end one of the sport’s longest major droughts.
The German quickly established control. He moved ahead 3-1 in the opening set and handled Shelton’s powerful serve well enough to secure the set 6-3.
Shelton offered much more resistance in the second. The American stayed with Zverev throughout the set and eventually forced a tiebreak. However, Zverev immediately took command, winning the first five points before closing out the breaker 7-2 and taking a two-set lead.
Tension also surfaced during the set when Shelton complained to the chair umpire about the amount of time Zverev was taking while bouncing the ball before serving. No warning or penalty was issued.
Shelton Brings Arthur Ashe Stadium Back to Life
Facing a straight-set defeat, Shelton responded in the third set.
The 23-year-old moved ahead 4-3 as the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium became increasingly involved. Zverev stayed close, but Shelton finally broke through late in the set and took it 7-5, forcing the match into a fourth.
The comeback raised the possibility of a dramatic turnaround. Instead, Zverev immediately regained control.
He broke Shelton early in the fourth and never allowed the American to rebuild his momentum. Zverev eventually took the set 6-2, losing only four points on serve during the final set.
A Championship Moment Zverev Almost Missed
The ending produced an unusual moment.
Shelton failed to return Zverev’s serve on championship point, but Zverev initially appeared unaware that the match was over. He remained focused for several seconds before realizing he had just become the US Open champion and turning toward his team to celebrate.
The victory completed a remarkable Grand Slam season for Zverev. He finished 2026 with a 25-2 record across the four majors after winning Roland Garros, reaching the Wimbledon final and capturing the US Open. His New York victory gave him the second Grand Slam title of his career.
It also brought a measure of redemption at the tournament where one of his most painful defeats had occurred. Zverev reached the US Open final in 2020 but lost to Dominic Thiem after holding a two-set lead. Six years later, he returned to the championship match and finished the job.
Zverev Embraces a Crowd That Wanted Shelton
Most of Arthur Ashe Stadium was firmly behind Shelton, who was trying to become the first American man to win a major singles title since Andy Roddick captured the 2003 US Open.
Zverev acknowledged the partisan crowd afterward while still praising the atmosphere, describing it as “an incredible atmosphere to play in.”
He also shared a lighthearted moment involving Shelton’s girlfriend, US soccer star Trinity Rodman, who made it to New York after playing for the Washington Spirit earlier in the day.
Zverev joked that Rodman was Shelton’s “lucky charm,” before adding, “Not today, but usually.”
Shelton’s Historic Run Falls One Match Short
Although Shelton did not leave New York with the championship, his run marked another major step in his career.
He reached his first Grand Slam final after defeating Frances Tiafoe in the semifinals and became the first Black American man to reach the US Open singles final since Arthur Ashe in 1972. His run also included a five-set quarterfinal victory over Carlos Alcaraz.
Shelton had been attempting to end a 23-year drought for American men at Grand Slam tournaments. Roddick remains the most recent American man to capture a major singles championship, having won in New York in 2003.
Despite the loss, Shelton made clear that he viewed the result as another stage in his development rather than an ending. “I’m just getting started, I’ll be back here again,” Shelton told the crowd.
Two Grand Slam Titles Transform Zverev’s Season
For years, Zverev had been one of the most successful players of his generation without a Grand Slam title. That changed dramatically in 2026.
His breakthrough came at the French Open, where he captured his first major. The US Open victory only three months later confirmed how quickly his Grand Slam record had changed.
Zverev also became the first German man to win the US Open singles championship since Boris Becker in 1989. At 29, he ended the season with two of the four men’s Grand Slam titles and established 2026 as the defining year of his career so far.
A Breakthrough Year Ends With a New York Trophy
Zverev arrived in New York already carrying the confidence of finally becoming a Grand Slam champion. He left with another trophy and a very different career story.
His four-set victory over Shelton combined the qualities that had defined his season: a dominant serve, patience under pressure and the ability to recover quickly when momentum shifted. After years of coming close on tennis’s biggest stages, Zverev finished 2026 as a two-time Grand Slam champion and, for the first time, a US Open winner.
