Alexander Zverev defeated Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6(7-2), 5-7, 6-2 in the US Open final to claim his first title at Flushing Meadows and his second Grand Slam of the year. Shelton’s defeat means the wait for an American men’s singles champion continues into a 24th year.
Alexander Zverev has finally completed the job at the US Open. Six years after losing a two-set lead in the 2020 final, the German returned to Arthur Ashe Stadium and defeated American Ben Shelton in four sets to win his first US Open championship.
The victory is Zverev’s second Grand Slam title of 2026, following his breakthrough French Open triumph earlier this year. It also makes him the fourth man in the Open Era to win his first two Grand Slam titles in the same season. For Shelton, however, the defeat extended one of the longest-running droughts in American men’s tennis.
Another American falls short
Shelton entered the final carrying the hopes of a home crowd and a nation that has not seen an American man win a Grand Slam singles title since Andy Roddick won the US Open in 2003. The 23-year-old had an opportunity to end that 23-year wait on the same court where Roddick won his last major. Instead, Zverev’s victory pushed the drought to 24 years.
Shelton’s run nevertheless represented an important moment for American tennis. He became the first Black American man to reach the US Open men’s singles final since Arthur Ashe in 1972. His route to the championship match included a major upset of defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals before he defeated fellow American Frances Tiafoe in the semifinals.
The final was Shelton’s first Grand Slam championship match, while Zverev was appearing in his sixth. That difference in experience became increasingly evident as the match progressed.
Zverev controls the opening two sets
Zverev made the stronger start, taking the opening set 6-3. His first serve and baseline consistency allowed him to keep Shelton from dictating points with the explosive forehand and serve that had carried him through the tournament. Zverev then produced another composed performance in the second-set tiebreak, winning it 7-2 to take a two-set advantage.
At that point, Zverev appeared to be heading toward a relatively straightforward victory. Shelton had other plans. The American raised his level in the third set and began taking greater risks on his returns and groundstrokes. He managed to break Zverev and held his advantage to win the set 7-5, bringing the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium back into the match.
Zverev avoids another US Open collapse
The third-set comeback inevitably raised memories of Zverev’s 2020 final against Dominic Thiem. Six years ago, Zverev had led Thiem by two sets before eventually losing the championship match in a fifth-set tiebreak. It remained one of the most painful defeats of his career. This time, there was no repeat.
Zverev regained control immediately in the fourth set. His serving remained reliable while Shelton struggled to maintain the consistency he had shown in the previous set. The German eventually closed out the match 6-2, securing the biggest title of his career at Flushing Meadows. Zverev finished with nine aces and 35 winners and won 85% of points behind his first serve, underlining the control he maintained during the match.
A breakthrough season for Zverev
The US Open victory caps what has become Zverev’s strongest Grand Slam season. The German entered 2026 still carrying the reputation of a player capable of competing with the world’s best but unable to consistently convert opportunities at the biggest tournaments. That changed at Roland Garros, where he won his first major championship.
He subsequently reached the Wimbledon final before making another deep run in New York. His US Open title now gives him two Grand Slam championships in a single season and strengthens his position among the leading players of his generation. The victory also leaves Zverev with a perfect 6-0 record against Shelton, according to post-match reports.
Shelton’s defeat does not end the American hopes
For American tennis, the result is disappointing but Shelton’s tournament offers a reason for optimism. The United States has struggled to produce a men’s Grand Slam champion during an era dominated by Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, followed by the emergence of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
American players have repeatedly come close. Taylor Fritz reached the US Open final in 2024, while Frances Tiafoe made the semifinals in New York on multiple occasions. Shelton has now added his name to that group with a breakthrough run that included victories over Alcaraz and Tiafoe. The challenge now is converting that progress into a Grand Slam title.
Shelton has the age, power and athletic ability to remain a major contender in the coming years. His performance in New York suggests that the American men’s drought may eventually be broken, even if it will not happen this year.
For now, though, the record remains unchanged: Andy Roddick remains the last American man to win a Grand Slam singles title, with his 2003 US Open triumph now 24 years in the past. And for Zverev, the same tournament that once represented one of the biggest disappointments of his career has finally become the site of one of his greatest achievements.