American tennis fans faced disappointment once again. There were hopes that Ben Shelton would become the country's first male singles Grand Slam champion at the US Open in 22 years, but Germany's Alexander Zverev dashed those dreams.
Alexander Zverev Wins 2026 US Open Title, Defeats Ben Shelton in Thrilling Final
Alexander Zverev's tennis career is progressing brilliantly. On Sunday, the German player won his second career Grand Slam title by defeating America's Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-2 in the US Open final. The home crowd in New York had high hopes for 23-year-old Shelton; the US was hoping for an American male player to win a Grand Slam title for the first time since Andy Roddick's 2003 US Open victory. However, Zverev delivered a magnificent performance, dashing the hopes of Shelton and his fans.
Earlier, Elena Rybakina had won the US Open title by defeating defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in the women's singles final.
This year has been nothing short of a dream for Zverev. He won his first Grand Slam title at the French Open earlier this year and has now claimed the trophy in New York as well. Notably, after the heartbreaking loss in the 2020 US Open final, Zverev has finally redeemed himself by winning the title at this tournament.
Winning a Grand Slam Trophy as the Top Seed
Zverev entered a Grand Slam as the number-one seed for the first time and lived up to the responsibility admirably. Shelton appeared under pressure right from the start of his maiden Grand Slam final; he committed a double fault in the opening game of the first set, giving Zverev the opportunity to take the lead. Zverev maintained that advantage through to the end of the set. Shelton attempted a comeback in the second set, but Zverev played brilliantly in the tie-break to secure a 7-2 victory.
Shelton finally staged a comeback in the third set, winning it 7–5 and reigniting hopes. The American crowd in the stadium cheered him on enthusiastically. His girlfriend, American footballer Trinity Rodman, had also arrived in time from Washington to watch the final after finishing her own match. Zverev made no errors in the fourth set; he won it 6–2, thereby securing both the match and the title.
Shelton's defeat leaves home fans heartbroken
With Shelton's loss, the wait for an American male player to win a Grand Slam title continues. Andy Roddick was the last American man to achieve the feat of becoming a Grand Slam champion, having won the US Open in 2003. Shelton had a chance to make history; he could have become the first Black player to win the US Open men's singles title since Arthur Ashe in 1968. Zverev denied him that opportunity. This defeat brings Shelton's head-to-head record against Zverev to 0–6.
