Alexander Zverev Spoils Ben Shelton’s Hopes of Making History With U.S. Open Win

NEW YORK CITY — That sound you heard? It was the air leaving Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sunday in New York. It has been—all together now, with feeling—23 years since an American man last won a major singles title. That was Andy Roddick at the 2003 U.S. Open, a mere 90 majors ago.

But on this New York Sunday, there stood Ben Shelton—ironically, 23 years old—prepared to end that streak, reverse the curse and break through playing in his first major final. Playing the biggest match of his ascending career, with 24,000 or so of his closest friends cheering him on, he stood on the threshold. But in the match’s toughest moments, he retreated just a bit, and that enabled the opponent, Germany’s Alexander Zverev, the top seed, to thwart Shelton’s ambitions and thwart history. Zverev won, nay, seized, today’s final 6–3. 7–6, 5–7, 6–2.

Three months ago, you could have made the credible case that Zverev was the best player in the history of men’s tennis never to have won a major. Suddenly, he has won two (Roland Garros in June and now the U.S. Open, sandwiching a run to the Wimbledon final in between). Zverev has cemented his Hall of Fame credentials and rewritten his thumbnail—at least the tennis part of it.

Zverev’s U.S. Open win was predicated on X’s and O’s. He has now won 45 of his 46 matches against lefthanders. And he has beaten Shelton in all six of their career head-to-head matches, leathering his boutique-level backhand and neutralizing Shelton’s southpaw forehand. Zverev also dialed in his serve. The return might be the improved aspect of Shelton’s game in 2026, but Zverev brought the power serve on the first offering and well-placed kickers on the (few) seconds—and Shelton didn’t even sniff a break point until the third set.

But really, today was about managing the occasion. It is no fun coming into one of the biggest matches of your career as a favorite but not the fan favorite. Win? The crowd goes home disappointed (as was the case). Lose? You haven’t fulfilled your destiny. And yet, Zverev did not get agitated by the partisan crowd and showed a calmness that was lacking when he played in the U.S. Open final six years ago and couldn’t serve out the match against Dominic Thiem—a loss, he concedes, that haunted him for years.

There should be no such haunting on Shelton’s side of the net. After winning the title in Canada in August, Shelton put himself in position to take that elusive first major. In the face of great expectations, he won the biggest match of the year, taking down the mighty Carlos Alcaraz, the defending champion, in a late-night/early-morning quarterfinal. Significantly, he then recovered and backed it up, snuffing out Frances Tiafoe in the all-American semifinal. He leaves New York with his head high and a higher career ranking, No. 4.

On Sunday, he was, understandably, gripped by the occasion. He lost his first service game, basically ceding the set, given Zverev’s level of serving. He then had chances in the second set but couldn’t capitalize. He never settled into a stretch where he was truly at his best.

Though credit the opponent for that. Zverev was the veteran, and he played like it. After Shelton broke Zverev to win the third set, the crowd blazed to life. Zverev then doused any fire—and chance of a collapse—by breaking Shelton in the first game of the fourth set.

As was the case in Paris, among some fans, the pro-Shelton vibes were intensified and complicated by Zverev’s history and the allegations of domestic abuse that have been lodged against him by two former partners. He was never adjudicated as innocent or guilty. (Zverev settled the assault case brought against him out of court and has not been found guilty.) Fans decide how much this affects their perception of Zverev, but it hovers over his matches, especially when history hangs in the balance. In some precincts, regardless of his celestial play, Zverev’s titles always will be received less enthusiastically than those of other major winners. That’s a personal choice for fans.

But this is not a matter of discussion: Zverev is a tennis champion and a generational talent. He has won 25 of 27 matches at majors this year. He goes to No. 1 in the ATP race. He has become one of those players with a knack for closing windows. And he is your 2026 U.S. Open men’s champion.

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