Alexander Zverev lastly conquered his U.S. Open demons Sunday, defeating Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-2 to win the 2026 US Open males’s title at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Alexander Zverev Wins Second Grand Slam Title
The win marked Zverev’s second Grand Slam title, coming simply months after he captured his first main trophy on the French Open.
It additionally ended a painful chapter in New York for the German star, who had as soon as blown a two-set lead within the 2020 U.S. Open last.
Zverev, the No. 1 seed, stayed calm regardless of a loud crowd supporting Shelton. His highly effective serve and regular play saved the American from discovering many possibilities. Shelton didn’t earn a break level till the third set.
“I think God has seen how hard we worked, how much we suffered, how much pain we went through,” Zverev mentioned. “And I think 2026 is the outcome of all the years that happened before.”
Shelton fought again within the third set. He lastly broke Zverev late within the set and gained it 7-5, giving the house crowd hope of a comeback, NY Post reported. But Zverev shortly took management once more within the fourth.
The German broke Shelton’s serve early and by no means gave up the lead. Shelton made 4 errors throughout a key stretch, permitting Zverev to maneuver forward 5-2. Zverev then served out the match to finish the victory.
Alexander Zverev Stays Calm to Defeat Shelton
The win was particularly spectacular as a result of Zverev confronted a stadium that strongly wished Shelton to win. According to AP, he mentioned he was so centered that he barely heard the noise round him.
“In that moment I was in the zone, a lot,” Zverev mentioned. “I didn’t hear noise at all. I was in this kind of tunnel where I just didn’t hear anything.”
Shelton, 23, was taking part in in his first main last. He had overwhelmed Stefanos Tsitsipas, Carlos Alcaraz and Frances Tiafoe throughout his run to the championship match, however Zverev proved too tough to resolve.
The defeat saved the United States with no new males’s Grand Slam champion. Andy Roddick stays the final American man to win a serious, along with his U.S. Open triumph coming in 2003.
Still, Shelton remained optimistic after a breakthrough two weeks. “I’m just getting started, and I’ll be back here again,” Shelton mentioned.
For Zverev, the end result was a serious reward after years of heartbreak in New York. He reached the 2020 last and misplaced after main by two units. This time, he completed the job.
“You’re one of the very best players in the world, maybe the best player in the world this year,” Shelton advised Zverev in the course of the trophy presentation.
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