Alexander Zverev held off Ben Shelton to win the US Open on Sunday, capturing the second Grand Slam of his career just months after winning the French Open.
The top-seeded German ruthlessly snuffed out a late surge by Shelton to triumph 6-3, 7-6 (7/2), 5-7, 6-2, ending the eighth seed’s bid to become the first US man in 23 years to win a Grand Slam title.
Zverev expunged the bitter memory of his 2020 US Open defeat, when he was two points from victory before falling to Dominic Thiem in five sets.
It would be six years – with two major finals disappointments – before he would break through this season.
“I think God has seen how hard we worked, how much we suffered, how much pain we went through and I think 2026 is the outcome of all the years that happened before,” Zverev said at the trophy presentation.
Shelton, 23, was one month shy of his first birthday when Andy Roddick hoisted the 2003 US Open trophy in the last major triumph for a US man.
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Hopes were high that Shelton could end the drought after his epic five-set quarter-final victory over defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, and a come-from-behind win over compatriot Frances Tiafoe in the semi-finals.
But Zverev’s all-court excellence proved too much for Shelton, despite the support of a star-studded Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd trying to will the American to victory.
With their backing, Shelton surged in the third set, eliminating the errors that Zverev had ruthlessly exploited.
Serving to extend the set, Zverev fell behind 0-40. Shelton fired long on his first set point but on the second Zverev’s forehand volley went wide. Shelton had his first break of the match and they were headed to a fourth set.
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