Alexander Zverev defeated Ben Shelton in four sets to finally lift the US Open trophy six years after his heartbreaking 2020 final defeat.
Alexander Zverev finally put his painful US Open memories behind him after defeating American Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2 in the 2026 final in New York. The German top seed produced a composed performance under enormous pressure to claim his first US Open title and add another Grand Slam trophy to his career.
Zverev entered the final carrying memories of his 2020 appearance at Flushing Meadows, when he surrendered a two-set lead against Dominic Thiem and eventually lost the championship match. Six years later, he had another opportunity and this time refused to let the occasion slip away.
The German made an excellent start against Shelton, immediately putting pressure on the American with powerful groundstrokes and aggressive serving. Shelton struggled to find his best level early on, and Zverev took advantage to claim the opening set 6-3. The partisan New York crowd was heavily behind the American, but Zverev remained composed.
The second set became a much tighter contest. Shelton attempted to use serve-and-volley tactics and his powerful baseline game to disrupt Zverev’s rhythm, but the German stayed focused. Zverev dominated the tiebreak and moved to within one set of the championship after winning it 7-2.
Shelton refused to surrender and produced his best tennis in the third set. He broke Zverev’s serve and forced the final into a fourth set, giving the home crowd renewed hope of an extraordinary comeback. However, Zverev responded immediately in the deciding set, winning a lengthy 25-shot rally before securing an early break.
From there, Zverev maintained control and did not allow Shelton another opportunity to change the match. He closed out the fourth set 6-2 and secured the biggest prize of the tournament. Interestingly, Zverev initially did not realise he had won, heading back towards the baseline before finally understanding that Shelton’s return had ended the match.
The victory also represents another major step in Zverev’s career. After years of Grand Slam disappointment, including the devastating 2020 US Open final, he has now developed the mentality required to finish major tournaments successfully. His 2026 season has already included a breakthrough Roland Garros triumph, and the US Open victory gives him two Grand Slam titles in the same year.
For Shelton, the defeat was painful but his run to his first Grand Slam final represented a significant achievement. The American had the support of the home crowd and was attempting to end a long wait for an American men’s singles champion. Zverev, however, proved too strong and finally banished the demons of his earlier US Open disappointment.
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