Zverev Beats Shelton to Win First US Open Title — SkimNews
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- Alexander Zverev defeated Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6 (7-2), 5-7, 6-2 in Sunday's US Open final, claiming his first major after six previous Grand Slam final appearances.
- Zverev declared he is 'the best in the world right now' but conceded that with both Sinner and Alcaraz healthy, Sinner 'is still ahead' — and that both rivals were compromised by injuries during this tournament.
- Zverev is 25-2 in Grand Slam matches in 2026 after winning the French Open and reaching the Wimbledon final (lost to Sinner), a run Henman called a transformation from 'a player who was going backwards a year ago.'
- Zverev didn't realize he'd won the match and thought the score was 5-1; he was walking back to the baseline when the umpire announced 'Game, set and match,' only registering the crowd's standing ovation before running to embrace Shelton.
- Ben Shelton became the first Black American man to play in a US Open men's singles final in 54 years, since Arthur Ashe in 1972, falling short in his first major final at age 23.
- World No. 1 Jannik Sinner pulled out of the US Open injured after winning Wimbledon, and Carlos Alcaraz exited in the quarter-finals to Shelton following a four-month injury lay-off.
Why it matters: Zverev's 25-2 Grand Slam record and his breakthrough major reset the men's tennis hierarchy at a moment when Sinner and Alcaraz were both sidelined by injuries. His own caveat — that Sinner remains the man to beat when fully fit — leaves the No. 1 debate unresolved heading into the Laver Cup in London.
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