Zverev wins US Open, claims he's world's best — SkimNews
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- Alexander Zverev beat Ben Shelton 6-3 7-6 (7-2) 5-7 6-2 in the US Open final on Sunday, claiming his first major at the French Open this year after previously losing five Grand Slam finals
- Zverev said he is 'probably' the best player in the world right now because world No. 1 Sinner withdrew injured before the tournament and Alcaraz was returning from a four-month injury layoff, but added: 'If everyone is healthy, I think Jannik is still ahead'
- Zverev is 25-2 in Grand Slam matches in 2026, having won the French Open and reached the Wimbledon final, where he lost to Sinner
- Zverev was so locked in on the final point that he didn't realize he'd won — telling Sky Sports he thought the score was 5-1 and was walking back to the baseline ready to receive serve before the crowd's standing ovation registered
- Ben Shelton became the first Black American man to play in a US Open men's final in 54 years, since Arthur Ashe in 1972, after knocking out Alcaraz in the quarter-finals
- Tim Henman said Zverev had 'transformed' over the past 12 months from a player 'going backwards' to a more aggressive style, noting Zverev had beaten Shelton five times in a row heading into the match
Why it matters: Zverev's first Grand Slam title — at age 29, in his sixth major final — ends a long narrative of near-misses and repositions him as the top active player with Sinner injured and Alcaraz rebuilding. Shelton's run also marks a racial milestone: the first Black American man in a US Open final since Ashe, with the USTA having launched a diversification push through its American Tennis Association partnership.
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