Alexander Zverev captured his second Grand Slam title by defeating Ben Shelton 6‑3, 7‑6 (2), 5‑7, 6‑2 in the US Open final, extending the drought for American men that dates back to Andy Roddick’s 2003 triumph.
Zverev, who earlier won the French Open this year, delivered a composed performance against Shelton, who was contesting his first major final. The German No. 1 seed capitalised on Shelton’s shaky start, dominated the second‑set tiebreaker, and quelled a spirited third‑set fightback before closing out the match.
Shelton, cheered on by a partisan crowd and supported courtside by girlfriend Trinity Rodman, was aiming to become the first Black man to win the US Open since Arthur Ashe in 1968. Despite flashes of brilliance, he could not overcome Zverev’s consistency and powerful serving.
The victory improved Zverev’s record to 25‑2 in majors this year, earning him $5.5 million — the largest prize in Grand Slam history, matched by women’s champion Elena Rybakina. It also erased memories of his painful 2020 US Open final loss, when he squandered a two‑set lead against Dominic Thiem.
Shelton, who stunned defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals, fell short of delivering a long‑awaited American men’s title. Still, at 23, he remains a rising force in world tennis.
