Zverev wins US Open, claims second Grand Slam title with victory over Shelton

Alexander Zverev has crowned a transformational season by winning the US Open in New York, defeating Ben Shelton in a four-set final at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The German top seed secured a 6-3, 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2 victory, adding to the French Open title he won earlier in 2026.

A remarkable run in 2026

At the start of the year, question marks lingered over whether the 29-year-old Zverev would ever win a Grand Slam. Six years after losing the 2020 US Open final, he finally lifted the trophy at Roland Garros and now has a second to his name. The path was partly cleared by injuries to Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, who had dominated the majors in 2024 and 2025, but Zverev's performances were undeniably impressive.

Shelton's dream denied

American eighth seed Ben Shelton, 23, had been aiming to become the first US man to win a Grand Slam singles title since Andy Roddick at the 2003 US Open. A partisan crowd of 24,000 at Arthur Ashe Stadium roared him on. Shelton won the third set and had the momentum, but surrendered serve early in the fourth set, allowing Zverev to pull away. Zverev initially did not realise he had won on championship point, only breaking into a smile after his team alerted him.

Zverev: a multiple Grand Slam champion

With two Grand Slams in a single calendar year, Zverev enters the conversation among the era's best. His win caps a season that began with serious doubts about his longevity in the sport, and ends with him as a dominant force in men's tennis.