Alexander Zverev Wins First US Open Title After Defeating Ben Shelton

NEW YORK: Germany’s Alexander Zverev claimed his first US Open title and his second Grand Slam championship of the year after defeating American Ben Shelton in four sets in the men’s final at Flushing Meadows.

The top-seeded Zverev prevailed 6-3, 7-6 (7-2), 5-7, 6-2 to add the US Open crown to his French Open triumph earlier this year. The victory makes him only the fourth man in the Open era to win his first two Grand Slam titles in the same season, joining Jimmy Connors, Guillermo Vilas and Jannik Sinner.

Zverev controlled much of the contest with powerful serving and consistent baseline play. He won 85% of points behind his first serve and dominated the second-set tiebreak, establishing a two-set advantage.

Shelton, competing in his first Grand Slam final, mounted a strong challenge in the third set. The American broke Zverev at 6-5 to take the set and force a fourth, briefly raising hopes of a comeback. Zverev, however, responded immediately by breaking Shelton’s serve in the opening game of the final set and regained control of the match.

The defeat ended Shelton’s bid to become the first Black American man to win the US Open since Arthur Ashe in 1968 and the first American man to capture the tournament since Andy Roddick in 2003. Despite the loss, Shelton’s run to his first major final marked a significant breakthrough in his career.

Zverev also extended his unbeaten record against Shelton to 6-0. His victory further strengthens his position in the race for the year-end world No. 1 ranking.

The triumph caps a remarkable Grand Slam season for Zverev, who began the year still seeking his first major title but has now established himself as one of the leading players in men’s tennis.