Alexander Zverev erased one of the most painful chapters of his career at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York, returning six years after his final defeat to win the US Open. The top seed held off American Ben Shelton to secure his maiden US Open title and add a second major championship to his 2026 haul after his French Open win.
Zverev's consistency from the baseline proved decisive as he absorbed Shelton's third-set surge and eventually prevailed 6-3, 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-2.
“We went 30 years without winning a Grand Slam and now we won two in the span of three months,” the 29-year-old said after his victory. “I think God has seen how hard we worked, how much we suffered, how much pain we went through, and I think 2026 is the outcome of all the years that happened before.”
Having already captured his maiden major championship at the French Open earlier this year, Zverev's triumph in New York cements a truly transformational season. In doing so, the 29-year-old became only the second German man in the Open Era after Boris Becker in 1989 to claim two Grand Slam singles titles in a single calendar year.
ALSO READ: Australia Tour Of Zimbabwe 2026: Date, Time, Squads And Live Streaming Details
Shelton never had the chance to settle into his usual attacking rhythm as Zverev applied pressure from the outset. The German repeatedly tested the American's backhand while Shelton's early nerves surfaced on serve.
Two double faults in Shelton's opening service game gifted Zverev the break, putting the world No. 2 in control of the rallies from well behind the baseline. Zverev maintained that grip throughout the set and closed it out 6-3, with Shelton unable to make enough of an impact on his second serve.
The contest took on a different character in the second set, as Shelton began feeding off the energy inside Arthur Ashe Stadium. His forehand carried greater venom, while several bold trips to the net kept Zverev under pressure.
Zverev responded whenever the rallies threatened to turn against him, leaning heavily on his powerful first serve. The set inevitably headed into a tie-break, where Zverev's big-match experience shone brightest. Sprinting into a 5-0 lead with a series of sublime passing shots, the German wrapped up the tie-break 7-2 to move within one set of glory.
The third set saw Shelton refuse to let the match slip away without a fight. His persistence was rewarded in the 12th game, when the eighth seed fashioned his first break point of the contest. Shelton converted at once, claiming the set 7-5 and finally putting an end to Zverev's remarkable sequence of unbroken service games.
The fourth set began with Zverev stamping out any prospect of a late Shelton revival. He broke in the first game and resumed control with patient rallies, strong court coverage and the superior conditioning he had shown throughout the match.
The German moved to 5-2 before serving for the championship, eventually sealing victory when Shelton sent a final shot into error.
ALSO READ: Vande Mataram Played Before IND-AFG T20I; First For Indian Sport At International Level
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.