Alexander Zverev was crowned US Open champion for the first time in his career, claiming his second Grand Slam title.
“We went 30 years without winning a Grand Slam title and now we won two in a span of three months,” Zverev said at the trophy ceremony. Jimmy Connors, a five-time champion in New York, handed him the trophy.
So focused was the Roland Garros 2026 champion on the first match point that it took him a few seconds to realise he had won. The German beat North American Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6 (7-2), 5-7 and 6-2 at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The US Open still awaits a home men’s champion since Andy Roddick in 2003.
“It’s been a long time coming for you,” Shelton told Zverev. The world number two exorcised the demons of the 2020 US Open final. Six years earlier, the German had a two-set lead over Austrian Dominic Thiem. He even served for the championship but could not close it out due to costly errors.
It was a heavy sporting burden that Zverev carried with him every year he failed to win on the biggest stages. In 2026, aided by the injuries of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, the Tokyo 2021 Olympic champion claimed half of the season’s Grand Slams.
“Maybe you are the best player in the world this year,” Shelton told him.
The nerves and anxiety showed in the 23-year-old left-hander, who could not produce his best level — the same that had allowed him to eliminate Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals.
Europe’s Grand Slam streak remains alive. Argentine Juan Martín Del Potro remains the last non-European to win any of the major titles. In 2009 he beat Roger Federer in New York. Since then, European players have won the following 77 events.
