Alexander Zverev Becomes First German Man in This Century to Win US Open After Downing Ben Shelton

Alexander Zverev beat home favorite Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2 on Sunday (September 13) in the US Open final to win his career’s second Grand Slam title. This made him the first German man in this century to lift the title at Flushing Meadows.

Shelton served to start the match, but he couldn’t do much during the first set, as all he could win was just three games. With Zverev leading 1-0 in the second set, Shelton got a perfect opportunity to hold his serve. Zverev somehow brought the game to deuce, but in vain.

After a stunning rally at 30-30 with Zverev leading 2-1 in the second set, Shelton double-faulted. It was after a while that Zverev held his serve to take a 4-3 lead, but Shelton raced to a 40-0 before winning it to tie the score at 4-4. But Zverev held his serve next and needed to break Shelton to end the second set in his favor.

Zverev, after racing to 40-0, ended up conceding a point to Shelton, but with an ace, he sealed the win. Shelton was feeling all the pressure of the world as he committed multiple unforced errors, but he regained his composure and challenged Zverev by coming more toward the net. The home favorite held his service games to force the tie-breaker.

Zverev dominated in the tie-breaker as he took a 5-0 lead before Shelton won his first point. It was, however, too late. Zverev served for the set at 6-2 and, with an unreturned serve, clinched the set in his favor. He just needed one set win to win his career’s second Grand Slam title.

Leading 3-2, 40-30 in the third set, Shelton got the opportunity to break Zverev for the first time. But after an unforced error, two shots went wide.

Shelton did his best to save himself from the brink of defeat, taking a 6-5 lead, and needed to break Zverev. He had a set point at 40-0, but Zverev saved one set point, but was eventually broken. It was the second time Shelton took a set off the German in his career, following their first meeting back in 2024.

Alexander Zverev wins his second title of the season

In the fourth set, Zverev, at 4-2, ended a stunning rally in his favor, and next, he served for the championship at 40-15. Zverev served, Shelton returned, but his shot went outside. Alexander “Sascha” Zverev became the newest US Open champion.

Zverev won all five matches he played against Shelton before this match. It was the first time they faced off in a Grand Slam event and the second time in a final.

Shelton had never reached a Grand Slam final before this season, and had played the semifinals a couple of times, including in his home Slam back in 2023. But Zverev played his career’s sixth final at this level here.

It was at the 2020 US Open that Sascha reached his career’s first Grand Slam final but lost in five sets to Dominic Thiem. After losing the 2024 Roland Garros final to Alcaraz in five sets and the 2025 Australian Open to Jannik Sinner in straight sets, Zverev finally ended his Major title drought in this year’s French Open by overcoming Flavio Cobolli in five sets.

He then got the opportunity to complete the Channel Slam when he reached his career’s first Wimbledon final but couldn’t go past Sinner, losing in four sets. Zverev, at the US Open, was chasing his second title of the season following his French Open win. He also lost the Madrid Open final to Sinner.

Shelton won the four finals he played before this US Open. He won in Dallas and Stuttgart (beat Taylor Fritz), BMW Open (beat Flavio Cobolli), and defended the Canadian Open (beat Brandon Nakashima).

Also read: Alexander Zverev Believes He Can Win More Grand Slam Titles Than Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner After Reaching US Open Final