Men’s top seed Alexander Zverev caps breakthrough year with US Open title

Alexander Zverev has culminated a remarkable year by clinching the men's singles title at the US Open, securing his second Grand Slam victory of 2026. This triumph follows his earlier success at the French Open, marking a significant breakthrough in his career after years of near-misses in major tournaments.

In the US Open final, the top-seeded German defeated American hopeful Ben Shelton in four sets, with a score of 6-3, 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-2. While Zverev's experience ultimately prevailed, Shelton, at 23 years old and playing in his first major final, demonstrated promising talent and resilience throughout the tournament and in the championship match, even managing to take a set off the world No. 1 seed.

Zverev's victory at Flushing Meadows marked his first US Open title, providing a sense of redemption after a heartbreaking five-set loss in the 2020 final. Meanwhile, Shelton's impressive run to the final, which included beating the defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals, highlighted his emergence as a significant talent in men's tennis, despite falling short of becoming the first American man to win a Grand Slam since 2003.