Alexander Zverev captured his second major title at the U.S. Open, defeating Ben Shelton 6‑3, 7‑6(2), 5‑7, 6‑2 on Sunday in New York. The win extended his best season and left American men still without a Grand Slam title since 2003.
Zverev, the first No. 1 seed in a Grand Slam this year, capitalized on Shelton’s shaky start. He held a flawless tiebreak on serve and fended off Shelton’s comeback in the third set. Shelton had earlier eliminated defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a five‑set quarterfinal that finished at 3:33 a.m., the latest finish in U.S. Open history.
The German improved to 25‑2 in major matches this year and earned $5.5 million, matching the largest Grand Slam prize ever awarded to a women’s champion. Zverev’s victory also ended a 2020 disappointment when he lost the final of the same tournament. He had earlier reached the Wimbledon final, falling to Jannik Sinner, and became the No. 1 seed in New York after Sinner withdrew with a knee injury.
Shelton, the No. 8 seed, had hopes of becoming the first American to win the men’s title since Andy Roddick in 2003 and the first Black player to win the men’s crown since Arthur Ashe in 1968. Fans stood and cheered as he entered the court, but the match began with a double‑fault and the crowd’s support faded as Zverev maintained a deliberate playing style that limited noise. Despite the crowd’s attempts to cheer during Zverev’s missed first serves, the German remained unfazed, using powerful serves up to 147 mph to secure the win.
