Top-seeded German tennis star Alexander Zverev defeated American Ben Shelton in four sets to capture his first US Open men’s singles title, erasing the memory of his heartbreaking final defeat six years prior.
Zverev secured a 6-3, 6-7(2), 7-5, 6-2 victory at Arthur Ashe Stadium over the eighth-seeded American, capping off a remarkable season following his maiden Grand Slam triumph at the French Open earlier in the year. The win redeemed Zverev’s 2020 Flushing Meadows final loss to Austria’s Dominic Thiem, where he surrendered a two-set lead.
Despite strong home crowd support for Shelton—who was attempting to become the first American male player to win a Grand Slam singles title in 23 years—Zverev maintained composure during key service games to seal the match. In a humorous post-match moment, Zverev initially failed to realize he had converted match point, heading back to the baseline to serve before a standing ovation from the crowd signaled his victory.
