Alexander Zverev crushed Ben Shelton’s American dream to become the new US Open champion, downing the home favourite 6-3, 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2 to spoil the party in New York

The weight of history finally told for Shelton, vying to become the first US man in 23 years to win a Grand Slam. In his majors final debut experience beat narrative, with Shelton’s fightback against the French Open champion too late, and too brief.

Not that Zverev was quick to realise he had even won, moving over to receive what he thought was Shelton’s next service game as the Arthur Ashe Stadium erupted around him. 

‘I thought it was 5-1. I knew I broke him twice, I thought “okay, I’m going to have a relaxed service game here, and then get tight,” he joked after the match. ‘Teachers always tell you, forget about the score – I forgot about the score, and it helped me.’ 

Their earlier match-ups, of which Zverev won all five, were a prophecy fulfilled. Zverev, particularly potent against left-handers like the 23-year-old, was the picture of confidence in his own game, so rock-steady he could almost sit back and wait for Shelton to make errors when it counted.

He did. Shelton had walked into Arthur Ashe Stadium, roared in by its partisan crowd, with his face in a determined snarl. That was the last time he looked like he had the measure of the occasion, as the winners that had come off against Carlos Alcaraz and Frances Tiafoe earlier this week sprayed long or dropped into the net.

Alexander Zverev claimed his maiden US Open title just months after winning the French Open

Ben Shelton carried the hopes of a nation with him but could not pull off another comeback 

His girlfriend Trinity Rodman – who had flown from her Washington Spirit game to make the final stages – was left in floods of tears

Nor did it take much for cracks to appear, with the number-one seed able to seize his opening break on Shelton’s first service game. The German was able to play the way he wanted to, off his fine backhand, or hanging tough in grinding rallies, and control tempo too, with Shelton frustrated early by his never-ending ball bounce.

A feature at this US Open only, Zverev has averaged 10 seconds of bouncing before either first or second serves. That’s two hours and 30 minutes of interminable up-and-down, before the final. Even a time violation from chair umpire Marijana Veljovic in the fourth set could not end his rhythm-breaking, rule-bending, habit.

After that opening wobble, Shelton was able to get the set back on track with the help of his weapon of a serve, which frequently hits 140mph-plus. But it was a meat-and-potatoes game, with only flashes of the inventiveness he showed against Tiafoe or Alcaraz.

When the serve didn’t work, it was fatal. Double faults sealed the opening break of Shelton’s serve, and handed Zverev the set. It also did little to help him in the second-set tiebreak, with Zverev capable of absorbing all of its zip and dictate from return.

Shelton was full of fight, keeping pace deep in the third and heaping the pressure on a player with a long history of tightening up in the biggest moments. Another double fault, this time the German’s, and the end of his 67 consecutive holds against Shelton.

Shelton has been the comeback king of New York, but his blood was too hot going into the fourth and Zverev pounced with a second break of his opening serve. That doused the flames of patriotism fired-up inside Ashe pretty quickly.

The crowd never truly died down for their battling player, at times slipping into classless heckling. But Zverev tuned out the noise capably, just as the type-1 diabetic impressively managed multiple injections of insulin during the contest to keep his blood sugar levels steady. Long tennis’ nearly-man, he had already survived the five-set scramble against Flavio Cobolli in Paris. Avoiding a second should be counted as growth. 

Zverev will never be a universally popular champion. His game is considered and clinical, but lacks a flash and flair to tempt the neutral. There’s the smog of domestic abuse allegations from two ex-partners, the second of which went to trial, and was settled by Zverev in 2024 with legal proceedings discontinued. 

Zverev has repeatedly denied these claims but incorrectly stated in June that his innocence has been proven. Beating an American in New York will not do much to bolster his appeal Stateside.

But there is much to admire about Zverev’s capacity to seize his moment this year, after previous four Grand Slam finals – including 2020’s in New York – slipped through his fingers.

He has been criticised for winning his two majors with fortunate draws en route, but he cannot choose his opponents, only beat them. And with the absence of Jannik Sinner and Alcaraz in the later stages in Paris and New York, Zverev has not wasted his opportunity. Of course, when they have been there, at the Australian Open, and at Wimbledon, his run has ended. He continues to look up at their singular rivalry.