Alexander Zverev of Germany defeated Ben Shelton in four sets on Sunday to win the U.S. Open men's singles title. The victory marks the second Grand Slam championship for Zverev, who earned his first major title at the French Open earlier this year. Zverev entered the final as the No. 1 seed after winning 13 consecutive sets following two five-set matches in the opening rounds.
Shelton reached the final after defeating fellow American Frances Tiafoe 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 in a semifinal match held on Friday, September 11. Zverev advanced to the championship round by defeating Karen Khachanov 6-3, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (6) on the same day. Shelton was attempting to become the first American man to win a Grand Slam singles title since Andy Roddick's victory at the U.S. Open in 2003.
During his semifinal win, Shelton recorded 20 aces, including serves clocked at speeds of 144, 140, and 139 mph. Zverev, who led the men's tour with 52 match wins this season entering the final, had previously reached the U.S. Open final in 2020 but lost to Dominic Thiem. The 2026 tournament saw Zverev play nearly 9.5 hours on court during his first two rounds against Lorenzo Sonego and Quentin Halys.
The scale of the event was reflected in both the athletic achievements and the public interest surrounding the tournament. Zverev became only the fourth man in the Open era to win his first two major titles within the same calendar year, joining Jimmy Connors, Guillermo Vilas, and Jannik Sinner. The semifinals, held on the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, drew celebrity spectators including Serena Williams and Ben Stiller, while ticket prices for the Zverev-Khachanov match were reported as surprisingly low compared to the all-American semifinal.
The concrete day-to-day impact for the players involves significant changes to their career earnings and historical records. Zverev moved to a 24-2 record in Grand Slam matches this season, while Shelton’s run to the final established him as a top-ten competitor, holding the No. 8 seed during the tournament. The tournament also set a record for the latest finish in U.S. Open history during Shelton’s quarterfinal match against Carlos Alcaraz, which concluded at 3:33 a.m. on Wednesday, September 9. Following this final, the professional tour continues with upcoming scheduled events as the 2026 season moves toward its conclusion.