German tennis star Alexander Zverev defeated Ben Shelton to win the US Open, marking his second major title of the year following his victory at the French Open.

Alexander Zverev secured his first US Open title on Sunday, defeating American Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6 (7-2), 5-7, 6-2. The victory marks the German top seed's second Grand Slam title of 2026, following his maiden major win at the French Open in June. Zverev, who previously lost the 2020 US Open final, stated that his success this year reflects years of hard work and the culmination of his career efforts.

A Career-Defining Season

The 2026 season has proven to be the most successful of Zverev's career, with a record of 25 wins and 2 losses in major matches. By reaching the semifinals at all four majors this year, he became only the ninth man to achieve that feat in a single season. Zverev noted that the victory in Paris earlier this year helped him overcome the lingering disappointment of his 2020 US Open final loss to Dominic Thiem.

The Final Match

In the final against Ben Shelton, who was making his first appearance in a major final, Zverev remained so focused that he initially did not realize he had won the match. He reported being in a 'tunnel' and failing to hear the umpire announce the end of the contest, only realizing the victory after seeing his coaching team and family celebrating. Zverev praised Shelton's development, specifically noting the consistency and power of the 23-year-old's backhand.