Men's top seed Alexander Zverev secured his first US Open title by defeating No. 8 Ben Shelton in a four-set thriller, marking his second Grand Slam win of a remarkable breakthrough year and extending the American men's Grand Slam drought.
Alexander Zverev, the men's top seed, clinched his inaugural US Open title after a captivating three-hour and 33-minute showdown against eighth seed Ben Shelton, winning 6-3, 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-2. This victory marks Zverev's second Grand Slam of the year, following his success at Roland Garros, and culminates what has been described as a breakthrough year for the 29-year-old German. The win also prolongs the Grand Slam drought for American men. The match at Arthur Ashe Stadium commenced with Zverev comfortably taking the first set. The second set saw increased contention, including a brief on-court dispute over Zverev's pre-serve routine, which Zverev ultimately won in a tiebreak. Shelton demonstrated resilience in the third set, securing it 7-5 and igniting the home crowd. However, Zverev reasserted his dominance in the fourth set, sealing the championship 6-2. Finishing the year with a 25-2 record in majors, Zverev earned a record $5.5 million prize. He acknowledged the crowd's energy despite their preference for Shelton. Ben Shelton, aiming to end long-standing American and Black male Grand Slam droughts, expressed gratitude for his team and vowed to return stronger, with his girlfriend Trinity Rodman supporting him from the stands.
