Zverev defeats Shelton to claim US Open title

Germany's Alexander Zverev captured his second Grand Slam title by defeating American Ben Shelton in the U.S. Open final on Sunday. Zverev won in four sets, 6-3, 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2, and received the Tiffany & Co. trophy and $5.5 million in prize money.

The 29-year-old German thanked his mother for supporting him through a childhood diabetes diagnosis, quoting her words: “If he wants to be a tennis player, he’ll be a tennis player. My mother is the most important and strongest person I know.”

Shelton, making his first Grand Slam final appearance at 23, expressed gratitude and said the experience was a gift regardless of the result: “My successes are a gift, the failures are a gift, and being here playing in front of you guys is a gift.”

Zverev entered the tournament after winning the French Open in June and did not drop a set en route to the final. Shelton reached the final by defeating two-time champion Carlos Alcaraz in a marathon 4-hour-28-minute semifinal and later beating fellow American Frances Tiafoe.

The match featured strong serving from both players, with Shelton pushing Zverev to a second-set tiebreak before falling behind. A time-violation call against Zverev in the fourth set did not affect his momentum, and he closed out the match after breaking Shelton’s serve to lead 5-2.

Zverev’s victory postpones the first U.S. men’s champion at the tournament since Andy Roddick’s 2003 win, while Shelton’s run sparked enthusiasm among fans hoping for a new generation of American talent.