A long-held dream from 2020 was realized six years later: German Alexander Zverev won the US Open tournament by defeating American Ben Shelton. The final match took place on September 13th at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York. Zverev won with a score of 6-3, 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2, concluding the match in 3 hours and 33 minutes. This title marked Zverev's first US Open title and his second Grand Slam trophy in his career; earlier this year he had already won at Roland Garros.
After winning the final, 29-year-old Alexander Zverev stood on the court for some time. As soon as Ben Shelton made a forehand error, he could not believe that he had achieved his goal. Among the spectators at Arthur Ashe Stadium, he raised both hands and celebrated the historic victory after a long wait.
For Alexander Zverev, this victory holds special significance because six years ago his hopes were dashed at the same tournament. In the 2020 US Open final, he managed to take a two-set lead against Dominic Thiem, but then the match got out of his control. Shelton's comeback in the third set reminded him of the old final. Although Zverev won the first two sets, Shelton came back, winning the third set 7-5, which once again added tension to the match.
On the other hand, Ben Shelton, who was ranked eighth, aimed to create a big story for American tennis. He was just one win away from becoming the first American man to win a singles Grand Slam title since Andy Roddick in 2003. However, Alexander Zverev did not let him realize this dream. With this victory, Zverev increased his record against Shelton to 6-0.
Alexander Zverev started the final very aggressively. His deep and fast shots from the baseline constantly kept Ben Shelton under pressure. The 23-year-old American indeed showed several impressive shots early in the game, but Zverev maintained the pressure. Shelton's double fault allowed Zverev to gain an early break, and the German player took a 2-0 lead. Then, reaching 5-3, Zverev secured another break and won the first set 6-3.
In the second set, Ben Shelton tried to fight back. His serve improved, and in long rallies, he challenged Alexander Zverev. There was a fierce battle between both players, and neither could easily gain an advantage. The match went to a tie-break at 5-5, where Zverev demonstrated his best play. He took the lead 5-0 and ultimately won the tie-break 7-2, gaining a 2-0 advantage in the match.
Despite being down by two sets, Ben Shelton did not give up. In the third set, he increased his aggression and managed to disrupt Alexander Zverev's rhythm. At 5-5, Shelton put pressure on Zverev. After this, he gained a 0-40 advantage and earned three set points. Zverev managed to save one chance, but on the next attempt, his forehand volley went out of bounds. Shelton won the third set 7-5, sparking hope for a comeback.
In the fourth set, Alexander Zverev started aggressively. He pressured Ben Shelton's serve and quickly secured a break. After this, he defended his serve, taking a 2-0 lead. Shelton continued to fight, but Zverev did not give him a chance to get back into the game. At 4-2, Zverev secured another break. Taking advantage of Shelton's constant errors, he created three break points and, after another backhand error, took a 5-2 lead.
At 5-2, Alexander Zverev stepped up to serve for the title. Initially, there were minor difficulties due to a double fault, but he immediately recovered with a powerful ace and a strong forehand winner. After this, he earned the championship point. Shelton's forehand went out of bounds, and Zverev won the fourth set 6-2, claiming the US Open trophy.
