Zverev beats Shelton in four: second Slam of 2026, first US Open
Zverev 6-3, 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-2 Shelton. 3 hours 33 minutes. Roland Garros, then New York.
| Player | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander Zverev | 6 | 7 | 5 | 6 |
| Ben Shelton | 3 | 6 | 7 | 2 |
Zverev 6-3, 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-2 Shelton
Why this one matters: Alexander Zverev already had Roland Garros. On 13 September he added the US Open, 6-3, 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-2 over Ben Shelton, and became the fourth man in the Open Era to win his first two Grand Slam titles in the same calendar year.
ATP: Shelton double-faulted on break points in the first set. Zverev ran the second-set tie-break 7-2 after a 5-0 start in it. Shelton broke in the 12th game of the third for 7-5. Zverev took the fourth 6-2. Official US Open scores list the same four sets. Duration 3:33.
Shelton had beaten Alcaraz and Tiafoe to get here. The American men's Slam drought since Andy Roddick in 2003 is still the drought. Zverev is 25-2 at majors this year, per ATP.
The stakes
A second major of 2026 versus a first American men's finalist in a generation.
The rivalry angle
World No. 1 versus home thunder that had already removed the defending champion.
Players who could decide it
First US Open. Second Slam of 2026.
First Slam final. Beat Alcaraz and Tiafoe to get here.
Did you know?
- !Zverev's second Slam of 2026 after Roland Garros.
- !Fourth man in the Open Era to win first two majors in one season.
- !Shelton took the third set 7-5.
Sources
Every score and ranking on this page is locked to a named source. If it is not here, it is not on the page.
