Breaking: Alexander Zverev wins second major crown without even realising - ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Alexander Zverev was ready to keep playing before he realised he had won. (Getty Images: Al Bello)
Alexander Zverev has beaten American Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6(7/2), 5-7, 6-2 to win the US Open and claim his second grand slam title of the year.
After winning match point, Zverev went back into a returning position, only realising he had won the title after looking up at the big screen.
Zverev said he expected former Australian Open director Craig Tiley to make the US Open "the best tournament in the world" now that he is in charge of the USTA.
Alexander Zverev has won his second grand slam title of 2026, beating American Ben Shelton in four sets to claim the US Open in New York.
Zverev, who won his first major crown at this year's French Open, wrapped up the 6-3, 7-6(7/2), 5-7, 6-2 victory over Shelton in three hours and 33 minutes but he did not even realise he had won in the moment.
After banging down another unreturnable serve at 40-15 in the eighth game of the fourth and final set, the German simply turned to prepare to return, before he realised what had happened when he looked up at the big screen.
When it eventually clicked for the 29-year-old, he said "I've won?" with a smile, rushing to the net to commiserate with first-time finalist Shelton before the celebrations began.
"We went 30 years without winning a grand slam title and now we've won two in the span of three months," Zverev said.
Zverev said he would "bet all [his] money" that 23-year-old Shelton would lift the trophy one day, but it was not to be this day.
Both teams have strong family connections in their coaches' box, with Shelton coached by father Bryan, and his mother and sister also among his supporters in the stands.
Ben Shelton had the crowd on his side at his first grand slam final. (Getty Images: Simon Bruty/USTA)
"It's exactly what my family is and that's why I'm so happy to see you guys in these kinds of finals," Zverev said.
As he was looking around Shelton's supporters, Zverev spied US football star Trinity Rodman, Shelton's girlfriend who rushed from her Washington Spirit's 3-0 loss to Boston in DC to see the end of the match.
Zverev described her as Shelton's "lucky charm", to which she replied: "Clearly not."
The world number two also took time to thank former Australian Open director Craig Tiley after his first US Open as United States Tennis Association boss.
"He decided to move to New York, which we as players were not very happy about because he made the Australian Open the best tournament in the world," he said.
"But from now on I think the US Open will probably be the best tournament in the world since you're here. Thank you for moving here, thank you for being here, [but] move back to Australia for like three months and come back at the end of January, that would be great."
Playing his sixth major final and second in New York, Zverev looked composed as he took the opening set 6-3 in just 40 minutes on the back of a 94 per cent win rate on first serves.
Alexander Zverev lost from two sets up in the 2020 US Open final. (Getty Images: Simon Bruty/USTA)
In a battle between two of the best servers on tour, neither could get a break as the second set went to a tiebreak, where the more experienced campaigner dominated, jumping out to a 5-0 lead before taking it 7-2.
There would have been no complacency, though, as Zverev lost the 2020 US final to Dominic Thiem after winning the first two sets.
Shelton showed his fighting spirit to claim the third with his only service break and extend the match, but he was quickly broken to start the fourth set and Zverev raced to a 5-2 lead with a second break, setting up his victorious moment that clearly came earlier than he expected.
