Alexander Zverev defeated Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2 on Sunday to win the US Open, finally putting his painful Flushing Meadows memories behind him and securing his second Grand Slam title.

For Zverev, the victory provided long-awaited redemption after his heartbreaking 2020 US Open final defeat to Dominic Thiem. The German had been just two points away from victory before surrendering a two-set lead and losing the match in five sets.

Six years later, and after two more Grand Slam final disappointments, Zverev finally completed his mission in New York.

“I think God has seen how hard we worked, how much we suffered, how much pain we went through, and I think 2026 is the outcome of all the years that happened before,” Zverev said during the trophy presentation.

At 23, Shelton was attempting to become the first American man since Andy Roddick in 2003 to win the US Open. His hopes had soared following an impressive five-set quarter-final victory over defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, followed by a comeback win against fellow American Frances Tiafoe in the semi-finals.

However, Zverev’s impressive all-court game ultimately proved too strong for Shelton, despite the overwhelming support of a packed Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Zverev made the perfect start, breaking Shelton in the opening game after the American double-faulted on break point. The German remained almost flawless on serve while consistently putting pressure on Shelton from both sides of the court.

Shelton struggled to find the form that had carried him through the previous rounds. Serving to stay in the opening set, he sent a backhand into the net before producing another double fault on set point to hand Zverev a one-set advantage.

The second set was much tighter, with Shelton recovering from 0-30 down to force a tiebreak. But Zverev immediately took control, racing into a 5-0 lead before closing out the set with a service winner to move within one set of the title.

Shelton refused to surrender.

The American threw himself around the court in the third set, even hitting the deck while chasing down one of Zverev’s powerful forehands. Taking advantage of a rare spell of errors from the German, Shelton finally found his opening.

Serving to close out the match, Zverev suddenly faced three break points at 0-40. Shelton missed his first opportunity by sending a shot long, but Zverev then pushed a forehand volley wide on the second, allowing Shelton to secure his first break of the match and force a fourth set.

Zverev responded immediately.

The German produced a gruelling 24-shot rally in the opening game of the fourth set, eventually forcing Shelton to send a backhand wide and surrender his serve.

From there, Zverev regained complete control. He continued to dictate rallies and put Shelton under relentless pressure before sealing the championship when the American sent a return long on match point.

Zverev raised his arms in celebration as the crowd finally erupted in a huge cheer for the new US Open champion.

“I know that 99.9% of people wanted Ben to win, so I’m sorry,” Zverev joked during the trophy ceremony. “It was an incredible atmosphere to play in.”

The German later admitted that the length of the match had left him momentarily unsure of what was happening.

“It was a long match, a long two weeks,” he told ESPN.

Zverev had already followed his French Open triumph with a runner-up finish at Wimbledon earlier in the season. His chances in New York, however, had initially appeared uncertain after he was pushed to five sets in each of his opening two matches.

He ultimately recovered in impressive fashion and now has another major prize to add to his collection.

The victory also strengthens Zverev’s hopes of challenging for the world number one ranking, with Italian star Jannik Sinner currently sidelined by a knee injury.

Shelton paid tribute to his opponent after the match, praising Zverev’s work ethic and performance throughout the tournament.

“What you’re doing is incredible,” Shelton told him. “The way you’re serving, the way you’re moving in play. You work harder than anyone I know. You put more hours on the court than anyone I know.”

“I’m sincerely happy for you guys to hold this title. It has been a long time coming here.”

Shelton may have fallen short of ending America’s long wait for a men’s singles champion, but his run to the final marked another major step forward in his career.

For Zverev, meanwhile, the 2026 US Open will be remembered as the tournament where six years of Flushing Meadows heartbreak finally turned into Grand Slam glory.

The US Open 2026 was the fourth and final Grand Slam tournament of the 2026 season, taking place from August 30 to September 13 at the hard-court complex in Flushing Meadows, New York City.