Alexander Zverev insists that, after his triumph at the US Open, he now stands as the premier tennis competitor on the planet. The German star secured the championship by defeating American youngster Ben Shelton in the final on Sunday, a result that left the New York crowd visibly disappointed. It was Zverev's sixth appearance in a Grand Slam final, while Shelton was contesting his first. The match unfolded with a 6-3, 7-6 (7-2), 5-7, 6-2 scoreline, effectively dashing the United States' hopes of producing a male champion for the first time since Andy Roddick lifted the trophy in 2003.
The 29‑year‑old has been the most consistent presence in the major tournaments this season. Earlier in the year, Carlos Alcaraz, who captured the Australian Open title, was eliminated in the US Open quarter‑finals by Shelton after a lengthy injury lay‑off.
Meanwhile, world No. 1 Jannik Sinner withdrew before the tournament began due to a fresh injury, despite having just won Wimbledon.
Zverev's journey to this moment began with his maiden Grand Slam victory at the French Open, followed by a runner‑up finish at Wimbledon, where he fell to Sinner. In 2026, his Grand Slam record stands at an impressive 25 wins to just two losses. Drawing on those statistics, he feels justified in proclaiming himself the best player in the world at present.
"You have to take everything into consideration," Zverev explained. "With Jannik injured and Carlos just returning from a four‑month lay‑off, right now, maybe yes. If both of them were healthy and at the peak of their game, perhaps not.
Four or five months ago, when they were both fit, I was losing to Jannik all the time. So if everyone is healthy, I think Jannik is still ahead.
It's as simple as that." During the final, Zverev was so absorbed in the point‑by‑point battle that he didn't initially realise he had clinched the title when Shelton returned a serve long. The umpire's announcement of "Game, set and match – Zverev" was met with a stunned silence from the German, who continued to position himself at the baseline, ready for the next serve. Only after a brief pause did he understand why the crowd was rising to their feet, prompting a delayed smile and a rush to the net to congratulate Shelton.
Speaking to Sky Sports Tennis, Zverev recounted his thought process: "I thought the score was 5‑1! I knew I had broken him twice, but I thought he only held once.
I was thinking, 'Okay, I'm going to have a relaxed service game here and then I'll get tight on the next one.' It was lucky for me! It's actually funny—tennis teachers always say play each point and forget the score. Well, I forgot the score and it helped me!" With the next edition of the ATP rankings looming, Zverev is poised to make a serious push for the world No. 1 spot.
The upcoming release will award him 9,690 points, leaving him just 1,810 points behind Sinner. Over the remainder of the season, Zverev is projected to lose only about 1,080 points, whereas Sinner is expected to drop roughly 3,550 points, potentially reshaping the top of the leaderboard.
Shelton, meanwhile, expressed his enthusiasm for having tasted the spotlight on tennis's biggest stage: "It's such a cool moment. Walking out on that court today, there's nothing like it.
I've never felt anything like that before. Yeah, it's an addictive feeling being in positions like this," said the 23‑year‑old. He also reflected on his personal development, noting, "I don't think I'm anywhere near the player that I want to be.
I think I'm a great competitor. I think I compete really well out there on the court.
I'm able to stay focused and stay there on the court for many, many hours. I think that's going to help me in the future moving forward." The USTA has previously highlighted Taylor Fritz's 2024 campaign as evidence of progress, following a sweeping overhaul of its player‑development program that began in 2008. In addition, the governing body has taken steps to diversify talent by partnering with the American Tennis Association, aiming to increase Black representation in a sport historically dominated by white athletes.
Shelton's appearance in the final was historic in its own right. He became the first Black American man to compete in the New York final in 54 years, the last being Arthur Ashe, after whom the tournament's iconic centre court is named. This milestone underscores the broader efforts to broaden participation and visibility for under‑represented groups within tennis. Former US Open semi‑finalist and 2004 finalist offered his perspective on Zverev's evolution: "The perseverance and the way Zverev's game has improved over the last 12 months is remarkable.
I was looking back at his Grand Slam results, and his game was going backwards. But he has transformed himself to be more aggressive, and when you reflect on this matchup, Zverev had beaten Shelton five times in a row.
Shelton had to change the narrative, but Zverev looked so comfortable. Shelton did a great job getting that third set, but losing his serve first game of the fourth settled Zverev down and gave him more energy. He coasted to the line from there." Fans can continue to follow tennis action without a contract through NOW and the Sky Sports app, and they can also attend the Laver Cup at The O2 in London from 25‑27 September, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.