Alexander Zverev has publicly declared that, following his triumph at the US Open, he now considers himself the premier male tennis player on the planet. The German star secured the championship by defeating American youngster Ben Shelton in a four‑set final on Sunday, a result that left the home crowd in New York visibly disappointed.
The match marked Zverev's sixth appearance in a Grand Slam final, whereas it was Shelton's debut at that stage. The experience gap was evident in the 6‑3, 7‑6 (7‑2), 5‑7, 6‑2 scoreline, which also extinguished the United States' hopes of producing a male champion for the first time since Andy Roddick lifted the trophy in 2003. Zverev's victory came in a season that has been unusually turbulent for the sport's other top contenders.
Carlos Alcaraz, who captured the Australian Open earlier in the year, suffered a quarter‑final loss to Shelton after returning from a four‑month injury lay‑off. World number one Jannik Sinner, fresh from a Wimbledon win, withdrew before the US Open began due to a lingering injury. With both Alcaraz and Sinner sidelined, Zverev found himself the dominant force in the remaining major tournaments.
The German had previously broken through at the French Open, claiming his first Grand Slam title, and then reached the Wimbledon final at the All England Club, where he was bested by Sinner. His 2026 Grand Slam record now stands at an impressive 25 wins and only two defeats.
Reflecting on his form, Zverev said, "You have to take everything into consideration. With Jannik being injured and Carlos coming back from injury after four months, right now, probably yes. Both of them healthy and both of them at the top of their game, maybe not. But if we say right, right now with Jannik being injured and Carlos coming back from injury, maybe.
I mean, four, five months ago when both of them were healthy, I wasn't. 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 did not immediately realize he had clinched the championship when Shelton returned a serve long. The umpire's announcement of "Game, set and match Zverev" seemed to catch the German off guard. He returned to the baseline, prepared for Shelton's next serve, before finally registering the crowd's standing ovation. A delayed smile spread across his face and he hurried to the net to embrace his opponent.
In a post‑match interview with Sky Sports Tennis, Zverev admitted, "I thought the score was 5‑1! I knew that 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, teachers in tennis say play each point and forget about the score.
Well I forgot about the score and it helped me!" Looking ahead, Zverev is poised to challenge for the world number one ranking. The upcoming release of the ATP rankings will see him holding 9,690 points, trailing Jannik Sinner by just 1,810 points. Over the remainder of the season, Zverev is projected to lose only about 1,080 points, while Sinner is expected to drop roughly 3,550 points, potentially opening a pathway for the German to ascend to the top spot.
Shelton, meanwhile, expressed enthusiasm about his experience on tennis' 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," the 23‑year‑old said. He also reflected on his personal journey, 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 United States Tennis Association (USTA) has highlighted the progress of American players like Taylor Fritz, whose 2024 campaign was cited as evidence of the nation's improving talent pipeline. The USTA has also undertaken a significant overhaul of its player development program since 2008 and launched a partnership with the American Tennis Association to promote greater Black representation in a sport that has historically been dominated by white athletes. Shelton's presence in the final was historically significant as well. He became the first Black American man to contest the US Open men's final in 54 years, the last being the legendary Arthur Ashe, after whom the tournament's iconic court is named.
This milestone underscores the growing diversity within the sport and the impact of the USTA's inclusion initiatives. Former US Open semi‑finalist and 2004 champion commented on Zverev's evolution, stating, "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." In summary, Zverev's US Open victory not only adds a second Grand Slam title to his résumé but also fuels his belief that he is the best player in the world at this moment. With key rivals sidelined by injury and his own game hitting a new level of aggression and consistency, the German contender is well‑positioned to make a serious push for the top ranking as the season progresses.