Alexander Zverev is convinced that, following his triumph at the US Open, he now stands as the premier tennis player on the planet. The German star secured the championship by defeating American hopeful Ben Shelton in a four‑set final on Sunday, a result that left the New York crowd visibly disappointed. The match marked Zverev's sixth appearance in a Grand Slam final, while it was Shelton's inaugural run to a major final. The experience gap was evident as Zverev prevailed 6‑3, 7‑6 (7‑2), 5‑7, 6‑2, dashing the United States' aspirations for a first male champion since Andy Roddick lifted the trophy in 2003.
In a season that has already seen considerable upheaval among the sport's elite, Zverev's victory carries extra weight. Carlos Alcaraz, the 2024 Australian Open champion, suffered a quarter‑final loss to Shelton after returning from a lengthy injury lay‑off, while world No. 1 Jannik Sinner withdrew from the tournament before it began due to a fresh injury despite having captured Wimbledon earlier in the year. Zverev's own journey this year has been a story of resurgence.
After finally breaking through to claim his maiden major at Roland Garros, he reached the Wimbledon final at the All England Club, where he fell to Sinner. His Grand Slam record for 2026 stands at an impressive 25‑2, a statistic that bolsters his claim to be the best player in the world right now. "You have to take everything into consideration," Zverev told reporters.
"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." His candid assessment reflects a realistic view of the current hierarchy: while Zverev feels he is the strongest competitor in the present moment, he acknowledges that a fully fit Alcaraz and Sinner could still outrank him.
The German's focus during the match was so intense that he didn't even realize he had secured the title until Shelton's final return sailed long. When the umpire announced, "Game, set and match Zverev," the champion calmly walked back to the baseline, ready to receive the next serve. Only after a brief pause did he register the roaring applause of the crowd, prompting a delayed smile and a quick dash to the net to embrace his opponent. Speaking to Sky Sports Tennis, Zverev recounted his mental state during the closing stages: "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 now poised to make a serious push for the world No. 1 ranking. When the next edition of the ATP rankings is released, he is projected to hold 9,690 points, trailing Sinner by just 1,810 points.
Over the remainder of the season, Zverev is expected to lose only about 1,080 points, while Sinner could see a drop of roughly 3,550 points, potentially narrowing the gap dramatically. Shelton, meanwhile, expressed his enthusiasm for the experience of playing 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," the 23‑year‑old said. He also reflected on his historic presence, noting that he became the first Black American man to contest the New York final in 54 years, since the legendary Arthur Ashe, after whom the tournament's centerpiece court is named.
The United States Tennis Association (USTA) has highlighted the progress of American players like Taylor Fritz, whose 2024 campaign was presented as evidence of the success of a sweeping overhaul of the USTA's player‑development program that began in 2008. In addition, the governing body has pursued greater diversity through a partnership with the American Tennis Association, aiming to increase Black representation in a sport that has traditionally been dominated by white athletes. Shelton remains modest about his own development. "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," he said.
"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." Former US Open semi‑finalist and 2004 finalist also weighed in 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." Zverev's victory not only adds a major title to his résumé but also fuels the ongoing debate about who truly reigns supreme in men's tennis today. As injuries continue to sideline key rivals and the rankings remain fluid, the German's confidence appears well‑founded, at least for the present moment. Fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see whether he can convert this momentum into a sustained reign at the top of the sport.