Alexander Zverev is convinced that, following his triumph at the US Open, he now stands as the premier tennis talent on the planet. The German star secured the championship by defeating American Ben Shelton in a four‑set showdown on Sunday, a result that left the home crowd in New York visibly disappointed. It was Zverev's sixth appearance in a Grand Slam final, while Shelton was contesting his first. The experience gap was evident as Zverev prevailed 6‑3, 7‑6 (7‑2), 5‑7, 6‑2, snuffing out 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 dominated the major tournaments this season, a year in which fellow contenders have struggled with injuries. Carlos Alcaraz, the Australian Open champion, bowed out in the US Open quarter‑finals after a lengthy lay‑off, and world No.

1 Jannik Sinner withdrew before the event began despite having just won Wimbledon. Zverev’s breakthrough came earlier in the year when he captured his maiden major title at Roland Garros.

He then reached the final at Wimbledon, where he fell to Sinner. His 2026 Grand Slam record stands at an impressive 25‑2, a statistic that bolsters his belief that he is, at present, the best player in the world.

"You have to take everything into consideration," Zverev explained. "With Jannik injured and Carlos just returning from a four‑month lay‑off, I would say yes, right now I am the best. If both of them were fully fit and playing at their peak, perhaps the answer would be different. Four or five months ago, when they were healthy, I was losing to Jannik all the time.

If everyone is healthy, I think Jannik still has the edge. It's as simple as that." During the final, Zverev was so absorbed in the point‑by‑point battle that he did not realize he had clinched the title when Shelton mishit a return.

Only after the umpire announced "Game, set and match – Zverev" did the German player turn back to the baseline, register the roaring applause, and finally break into a smile before sprinting to the net to embrace his opponent. Speaking to Sky Sports Tennis, Zverev recounted his confusion about the scoreline: "I thought the score was 5‑1. I knew I had broken him twice, but I believed he had held serve only once. I was thinking, 'Okay, I'm going to have a relaxed service game here and then I’ll tighten up on the next one.' It was lucky for me!" He added a touch of humor, noting a common coaching mantra: "Teachers in tennis say play each point and forget about the score.

Well, I forgot about the score and it helped me!" The victory positions Zverev perfectly for a push toward the world No. 1 ranking. When the next ATP rankings are 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, whereas Sinner could see a drop of roughly 3,550 points, potentially opening the door for Zverev to ascend to the top spot. Shelton, meanwhile, expressed his enthusiasm for the experience: "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.

The USTA has previously highlighted Taylor Fritz's 2024 campaign as evidence of progress, especially after a sweeping overhaul of its player‑development program in 2008. The governing body is also working to broaden the sport’s demographic reach through a partnership with the American Tennis Association, aimed at increasing Black representation in a sport that has traditionally been dominated by white athletes. Shelton made history simply by stepping onto Centre Court on Sunday; he became the first Black American man to appear in the New York final in 54 years, the last being Arthur Ashe, after whom the tournament’s iconic stadium is named. Reflecting on his own performance, Shelton admitted, "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." Former US Open semi‑finalist and 2004 champion also praised 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 seemed to be going backwards, but he has transformed himself into a more aggressive player. 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 early in the fourth gave Zverev momentum and he coasted from there." Fans can continue to follow the sport through streaming services like NOW and the Sky Sports app, and can also attend the upcoming Laver Cup at The O2 in London from 25‑27 September, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.