Alexander Zverev insists that, after his triumph at the US Open, he is the foremost tennis competitor on the planet at this moment. The German star secured the championship by defeating American Ben Shelton in the final on Sunday, a result that left the home crowd in New York visibly disappointed.
This was Zverev's sixth Grand Slam final appearance, while Shelton was contesting his first; the experience gap was evident in the 6-3, 7-6 (7-2), 5-7, 6-2 scoreline that ended any American hopes of producing a male champion for the first time since Andy Roddick's 2003 victory. The 29‑year‑old has dominated the major‑tournament landscape this year, a season in which Carlos Alcaraz—who captured the Australian Open—was knocked out in the US Open quarter‑finals by Shelton after a prolonged injury layoff, and world No. 1 Jannik Sinner withdrew before the event due to injury despite having just claimed the Wimbledon title.
Zverev, who finally broke through to win his maiden major at the French Open and then reached the final at Wimbledon only to fall to Sinner, now boasts a 25‑2 record in Grand Slam matches for 2026. Those statistics bolster his confidence that he is, at present, the best player in the world. "You have to take everything into consideration," Zverev told reporters.
"With Jannik being injured and Carlos returning from a four‑month layoff, right now, probably yes. If both of them were healthy and playing at the peak of their game, maybe 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 match, Zverev was so absorbed in the point‑by‑point battle that he did not immediately realize he had clinched the title when Shelton mishit a service return. The umpire's announcement of "Game, set and match, Zverev" seemed to catch the German off guard; he walked back to the baseline, prepared to receive the next serve, before the crowd's standing ovation finally registered. A delayed smile spread across his face and he hurried to the net to embrace Shelton. Speaking to Sky Sports Tennis, Zverev recounted his confusion: "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 imminent, Zverev is poised to challenge for the world No. 1 spot.
The new rankings 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 1,080 points, whereas Sinner could see a drop of about 3,550 points, potentially reshaping the top of the leaderboard. Shelton, meanwhile, expressed his enthusiasm for having tasted the sport'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 in the final, noting that he was the first Black American man to compete in a New York final in 54 years, since Arthur Ashe—after whom the tournament's main court is named. The USTA has highlighted Taylor Fritz's 2024 campaign as evidence of progress, following a sweeping overhaul of its player‑development program that began in 2008. The governing body has also 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. Former US Open semi‑finalist from 2004 offered his perspective on Zverev's evolution: "The perseverance and the way Zverev's game has improved over the last 12 months is impressive.
I looked back at his Grand Slam results and his game seemed to be regressing, 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 set settled Zverev down and gave him more energy. He coasted from there." Beyond the immediate aftermath, Zverev's victory adds another chapter to his career resurgence. After years of being labeled a perennial runner‑up, his French Open win and subsequent Wimbledon final appearance signaled a turning point.
Analysts now point to his improved serve, more decisive baseline aggression, and a heightened mental toughness that allowed him to stay composed even when he momentarily lost track of the score. Looking ahead, the German's schedule includes a series of high‑profile tournaments where he will aim to consolidate his ranking points and test his claim to the top spot against a fully fit Sinner and a fully recovered Alcaraz. The next few months will be crucial in determining whether Zverev's self‑assessment holds up against the best competition in a fully healthy field.
Fans can continue to follow Zverev's journey through live streams on NOW and the Sky Sports app, and may also have the chance to see him compete at the upcoming Laver Cup, which will be staged at The O2 in London from September 25‑27 and broadcast live on Sky Sports.