Alexander Zverev has openly claimed that he now stands as the premier tennis player on the planet after clinching the US Open crown. The German star overcame American Ben Shelton in the championship match on Sunday, delivering a performance that left the home crowd in New York visibly disappointed.
This showdown marked Zverev's sixth appearance in a Grand Slam final, while it was Shelton's debut at that stage, a contrast that was evident in the 6-3, 7-6 (7-2), 5-7, 6-2 result. The victory also quashed 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 dominant force in the major tournaments this season, a year that has seen the usual rivals sidelined by injury. Carlos Alcaraz, who captured the Australian Open earlier in the year, bowed out in the US Open quarter‑finals after a hard‑fought loss to Shelton, having been hampered by a lengthy lay‑off. World No. 1 Jannik Sinner withdrew before the tournament began due to a lingering injury, despite having just secured the Wimbledon title.
Zverev's breakthrough moment arrived at the French Open, where he finally secured his first Grand Slam title. He then advanced to the final at Wimbledon, only to fall to Sinner.
In 2026, his Grand Slam record stands at an impressive 25 wins to 2 losses, a statistic that bolsters his conviction that he is currently 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, right now, probably yes. If both of them were healthy and playing at their peak, maybe not.
Four or five months ago, when they were both fit, I was losing to Jannik all the time. 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 secured the championship when Shelton mishit a return.
The umpire's announcement of "Game, set and match, Zverev" was met with a standing ovation from the crowd, and the German player only then registered the applause, breaking into a smile before sprinting to the net to embrace his opponent. Speaking to Sky Sports Tennis, Zverev recounted his confusion about the score: "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!" He added, "Teachers in tennis say play each point and forget about the score.
Well, I forgot about 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. 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 may drop roughly 3,550 points, setting the stage for a potential shift at the summit of men's tennis.
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," the 23‑year‑old remarked. 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. 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.
Shelton made history simply by stepping onto Centre Court on Sunday, becoming the first Black American man to contest the US Open final in 54 years, a milestone that harkens back to Arthur Ashe, after whom the tournament's main court is named. "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," Shelton 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 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 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 on the NOW platform or via the Sky Sports app, and the Laver Cup will be broadcast live from The O2 in London from 25‑27 September on Sky Sports.