Alexander Zverev secured his second Grand Slam championship on Sunday, defeating Ben Shelton 6‑3, 7‑6(2), 5‑7, 6‑2 in the US Open final. The victory gave the German his first title at Flushing Meadows after a painful runner‑up finish in 2020 and extended his impressive 2024 major‑match record to 25‑2. Shelton, the tournament’s eighth seed, had entered the match chasing a historic milestone – the first American men’s singles crown since Andy Roddick’s 2003 triumph and the first Black male champion since Arthur Ashe in 1968. Despite a passionate New York crowd that rose to its feet as he emerged from the tunnel, Shelton could not convert the early support into a win, falling short in his maiden major final.
Zverev’s dominant performance
From the opening game, Zverev imposed his methodical rhythm on the contest. Shelton’s serve faltered immediately, gifting the German an early break after a double‑fault on the second point. Zverev held serve comfortably throughout the first set, closing it with another Shelton double‑fault. The second set proved tighter, but Zverev’s composure in the tiebreaker proved decisive. He raced to a 3‑0 lead with a blistering 147 mph serve and a pin‑point passing shot, then closed the breaker with successive serves of 124 mph and 139 mph that Shelton could not return.
Even after Shelton fought back to claim the third set 7‑5, Zverev regained control in the fourth. He broke Shelton’s serve early and never looked back, sealing the match on his own service game. In a moment that captured the surreal nature of the victory, Zverev initially appeared unaware he had won, stepping back behind the baseline before realising the point was over and erupting in celebration.
Shelton’s historic bid falls short
Ben Shelton arrived at the final carrying the weight of two significant narratives. A win would have ended a 21‑year drought for American men at the Grand Slam level and would have made him the first Black male champion since Arthur Ashe. Shelton’s path to the final already included a landmark victory over defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a five‑set quarter‑final that finished at 3:33 a.m., the latest finish in US Open history. That triumph made him the first player since 1975 to defeat both the No 1 and No 2 seeds en route to the final.
Despite those achievements, Shelton struggled to find consistency against Zverev’s varied serve routine. The German’s habit of bouncing the ball anywhere between ten and twenty times before his toss created prolonged periods of silence that neutralised the crowd’s energy. Although fans attempted to disrupt Zverev by cheering on missed first serves – a practice quickly curtailed by the chair umpire – the German remained unfazed, later noting he enjoys playing in hostile atmospheres.
Shelton managed to win a set only for the second time in his career against Zverev, improving his head‑to‑head record to 1‑6. His lone set victory came in the third, where he broke Zverev’s serve twice and held firm to force a deciding set. However, Zverev’s ability to elevate his level in the tiebreaker and the fourth set ultimately proved too much for the American’s fledgling final‑stage experience.
Key moments and statistics
– Zverev improved to 25‑2 in Grand Slam matches during the 2024 season, earning $5.5 million in prize money – the largest single‑slot payout in Grand Slam history, matching the women’s champion Elena Rybakina’s Saturday earnings.
– The German became the first No 1 seed at the US Open since 2022, inheriting the top spot after Jannik Sinner withdrew with a knee injury.
– Shelton’s quarter‑final win over Alcaraz marked the latest finish in US Open history, ending at 3:33 a.m. local time.
– Zverev’s serve speeds in the decisive tiebreaker reached 147 mph, 124 mph and 139 mph, Shelton failing to return any of the three.
– The German’s victory ended a personal Grand Slam drought that began after his 2020 US Open final loss to Dominic Thiem, when he held a two‑set lead before collapsing – a fate not seen since 1949.
Why it Matters
Zverev’s back‑to‑back major triumphs signal the emergence of a new elite tier in men’s tennis, one that combines physical power with a meticulous, almost ritualistic approach to preparation. For the sport’s global audience, his success reinforces the idea that consistency in the biggest moments can overcome even the most fervent home‑crowd support. Conversely, Shelton’s run, while falling short, highlights the depth of American talent and the continued relevance of diversity in tennis; his performance will likely inspire a new generation of players from under‑represented communities. As the ATP tour looks toward the Asian swing and the season‑ending finals, the narrative established at Flushing Meadows – a champion who has finally conquered his own ghosts and a challenger who has proven he belongs on sport’s biggest stage – will shape conversations about resilience, preparation and the evolving hierarchy of men’s tennis for months to come.
