Alexander Zverev defeated Ben Shelton, 6-3, 7-6, 5-7, 6-2, in the 2026 US Open men’s singles final.
98 days on from his maiden Grand Slam win, Zverev doubled his major tally at Flushing Meadows.
He was a fairly unpopular winner on Arthur Ashe Stadium, with most of the crowd cheering for his opponent.
After the match, Zverev shared whether he thought the US Open fans were fair to him.
Zverev addressed the crowd directly during his championship speech.
“I know today 99.9% of the people wanted Ben [Shelton] to win. So sorry, first of all,” he said.
“Secondly, it was an incredible atmosphere to play in, even though I know that the crowd was against me.
“The crowd was always incredibly fair, and we as players appreciate it.
“You guys brought the energy and the noise, and we really thank you guys for that.”
Most of the 23,000+ fans inside Arthur Ashe Stadium wanted Shelton to win and end the American men’s Grand Slam drought, but as Zverev pointed out, they treated him with respect throughout the final.
There were a few jeers here and there when Zverev double-faulted, but for the most part, they were fair.
Zverev spoke to the crowd, but he also spoke to Shelton, the man he beat in the final.
“Very first thing I want to start off with, Ben. Ben, you are an incredible player and person,” he said.
“This was your first Grand Slam final, but I have already told you, you are going to be back here many, many more times.
“If I had to bet all my money on it, I would bet that you will lift this trophy one day.
“I want to say well done to Ben’s team. To Bryan and everyone who is there. To Mom and sister as well; I think everyone who is sat over there is just as important as they are on this side of the court. It’s exactly what my family is; that’s why I am so happy to see you guys in these kinds of finals and winning Masters events and big tournaments.
“I know it’s a family affair and everyone is pulling on the same strings.
“Congratulations to you all, because you guys really deserve it.”
“I want to thank my team,” Zverev continued.
“We went 30 years without winning a Grand Slam title, and now we have won two in one year!
“I think God has seen how hard we worked and how much we suffered.
“How much pain we went through, I think 2026 is the outcome of all the years that have happened before.
“Thank you guys, you guys are absolutely amazing, and I could not be here without you guys.”
Zverev was the only man to win multiple Grand Slam singles titles this year.
The German won the French Open and the US Open, while Carlos Alcaraz won the Australian Open and Jannik Sinner won Wimbledon.
That is a statistic few would have believed heading into the 2026 season!
Whether he can keep that form up when Alcaraz and Sinner return to full fitness next year is another question altogether…
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