Tennis’ so-called “third guy” has taken a big step towards creating a modern Big Three with his maiden US Open title, before paying tribute to his mother’s support after being diagnosed with type-one diabetes as a child.
Alexander Zverev started the year known, and at-times derided, as the best player never to win a grand slam trophy, but ends it as the only man to capture two majors in 2026 after triumphing in New York.
The giant German, contesting his third consecutive slam final, also ensured the United States’ major title drought would extend into a 24th year while taking down ballistic-serving American Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6 (7-2), 5-7, 6-2 on Monday (AEST).
Zverev’s brother Mischa and father Alexander snr are part of his team, but he paid special thanks to his mother – ex-player Irina – for her role in him achieving his tennis dreams.
“We went 30 years without winning a grand slam title, and now we won two in a span of three months,” Zverev said.
“I think God has seen how hard we worked, how much we suffered, how much pain we went through, and I think 2026 is the outcome of all the years that happened before. So, thank you guys. You guys are absolutely amazing, and I couldn’t be here without you.
“I want to thank one more person who’s never actually watching my matches, but is the most important person in my tennis life, and in my life in general.
“When your four-year-old son gets diagnosed with diabetes, and doctors in the office tell you that life and sports will be very limited for that child, it takes a very strong mother to walk out of those offices and to say, ‘My son will be whatever he wants to be. If he wants to be a tennis player, he’ll be a tennis player. If he wants to do something else, he’ll do something else, but this illness will not define us’.
“My mother is the most important and strongest person I know. It takes an unbelievably strong woman to do what she did.”
The four-set victory adds to Zverev’s Roland-Garros breakthrough in June that shed his bridesmaid status and means he matches US Open women’s champion Elena Rybakina with two grand slam championships this year.
This result looked unrealistic as he laboured through consecutive five-setters across almost nine-and-a-half hours, but he dropped just one more set in his last five matches.
Zverev started his career pitting wits with tennis titans Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal before Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz arrived to torture him once more – with Djokovic still hanging around, too.
Sinner and Alcaraz missed three majors between them because of injury this season, which paved the way for Zverev’s career year, but at least one of them contested both of the grand slam titles he won.
Italy’s world No.1 Sinner suffered a befuddling second-round loss from two sets and 5-1 up in Paris, while Alcaraz’s first tournament since April after recovering from a wrist setback ended in the US Open quarter-finals to Shelton.
Shelton was trying to be the first American since Andy Roddick in 2003 to win a major, but he played catch up from the moment he crashed a second serve into the net in the opening game to gift Zverev an instant break.
He had never beaten Alcaraz before this fortnight and winning his maiden grand slam final depended on him upsetting Zverev – the top seed in Sinner’s absence – for the first time in their sixth meeting.
However, Zverev has made a habit of chewing up and spitting out left-handers, winning 44 of his past 45 clashes with southpaws entering his latest battle with Shelton, who won an all-American clash with Frances Tiafoe to advance to the last day of the event.
No longer burdened by the gaping hole in his otherwise bulging resume, Zverev presented an even tougher challenge to Shelton on this stage despite emphatically having the crowd on his side.
Shelton settled after his erroneous opening, but could not penetrate his rival’s own service game, which became a trend. Zverev won more than 90 per cent of points on his first serve, which the 198-centimetre German traditionally lands more than any player on the planet – and it was more of the same in the final.
Serving to stay in the opening set, Shelton repeated his mistake from the first game of the match when he double-faulted into the net on break point to go down a set.
The second set was a closer affair, giving the American more opportunities to electrify the home fans, which included everyone from Roddick and Jimmy Connors to Hollywood actors Brad Pitt, Amy Schumer, Rami Malek, Pierce Brosnan, Chris Pine and Brazilian football superstar Ronaldo.
Shelton pricked his ear several times to urge the crowd to rally behind him, but they needed little prompting to do so.
He double-faulted to go down another break point in the third game of the second set, but bellowed “Yes!” as Zverev’s subsequent backhand return thudded into the net.
Shelton stretched Zverev to deuce at 3-3, but the world No.2 kept coming up with the answers to that point.
They traded blows until a tiebreak was required. Zverev produced an outstanding 10 minutes to blow Shelton away, starting with a spectacular down-the-line forehand pass winner on his way to a 5-0 lead that comfortably converted to a two-set lead.
Shelton was up against it from that deficit, but Zverev began showing signs of frailty as the third set progressed.
The German followed two loose points from 30-0 in the sixth game by narrowly missing an inside-out forehand where he didn’t need to be so perfect as he finally offered Shelton a break point.
Zverev dispatched that one with a thunderous backhand, but imploded at 5-6. He shanked a forehand wide to fall in a 0-40 hole, then put a volley shockingly wide two points later to drop the third set.
Shelton never lost his swagger throughout the entire contest, theatrically responding to Zverev’s dip with raised eyebrows before again pricking his ear to energise the crowd.
His momentum did not last long.
Shelton immediately found himself in trouble on serve in the fourth set, staving off one break point before tugging a backhand crosscourt pass wide to hand Zverev the advantage.
Trying to break Zverev is one of the sport’s greatest challenges, particularly with the finish line in sight.
The door was slightly ajar at 30-all as Zverev served for a 3-1 lead, then received a time violation, but he again held firm to clear that hurdle then broke Shelton again for 5-2 to as good as seal the win.
Zverev served the match out with ease, but did not realise for several moments he had clinched the title before breaking into a huge smile and later embracing his team then Shelton’s father and coach Bryan.
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