Alexander Zverev claimed the US Open title on Sunday by defeating American Ben Shelton, subsequently issuing a direct challenge to world No 1 Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz by asserting he is currently the best player in the sport.
The 29-year-old German conquered a hostile New York crowd in a final that saw him edge past Shelton 6-3, 7-6 (7-2), 5-7, 6-2. The victory marked Zverev’s sixth Grand Slam final appearance, whereas it was only the first major final for the 23-year-old Shelton.
With current leaders Sinner and Alcaraz both sidelined by injury—Sinner withdrawing from the tournament after winning Wimbledon, and Alcaraz exiting in the quarter-finals following a four-month layoff—Zverev sees his dominance as proof of his current standing.
“You have to take everything into consideration,” Zverev told reporters. “With Jannik Sinner being injured and Carlos Alcaraz coming back from injury after four months, right now, probably yes. Both of them healthy and both of them at the top of their game, maybe not.”
He added: “If everyone is healthy, I think Jannik is still ahead. It’s as simple as that.”
Zverev’s 2026 season has been historic, yielding a 25-2 record in Grand Slam matches. His trajectory includes a breakthrough title at the French Open followed by a runner-up finish at Wimbledon. He now enters the rankings race in a strong position to overtake Sinner.
Upon the release of the next rankings, Zverev is projected to hold 9,690 points, trailing Sinner by 1,810. With Zverev set to defend just 1,080 points for the remainder of the season compared to Sinner’s 3,550, a move to world No 1 is highly feasible.
In the final, Zverev displayed such intense focus that he was unaware he had secured the championship until seconds after the match concluded. Believing the score was 5-1, he continued to prepare for the next point rather than celebrating.
“I thought the score was 5-1! I knew that I had broken him twice, but I thought he only held once,” Zverev explained. “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 only realized the title was his when the umpire announced the result and the audience offered a standing ovation. “Teachers in tennis say play each point and forget about the score. Well I forgot about the score and it helped me,” he said.
For Shelton, the defeat ended hopes of becoming the first American male champion since Andy Roddick in 2003. However, his performance was hailed as a milestone; he became the first Black American man to reach the US Open final in 54 years, a streak dating back to Arthur Ashe.
“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,” Shelton said. “Yeah, it’s an addicting feeling being in positions like this.”
Former British number one Tim Henman praised Zverev’s resurgence, noting a stark transformation from a year ago when his game appeared to be declining.
“The perseverance and the way Zverev’s game has improved over the last 12 months… he has transformed himself to be more aggressive,” Henman observed. “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.”
Defending just 1,080 points versus Sinner’s 3,550 makes the No 1 spot a mathematical certainty soon. Math doesn’t lie.
Shelton’s run was historic for American tennis. Losing the final hurts, but he paved the way for the next generation.
He’s world No 1 only because Jannik and Carlos are hurt. Give me healthy leaders and the conversation changes immediately.
Zverev finally has the grass and hard court magic. This win silences a lot of critics who wrote him off last year.