Key events
First set: *Zverev 1-0 Shelton (*next server)
Zverev gets a very, very early break. He handles Shelton’s first serve and forces the American to return it early in the match. The second point increases to 16 shots – expect more – before Shelton hits a sliding volley. The American hits his first ace of the day at 141mph but double faults on break point. His first attempt at 147 mph was close enough to draw a roar from the Arthur Ashe crowd, who thought it was an ace, but he’s not quite sure how to approach his second serve yet.
Kerritt writes predictably: “Zverev learned his game playing against his southpaw brother Misha (max rank 25) and that’s why his backend is a brick wall. I think he’s more prepared for this match than people think. Zverev at 3.”
It’s worth noting that Zverev is better suited than most to handle Shelton’s big serve. It’s worth watching how he lines up in the first few games to receive those serves. It looks like Zverev has the edge, but I’d like to see how far Shelton can push it. Compared to previous meetings, he has significantly improved his game on the baseline and his own backhand.
Shelton will start.
The players took to the court at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
When this tournament began, this might have seemed like one of the most unlikely combinations to see in a final. In the first set, Ben Shelton lost to Tallon Grickspoor 1–6. Alexander Zverev was within two points of his first round exit against Lorenzo Sonego. And here we are.
Neither player is new to the marathon match. Tennis Australia’s new chief executive Andrew Abdo last month suggested tennis players rethink the men’s best-of-three Grand Slam format to attract a younger audience.
Here’s what Guardian writer Andrew Lawrence has to say about it:
Ben Shelton is 0-5 against Alexander Zverev. Zverev won in three sets at Cincinnati 2024 and two sets at Munich 2025 (final), Stuttgart 2025, Cincinnati 2025 and the 2025 ATP Finals. Shelton won only one (1) of those 11 sets.
He realizes that he has a difficult task ahead of him, and is ready to take on it. After all, he went 0-17 against top three opponents before defeating Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals.
The main challenge here was problem solving… I’m looking forward to the challenge so I can solve the problems on Sunday. I know what I’m up against and I’m also as confident in my game as I’ve ever been.
He’s also 7-2 in finals and 4-0 in them this year. His coach and father Brian Shelton says:
He has amazing results on Sundays. I don’t want to jinx him, but if you look at his career record, he plays well on Sundays.
As with every US Open final, there will be plenty of celebrities at Arthur Ashe Stadium. For all the eagle-eyed tennis and soccer fans wondering if Trinity Rodman will be in attendance (as she was at all of her boyfriend Ben Shelton’s matches at this tournament), we probably won’t see her today.
The American football star is at his own game. Her Washington Spirit, battling for first place in the National Women’s Soccer League, is about to start the second half against the Boston Legacy, about five hours south of D.C.
And some quotes from Ben Shelton:
We’re not done yet. The work is not finished. Really excited to get another opportunity to go out there and play my best on Sunday.
This whole tournament is uncharted territory at this point. I’m in a position I’ve never been in before. I beat guys – beat a guy or guys I’ve never beaten before. I’m just happy to put it all on the line.
“I hope I can No Live the American dream on Sunday,” said Alexander Zverev after winning the semi-finals.
More quotes:
Ben, Ben is just a big, strong guy. Massive serve, powerful groundstrokes. Everything he does is just great.
Then [in 2020] Of course, this was my first Grand Slam final. I was inexperienced. I would say I was still a young guy. Yes, just different. Everything is different. I’m pretty sure it will be a very different atmosphere on Sunday no matter who I play, but I’m looking forward to it. I think it will be a fantastic feeling to play in the final with a sold-out Arthur Ashe instead of an empty one.
Will this be the day the 23-year wait for a major U.S. men’s champion ends? Ben Shelton is having a career year. He reached four finals – Dallas, Munich, Stuttgart and Montreal – and won the title in all of them. He:
-
First black American to reach a US Open singles final since Arthur Ashe in 1972.
-
First black American to reach a Grand Slam singles final since MaliWai Washington at Wimbledon in 1996.
-
Fifth American this century to reach the US Open singles final, joining Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick and Taylor Fritz.
-
First American to win hard court, clay and grass titles in the same season since Sam Querrey in 2010.
A few words from Tumaini on what to expect today:
Zverev is well suited for left-handed opponents due to the power of his two-handed backhand, which allows him to counter the effects of his wide serve from the left side of the advantage, as well as their forehand from the same position.
However, Shelton has plenty of reasons to hope things will be different in New York. He will remind himself that they have never faced each other at a Grand Slam, where the American so often raises his game, and in particular that the theme of this tournament is breaking new ground in tough matches.
Ben Shelton reaches his first Grand Slam final. His previous best finish at a major was a semi-final finish first at the 2023 US Open and then at the 2025 Australian Open. Each of the last two years he lost in the third round in New York.
His path this year:
-
First round: victory Tallon Grickspur 1–6 6–1 7–6 (3) 6–2
-
Second round: victory Hubert Hurkacz 6-3 5-7 7-6 (3) 7-5
-
Third round: victory Denis Shapovalov 7–6 (3) 6–7 (5) 6–3 6–4
-
Fourth round: victory Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-2 6-3 6-4
-
Quarterfinal: victory Carlos Alcaraz (2) 6–7 (5) 6–1 6–3 1–6 7–6 (7)
-
Semi-final: victory Francis Tiafoe 6-4 3-6 3-6 7-5
Alexander Zverev won Roland Garros this year and was second at Wimbledon. It is his first US Open final since 2020, when he lost to Dominic Thiem in an empty Arthur Ashe Stadium during the coronavirus pandemic.
Here’s how he made it to the finals in New York this year:
-
First round: victory Lorenzo Sonego 6-4 3-6 6-7(7) 7-5 6-4
-
Second round: victory Quentin Halis 6-4 4-6 7-6(3) 6-7(3) 6-3
-
Third round: victory Alejandro Tobillo (25) 6-2 7-6(2) 6-2
-
Fourth round: victory Luciano Darderi (21) 6-2 6-2 7-6(3)
-
Quarterfinal: victory Botik van de Zandschulp 6-2 7-5 6-1
-
Semi-final: victory Karen Khachanov 6–3 7–6 (7) 7–6 (6)
In Saturday’s women’s final, Elena Rybakina beat Aryna Sabalenka to win her first US Open title. It was a changing of the guard of sorts: Rybakina becomes world number one on Monday, ending Sabalenka’s 99-week reign at the top of the rankings.
Read Tumaini Caraiol’s full report here:
Preamble
Say hello to the final Sunday of the US Open, where Alexander Zverev or Ben Shelton will be the kings of New York for the first time.
Top seed Zverev is playing in his fifth Grand Slam final and third in a row this year. The German won his first major title at Roland Garros in June. It is the 29-year-old’s first finals appearance in New York since 2020, when he lost to Dominic Thiem in a five-set match decided by tiebreaker. After opening the tournament with two five-set matches, Zverev has since gone undefeated in four matches and defeated Karen Khachanov in the semi-finals to get here.
Shelton, ranked eighth, could make history today: an American has not won the US Open since Andy Roddick in 2003, and a black American has not won it since Arthur Ashe in 1968. The 23-year-old had to navigate the hard way through the draw to reach his first Grand Slam final, with four of his five matches going to at least four sets. His epic quarterfinal against Carlos Alcaraz will go down in US Open history thanks to the 3:33 a.m. finish – the last final in the tournament’s history – and its result. Shelton defeated compatriot Francis Tiafoe in the semi-finals and now has the biggest chance of his career to cement himself as one of the best athletes in the sport.
In previous meetings, Zverev had a 5-0 advantage. (More on this later.)
Players must appear on the court at 14:00 local time (19:00 Moscow time). Any questions, predictions, comments, find me here.
Ella will be here soon. In the meantime, read the coverage of how Alexander Zverev and Ben Shelton achieved success in today’s final: