Alexander Zverev wins U.S. Open, beating Ben Shelton to secure second major title

Alexander Zverev dispatched Ben Shelton in four sets to win the U.S. Open men’s singles title on Sunday, the second Grand Slam win for the German after he finally broke through at the French Open earlier this year.

The No. 1 seed in a Grand Slam for the first time, Zverev capitalized on Shelton’s shaky start in his first major final, played a nearly flawless tiebreaker on serve and then turned back Shelton’s comeback attempt in front of a crowd that desperately cheered him on.  

After taking down his fellow countryman Francis Tiafoe in a thrilling semifinal, Shelton was aiming to become the first American man to win a major since Andy Roddick’s U.S. Open victory in 2003. Shelton was also the first Black American man to make it to a U.S. Open final since Arthur Ashe in 1972.

But Zverev was too good in majors this year and apparently didn’t even know how good he was. He finished the match on his serve but didn’t seem to realize it, dropping back behind the baseline as if set to return. Only a few moments later did he figure out he had won, raising his arms in celebration.

This is a breaking news story. It will be updated.