Alexander Zverev wins US Open after unusual reaction to championship point

Alexander Zverev defeated Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-2 in 3 hours 33 minutes to win the US Open and claim the second Grand Slam title of his career.

The German did not immediately realise he had won the final point. He waited several seconds before beginning his celebrations, creating an unusual ending to a contest in which he had largely controlled proceedings.

Zverev secured an early break after Shelton committed a double fault in the opening game. He then took the first set when the American produced another double fault, while the German’s greater composure and experience became increasingly evident.

The 27-year-old was particularly effective in the second-set tie-break, winning it 7-2. However, just as he appeared close to completing the victory, he became more cautious and dropped back from the baseline. That allowed Shelton to extend the match by taking the third set 7-5.

Zverev quickly regained control in the fourth set and completed a sixth victory over Shelton. He now leads their head-to-head record with 13 sets won to the American’s two.

The title also makes Zverev only the second German to win the US Open, following Boris Becker’s triumph in 1989.

It was the third consecutive Grand Slam final for Zverev and the sixth major final of his career. His success in New York also ended the disappointment of his first appearance in the tournament in 2020, when he was two points from victory but surrendered a two-set lead against Austria’s Dominic Thiem.

Zverev has now won 26 titles from 44 career finals, although a Grand Slam crown had remained the major achievement missing from his record. He won his first major title at Roland Garros earlier this season and has now added the US Open, despite collecting only two titles during the year.

His other major opportunity came in the Wimbledon final, where Jannik Sinner stopped him. The Italian, however, was unable to do so on other occasions, including at this tournament. Carlos Alcaraz also failed to defend his title successfully, allowing Zverev to take his place on the list of US Open champions, just as he had done at Roland Garros, where the Spaniard was unable to challenge for the title.

The result has also strengthened Zverev’s hopes of reaching the top of the world rankings. He remains 1,810 points behind Sinner, but has earned 700 more points than the Italian so far this year.

Footage of Zverev’s delayed reaction prompted the question: “Have you ever seen such a championship point reaction?!”