Zverev beats Shelton to win 1st US Open title

Alexander Zverev defeated Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2 on Sunday to win his first US Open men's singles title and claim his second Grand Slam crown.

The top-seeded German controlled the opening two sets before Shelton fought back to take the third and briefly revived hopes of a comeback at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Zverev, however, regained control in the fourth set, breaking early and then adding another break to move 5-2 ahead before serving out the match.

The victory gave the 29-year-old his second Grand Slam title, completing a French Open-US Open double after winning his first major at Roland Garros in June.

Zverev also reached the Wimbledon final in July, making the US Open his third consecutive Grand Slam final.

The German had lost his previous US Open final in 2020 after surrendering a two-set lead against Dominic Thiem. Six years later, he completed the job in New York to secure his first US Open crown.

Shelton, 23, was playing in his first Grand Slam final and bidding to become the first American man to win a major singles title since Andy Roddick at the 2003 US Open.

The eighth seed reached the final after defeating fellow American Frances Tiafoe in the semifinals, becoming the first Black American man to reach the US Open men's singles final since Arthur Ashe in 1972.

Zverev also extended his perfect record against Shelton to 6-0, having won all five of their previous meetings before Sunday's final.