Alexander Zverev had waited six years to erase the ache of his first US Open ultimate. When the second lastly arrived, the German didn’t even realise he had gained it.Zverev defeated American Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2 on Sunday to win his first US Open title and second Grand Slam of the 12 months, following his maiden main triumph at Roland Garros in June. However after sealing the championship level, the world No. 2 remained behind the baseline, making ready to obtain one other serve.It took his workforce’s response — and a look across the stadium — for Zverev to understand that he was now a US Open champion.
‘I didn’t hear that she stated, Sport, set, match’
Zverev stated he was so locked into the competition that he utterly missed the chair umpire asserting the tip of the match.“In that second, I used to be within the zone quite a bit. I did not hear noise in any respect,” Zverev stated throughout his post-match press convention. “I used to be in this type of tunnel the place I simply did not hear something. Additionally, when the group is loud, it is unimaginable to listen to the umpire, so I did not hear that she stated, ‘Sport, set, match’. On the finish of the day, I simply forgot the rating. I simply thought it was 5-1 as a substitute of 6-2.”The victory was significantly important for Zverev, who had misplaced the 2020 US Open ultimate to Dominic Thiem after main by two units and being two factors from the title.The German believes these scars have now lastly disappeared.“I feel the scars of the 2020 ultimate, they sort of disappeared after I gained in Paris,” Zverev stated. “I stated it at Wimbledon. Despite the fact that I misplaced the ultimate, I loved the match. I loved being within the Grand Slam ultimate, I loved enjoying on Centre Courtroom, and I loved enjoying in entrance of a tremendous crowd, in entrance of some celebrities and all that. I loved doing that.”“Whereas earlier than profitable in Paris, I felt a number of stress on a regular basis, as a result of there was at all times a query mark: ‘Will I ever win one?’ What I feel now could be simply extra of a pleasure to play these sorts of finals.”
Zverev’s verdict on Shelton
Shelton was enjoying in his first Grand Slam ultimate, however Zverev was impressed by how a lot the 23-year-old had developed.“I feel he is very proficient, however he is very near the exhausting work as properly,” Zverev stated. “You see him and his father on a regular basis after matches, earlier than matches, engaged on various things, and each single 12 months he retains bettering one thing.”“I simply performed him at the moment. I feel this was the perfect backhand he is ever hit towards me, probably the most constant energy. There was the whole lot there.”Zverev recalled their first conferences and stated Shelton had added a brand new stage of consistency to his recreation.“I bear in mind a few years in the past once I first performed him, he was at all times harmful, he at all times had that serve, and he at all times had that forehand. However should you performed three, 4 balls again, there can be an error, and that was completely not the case at the moment.”
Ben Shelton, left, and Alexander Zverev pose for a photograph along with their trophies. (AP Picture)
‘Proper, proper now, most likely sure’
Zverev’s second main of the season additionally put him in a novel place in 2026. He’s the one participant to have gained a number of Grand Slam titles this 12 months, whereas Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have gained one every.Requested whether or not he now considers himself the perfect participant on the planet, Zverev was reluctant to make an absolute declare — however conceded that, at this specific second, he could have the strongest case.“I don’t know how one can reply that,” he stated. “You need to take the whole lot into consideration. With Jannik Sinner being injured, Carlos Alcaraz getting back from damage after 4 months, proper now, this second, most likely sure.”“Each of them wholesome, each of them on the prime of their recreation? Possibly not. But when we are saying proper, proper now, with Jannik being injured and Carlos getting back from damage, perhaps.”Sinner missed the US Open by means of damage, whereas Alcaraz returned to Grand Slam motion in New York after a four-month damage layoff.Zverev, nonetheless, was fast to acknowledge that the hierarchy may look very completely different when all three are absolutely match.“4 or 5 months in the past, when each of them have been wholesome, I wasn’t [the best player in the world],” he stated. “I used to be shedding to Jannik on a regular basis. If everyone seems to be wholesome, I feel Jannik remains to be forward. It’s so simple as that,” he added.Zverev is 0-5 towards Sinner this 12 months, having gained only one set towards the world No. 1 — a tiebreaker within the Wimbledon ultimate.