Ben Shelton described himself as a late bloomer after falling to top seed Alexander Zverev 1-3 in the men’s singles final at the US Open, capping a rapid rise in just his fourth year as a professional tennis player.
Playing in the season-ending major tournament, the eighth-seeded American fought through 3 hours and 33 minutes on the court before dropping the championship match to Germany’s Zverev, who secured his second major title of the year following his victory at the French Open in June. According to tournament coverage, Zverev captured the opening two sets without surrendering a break point before Shelton mounted resistance in the third, breaking serve at 5-6 to briefly extend the contest.
From college champion to Grand Slam finalist
Shelton's run to the US Open final marked his deepest major tournament performance to date. Prior to the fortnight in New York, the 23-year-old American suffered a first-round exit at Wimbledon before finding form on hard courts during the summer pre-tournament swing, compiling an 8-2 record that included a successful title defense at the Montreal Masters.
Having reached the semifinals at the 2023 US Open and the 2025 Australian Open, Shelton finally broke through the penultimate round barrier this week. Despite the milestone, his head-to-head record against Zverev dropped to 0-6 following the defeat.
“This is still a work in progress,” Shelton said after accepting the runner-up trophy. “I’m nowhere near the player that I want to be, but I feel like I’m a fighter and I’m competing at a high level.”
With the result, the long-standing drought for American men at Flushing Meadows continues; no home player has captured the US Open singles crown since Andy Roddick won the title in 2003.
A gracious concession and tactical gripes over pre-serve routines
During his on-court remarks, Shelton turned his focus to his opponent’s relentless work ethic and recent dominance. “Sascha, congratulations on these past two weeks,” Shelton said to Zverev. “Two Grand Slams, two in a year. You’re one of the best players in the world, and maybe the best player this year. The way you serve, the way you move and play is incredible. You work harder than anybody I know, and you spend more time on the court than anyone.”
In his post-match press conference, however, the American offered a more rigorous self-assessment. “I’m disappointed with the level I played today,” Shelton stated. “I’m happy with the fight this week and these past two weeks. I’m excited about the development I’ve made, but this loss is really tough to swallow.”
Shelton also used his media availability to address a persistent quirk in Zverev’s match routine: the German player’s extensive ball-bouncing habit before second serves. While tennis rules enforce a 25-second serve clock prior to first serves, second serves carry no specific time limit, requiring only that a player serve without unreasonable delay. Zverev frequently bounces the ball close to 20 times ahead of a second delivery, a routine that competitors argue disrupts opponents’ rhythms and drains crowd momentum.
“You can use your 25 seconds freely on the first serve, but there shouldn’t be unlimited time on the second serve, and some form of limit is needed,” Shelton said, acknowledging that he did not yet have a specific proposal for how to regulate the timing.
Karen Khachanov, who fell to Zverev in the semifinals, similarly noted that the extended pre-serve routine can frustrate opponents, though players acknowledge the habit remains entirely within current tournament regulations.
What lies ahead for the American rising star
Looking forward, Shelton indicated he plans to take away the positives from his fortnight in New York while recalibrating his game for the Australian swing. “It’s time to move on,” Shelton said. “I want to keep building and come back to Australia stronger than I was here. Today, I didn’t play as much from the baseline as I wanted to.”
Shelton will take a brief recovery period before evaluating his autumn schedule on the ATP Tour, with his sights set firmly on breaking through for his maiden Grand Slam title when the tour shifts to Melbourne next season.
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