Shelton Aims to End American Tennis Drought in US Open Final vs Zverev

Ben Shelton seeks to end an American tennis drought by facing Zverev in the US Open final. Can he win his first major title?

Editorial Desk

September 13, 2026 One Min Read

POLICY WIRE — New York, United States — Ben Shelton is on the verge of making history, aiming to end a 23-year American drought in men’s Grand Slam tennis titles. The 23-year-old American is set to face Alexander Zverev in the U.S. Open final, where a victory would mark his first major championship and bring an end to the longest stretch without an American men’s Grand Slam winner since 2003.

Shelton has already made a name for himself this tournament, defeating the defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a grueling five-set quarterfinal that concluded at 3:33 a.m., the latest finish in U.S. Open history. Despite a 0-5 record against Zverev, Shelton has expressed increased confidence in his game and believes he can break through this time.

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Zverev, the top seed, has shown strong form in the later stages of the tournament after a slow start. He has not dropped a set since the third round and is looking to add another major title to his resume. However, Shelton could become the first man to beat both the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds en route to a U.S. Open title since 1975 if he triumphs on Sunday.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)

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