Atlanta’s Ben Shelton bid to be 1st American winner of US Open since 2003 ends in loss to Zverev
With history on the line for the US Open, Ben Shelton falls short of bringing home the win for America. He'd aimed to be the first American to win since 2003's Andy Roddick victory.
Ben Shelton, an American tennis player from Atlanta, competed in the men's singles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships on September 13, 2026, at New York's Arthur Ashe Stadium. The 23-year-old aimed to become the first American to win the Grand Slam title since Andy Roddick in 2003, and the first Black man to do so since Arthur Ashe in 1968.
With the crowd chanting his name and rooting for his success, Shelton faced off against Alexander Zverev, a German player who had had a stellar year, capturing two Grand Slams and coming close to dethroning world No. 1 Jannik Sinner. Although the crowd supported Shelton throughout the match, he ultimately fell to Zverev, 6-3, 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-2.
Despite the disappointment, Shelton expressed gratitude to his family, team, and fans, including those who stayed until 4 am for his epic quarterfinal win against Carlos Alcaraz. He acknowledged that the pressure of history and expectations weighed heavily on him but vowed to return to Australia even stronger.
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