Zverev dashed Shelton's hopes of becoming the first Black player to win the men's championship since Arthur Ashe in 1968 and the first American man to win the title since Andy Roddick in Flushing Meadows in 2003.
asserted
Zverev → dash → 2003
Germany's Alexander Zverev on Sunday conquered the US Open, defeating American Ben Shelton in four sets at the Arthur Ashe Stadium to claim his US Open title and the second Grand Slam trophy of his career.
uncertain
Zverev → conquer → career
Six years after letting a two-set lead slip against Dominic Thiem in the 2020 final, the German top seed returned to New York and this time finished the job beating Shelton 6-3, 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-2 on Sunday.
asserted
seed → let → Sunday
Zverev knew what he was up against, playing a US Open final in a stadium full of people desperate to at last see another American champion.
asserted
he → know → champion
He tuned out the screams for Ben Shelton for so long that he didn’t even realise when he won, not hearing the chair umpire’s announcement that the match was over.
asserted
match → tune → announcement
“In that moment I was in the zone, a lot,” Zverev said.
asserted
Zverev → say → zone
“I didn’t hear noise at all.
asserted
I → hear → noise
I was in this kind of tunnel where I just didn’t hear anything.”
asserted
I → hear → anything
The German's win in New York redeems the painful 2020 loss, where he let things slip away.
asserted
things → redeem → loss
Being a no. 1 seed in a Grand Slam for the first time, Zverev capitalised on Shelton’s shaky start in his first major final, played a nearly flawless tiebreaker on serve and then turned back a comeback attempt in front of a crowd that feverishly cheered Shelton on — including girlfriend Trinity Rodman, who made it from her own soccer match in Washington before the finish.
asserted
who → capitalise → finish
“I know today 99.9% of the people wanted Ben to win, so I’m very sorry first of all,” Zverev said during the trophy presentation.
asserted
Zverev → know → presentation
“But second, it was an incredible atmosphere to play in.
asserted
it → play → ?
Even though I know that the crowd was against me, the crowd was always incredibly fair.”
asserted
crowd → know → me
Shelton was trying to win the first title by an American man since Andy Roddick won in Flushing Meadows in 2003, as well as become the first Black player to win the men’s crown since Arthur Ashe in 1968.
asserted
Roddick → try → 1968
“It’s such a cool moment.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
I’ve never felt anything like that before,” Shelton said.
asserted
Shelton → feel → that
But Zverev was too good in majors this year and apparently didn’t even know how good he was.
asserted
he → know → majors
After hitting a serve winner, he dropped back behind the baseline as if set to return.
asserted
he → hit → baseline
Zverev, who later explained he thought the score was 5-1, eventually did figure out he had won, raising his arms in celebration.
asserted
he → explain → celebration
US Open triumph is Zverev's career's second Grand Slam
Zverev improved to 25-2 in major matches this year and won $5.5 million, matching the prize earned by women’s champion Elena Rybakina on Saturday as the largest in Grand Slam history.
“You’re one of the very best players in the world, maybe the best player in the world this year,” Shelton told Zverev.
asserted
Shelton → improve → Zverev
He thought this title would come in 2020 and still acknowledges it should have.
asserted
it → think → 2020
He won the first two sets against Dominic Thiem and got within two points of victory before becoming the first man to blow a two-set lead and lose in the final since 1949.
asserted
He → win → 1949
Whatever ghosts were left from then are long gone now.
asserted
left → leave → ?
Zverev also reached the final at Wimbledon, falling to Jannik Sinner, and became the No. 1 seed in New York when the top-ranked Sinner had to withdraw with a knee injury.
asserted
Sinner → reach → injury
He made the most of opportunities that came when Carlos Alcaraz had to sit out two majors and Sinner missed another after they played in three straight Grand Slam finals in 2025.
asserted
they → make → 2025
“I think God has seen how hard we worked, how much we suffered, and how much pain we went through, and I think 2026 is the outcome of all the years that happened before,” Zverev said, addressing his team.
asserted
Zverev → think → team
Shelton had already eliminated the defending champion when he beat No. 2 seed Alcaraz in a five-set quarterfinal that ended at 3:33 a.m., the latest finish in US Open history.
asserted
that → eliminate → history
But he fell short on Sunday in his attempt to become the first man to beat the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds en route to the US Open title since 1975.
asserted
he → fall → 1975
The No. 8 seed fell to 0-6 against Zverev, winning a set Sunday for only the second time.
asserted
seed → fall → time
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