Alexander Zverev has won his first US Open title after defeating Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2 in the final.
The victory gives Zverev his second Grand Slam title of 2026, after his Roland Garros triumph earlier this year, and his 26th career title. He also becomes the first German man to win the US Open since Boris Becker in 1989.
But after lifting the trophy, Zverev’s thoughts quickly turned to his mother and everything she did to help him pursue his tennis career.
Speaking during his emotional on-court speech, he said:
“When your 4 year old son gets diagnosed with diabetes, and doctors in the office tell you that life and sports will be very very limited for that child, it takes a very very strong mother to walk out of those offices and say ‘My son will be wherever he wants to be.”
Zverev continued:
“If he wants to be a tennis player he’ll be a tennis player. If he wants to do something else, he’ll do something else. But this illness will not define us.”
He then added:
“My mother is the most important and strongest person I know. It takes an unbelievably strong woman to do what she did.”❤️
After losing his first US Open final in 2020, Zverev has finally conquered New York. And in 2026, the German now has two Grand Slam titles to his name.
