How Alexander Zverev’s US Open Win Ended With Him Not Knowing the Match Was Over
Plus, check out all the celebrities who attended the 2026 US Open matches like Brad Pitt, Ines de Ramon, Matthew McConaughey, Woody Harrelson, Nicole Kidman, Hunter Schafer, SZA, and more!
Alexander Zverev beat Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2 to capture his second Grand Slam title of 2026.
Zverev didn’t realize he’d won match point, thinking the score was still 5-1 when he hit the final serve.
Shelton called his rival the best player in the world, while Zverev reflected on years of family heartbreak.
Alexander Zverev just won his second Grand Slam title of the year, and he still doesn’t remember exactly when it happened.
The 29-year-old demolished Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2 in Sunday’s US Open final, crushing another year of “maybe this is finally the year” hopes for American men’s tennis. Then he did something wonderfully strange: he forgot he’d won.
Shelton’s final return sailed long on match point. Zverev, mid-focus, hit the ball back toward the other side of the court like the point was still live. He was bracing for another serve.
“In that moment, I was in the zone a lot. I didn’t hear noise at all,” Zverev said. “I was in this kind of tunnel where I just didn’t hear anything.”
Blame Arthur Ashe Stadium. Blame the chair umpire’s drowned-out announcement. Blame 23 years of pent-up American tennis grief screaming for a hometown hero. Whatever it was, Zverev tuned all of it out.
“When the crowd is loud, it’s impossible to hear the umpire, so I didn’t hear that she said, ‘Game, set, match,'” he explained. “At the end of the day, I just forgot the score.”
He really did forget the score. Zverev thought he was serving at 5-1, not serving for a championship.
“I thought the score was 5-1, to be honest,” he said. “I thought it was 5-1, which helped me. I probably would have served three double faults instead of one.”
HE DIDN'T REALIZE HE'D WON 🏆
Alexander Zverev exorcises his 2020 demons and defeats Shelton 6-3, 7-6, 5-7, 6-2 to win his first US Open title! pic.twitter.com/f0Cnl2xvgI
Turns out delusion is a hell of a serve coach. “I knew that I broke him twice, but yeah, it was a long match. Long two weeks,” he added.
The confusion cleared fast once Zverev glanced at the big screen and saw the score. Then he finally let himself celebrate a title six years and one legendary collapse in the making. Back in 2020, he blew a two-set lead against Dominic Thiem in this exact final, becoming the first man to do that and still lose since 1949. This time, nothing got close enough to rattle him.
“But if you played three, four balls back, there would be an error, and that was absolutely not the case today,” Zverev said, insisting the obliviousness was focus, not sloppiness.
Shelton took the loss with grace and a compliment that had to sting a little. “You’re one of the very best players in the world, maybe the best player in the world this year,” he told Zverev at the trophy ceremony.
He’s not wrong. Zverev finished 2026’s majors at a ridiculous 25-2, pairing the US Open with his French Open title and pocketing $5.5 million, tying the largest Grand Slam prize in history alongside women’s champion Elena Rybakina.
Zverev, never shy about his family’s tennis heartbreak, summed up the moment simply. “I feel like there was so much suffering for the Zverev family at Grand Slam level, that maybe 2026 is the year we should just enjoy,” he told Sky Sports.
Turns out enjoying it means not even noticing when you’ve won it.
Check Out All the Celebrities Who Attended the 2026 US Open Matches
Nicole Kidman in the newly redesigned Emirates Suite, inspired by the airline’s aircraft interiors, at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York City on September 11, 2026. Photo Credit: Emirates Brad Pitt and Ines de Ramon in the newly redesigned Emirates Suite, inspired by the airline’s aircraft interiors, at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York City on September 12, 2026. Photo Credit: Emirates Brad Pitt and Ines de Ramon in the newly redesigned Emirates Suite, inspired by the airline’s aircraft interiors, at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York City on September 12, 2026. Photo Credit: Emirates Brad Pitt and Ines de Ramon in the newly redesigned Emirates Suite, inspired by the airline’s aircraft interiors, at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York City on September 12, 2026. Photo Credit: Emirates Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson in the newly redesigned Emirates Suite, inspired by the airline’s aircraft interiors, at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York City on September 11, 2026. Photo Credit: Emirates Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson in the newly redesigned Emirates Suite, inspired by the airline’s aircraft interiors, at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York City on September 11, 2026. Photo Credit: Emirates Matt Rogers stopped by Arthur Ashe Stadium to sip Grey Goose Honey Deuces — the official cocktail of the 2026 US Open — while experiencing some of the tournament’s most exciting matches. Credit: David Dow, Courtesy of Grey Goose VodkaRachel Zegler in the newly redesigned Emirates Suite, inspired by the airline’s aircraft interiors, at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York City on September 6, 2026. Photo Credit: Emirates Susan Kelechi Watson in the newly redesigned Emirates Suite, inspired by the airline’s aircraft interiors, at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York City on September 6, 2026. Photo Credit: Emirates Ego Nwodim in the newly redesigned Emirates Suite, inspired by the airline’s aircraft interiors, at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York City on September 7, 2026. Photo Credit: Emirates Joe Keery in the newly redesigned Emirates Suite, inspired by the airline’s aircraft interiors, at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York City on September 6, 2026. Photo Credit: Emirates Questlove in the newly redesigned Emirates Suite, inspired by the airline’s aircraft interiors, at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York City on September 7, 2026. Photo Credit: Emirates Ayan Broomfield, Natalia Bryant, and Trinity Rodman stopped by Arthur Ashe Stadium to sip Grey Goose Honey Deuces — the official cocktail of the 2026 US Open — while experiencing some of the tournament’s most exciting matches. Credit: David Dow, Courtesy of Grey Goose VodkaAnastasia Karanikolaou stopped by Arthur Ashe Stadium to sip Grey Goose Honey Deuces — the official cocktail of the 2026 US Open — while experiencing some of the tournament’s most exciting matches. Credit: David Dow, Courtesy of Grey Goose VodkaLatto in the newly redesigned Emirates Suite, inspired by the airline’s aircraft interiors, at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York City on September 8, 2026. Photo Credit: Emirates Bridget Moynahan in the newly redesigned Emirates Suite, inspired by the airline’s aircraft interiors, at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York City on August 30, 2026. Photo Credit: Emirates Valentina Ferrer in the newly redesigned Emirates Suite, inspired by the airline’s aircraft interiors, at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York City on August 30, 2026. Photo Credit: Emirates Hasan Minhaj in the newly redesigned Emirates Suite, inspired by the airline’s aircraft interiors, at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York City on August 31, 2026. Photo Credit: Emirates Jason Biggs in the newly redesigned Emirates Suite, inspired by the airline’s aircraft interiors, at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York City on September 1, 2026. Photo Credit: Emirates Kal Penn in the newly redesigned Emirates Suite, inspired by the airline’s aircraft interiors, at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York City on September 1, 2026. Photo Credit: Emirates Dylan O’Brien in the newly redesigned Emirates Suite, inspired by the airline’s aircraft interiors, at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York City on September 2, 2026. Photo Credit: Emirates David Harbour in the newly redesigned Emirates Suite, inspired by the airline’s aircraft interiors, at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York City on September 3, 2026. Photo Credit: EmiratesKarl Anthony Towns in the newly redesigned Emirates Suite, inspired by the airline’s aircraft interiors, at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York City on September 4, 2026. Photo Credit: Emirates Peter Skarsgård in the newly redesigned Emirates Suite, inspired by the airline’s aircraft interiors, at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York City on September 4, 2026. Photo Credit: Emirates Murray Hill in the newly redesigned Emirates Suite, inspired by the airline’s aircraft interiors, at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York City on September 8, 2026. Photo Credit: Emirates Seal in the newly redesigned Emirates Suite, inspired by the airline’s aircraft interiors, at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York City on September 8, 2026. Photo Credit: Emirates Tom Felton in the newly redesigned Emirates Suite, inspired by the airline’s aircraft interiors, at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York City on September 8, 2026. Photo Credit: Emirates SZA, Gunna, and Coi Leray stopped by Arthur Ashe Stadium to sip Grey Goose Honey Deuces — the official cocktail of the 2026 US Open — while experiencing some of the tournament’s most exciting matches. Credit: David Dow, Courtesy of Grey Goose VodkaHunter Schafer stopped by Arthur Ashe Stadium to sip Grey Goose Honey Deuces — the official cocktail of the 2026 US Open — while experiencing some of the tournament’s most exciting matches. Credit: David Dow, Courtesy of Grey Goose VodkaCommon in the newly redesigned Emirates Suite, inspired by the airline’s aircraft interiors, at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York City on September 10, 2026. Photo Credit: Emirates Este Haim stopped by Arthur Ashe Stadium to sip Grey Goose Honey Deuces — the official cocktail of the 2026 US Open — while experiencing some of the tournament’s most exciting matches. Credit: David Dow, Courtesy of Grey Goose VodkaThomas Doherty stopped by Arthur Ashe Stadium to sip Grey Goose Honey Deuces — the official cocktail of the 2026 US Open — while experiencing some of the tournament’s most exciting matches. Credit: David Dow, Courtesy of Grey Goose VodkaTaylor Townsend stopped by Arthur Ashe Stadium to sip Grey Goose Honey Deuces — the official cocktail of the 2026 US Open — while experiencing some of the tournament’s most exciting matches. Credit: David Dow, Courtesy of Grey Goose VodkaAdrien Brody stopped by Arthur Ashe Stadium to sip Grey Goose Honey Deuces — the official cocktail of the 2026 US Open — while experiencing some of the tournament’s most exciting matches. Credit: David Dow, Courtesy of Grey Goose VodkaLizzo stopped by Arthur Ashe Stadium to sip Grey Goose Honey Deuces — the official cocktail of the 2026 US Open — while experiencing some of the tournament’s most exciting matches. Credit: David Dow, Courtesy of Grey Goose VodkaChelsea Handler and Hannah Berner in the newly redesigned Emirates Suite, inspired by the airline’s aircraft interiors, at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York City on September 11, 2026. Photo Credit: Emirates Josh Hart stopped by Arthur Ashe Stadium to sip Grey Goose Honey Deuces — the official cocktail of the 2026 US Open — while experiencing some of the tournament’s most exciting matches. Credit: David Dow, Courtesy of Grey Goose VodkaBaptiste Giabiconi in the newly redesigned Emirates Suite, inspired by the airline’s aircraft interiors, at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York City on September 13, 2026. Photo Credit: Emirates Brad Pitt and Ines de Ramon in the newly redesigned Emirates Suite, inspired by the airline’s aircraft interiors, at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York City on September 13, 2026. Photo Credit: Emirates Brad Pitt and Ines de Ramon in the newly redesigned Emirates Suite, inspired by the airline’s aircraft interiors, at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York City on September 13, 2026. Photo Credit: Emirates Ronaldo and Brad Pitt in the newly redesigned Emirates Suite, inspired by the airline’s aircraft interiors, at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York City on September 13, 2026. Photo Credit: Emirates Courtney Cox in the newly redesigned Emirates Suite, inspired by the airline’s aircraft interiors, at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York City on September 12, 2026. Photo Credit: Emirates SZA and Hunter Schafer stopped by Arthur Ashe Stadium to sip Grey Goose Honey Deuces — the official cocktail of the 2026 US Open — while experiencing some of the tournament’s most exciting matches. Credit: David Dow, Courtesy of Grey Goose VodkaAdam Pally in the newly redesigned Emirates Suite, inspired by the airline’s aircraft interiors, at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York City on August 30, 2026. Photo Credit: Emirates Danai Gurira in the newly redesigned Emirates Suite, inspired by the airline’s aircraft interiors, at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York City on August 30, 2026. Photo Credit: Emirates Mike Colter in the newly redesigned Emirates Suite, inspired by the airline’s aircraft interiors, at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York City on August 30, 2026. Photo Credit: Emirates Retta in the newly redesigned Emirates Suite, inspired by the airline’s aircraft interiors, at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York City on September 9, 2026. Photo Credit: Emirates Justine Skye stopped by Arthur Ashe Stadium to sip Grey Goose Honey Deuces — the official cocktail of the 2026 US Open — while experiencing some of the tournament’s most exciting matches. Credit: David Dow, Courtesy of Grey Goose VodkaJack Falahee (L) in the stands on Day Eleven of the 2026 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Wednesday, September 9, 2026 in Flushing, NY. (Photo by Shea Kastriner/USTA)Lindsey Vonn attends the US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 11, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by John Nacion/Getty Images)Nacho Figeuras wore a Gucci stretch polyester zip jacket, satin shirt and black denim pants with black leather Ragazzo loafer and Gucci sunglasses. Image Courtesy of Getty ImagesTate McRae carried a Horsebit Ristretto medium shoulder bag in GG canvas to the US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 30, 2206 in New York City. Image Courtesy of Getty Images
