Shelton Concludes Historic US Open Run with Runner

NEW YORK, N.Y. – Ben Shelton fell to No. 1 seeded Alexander Zverev 3-6, 6(2)-7, 7-5, 2-6 to end the best run of his professional tennis career in the US Open finals on Sunday evening at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Shelton becomes the first former NCAA singles champion to reach a Grand Slam final since 1986. The top American also becomes the first African American man to reach a Grand Slam singles final since MaliVai Washing did so in 1996 at Wimbledon.

Zverev claimed his second major title of the year, moving to 25-2 in major play and 6-0 against Shelton. The former Gator moves to 4-1 in final matches this year.

In the first set going head-to-head for the first time at a major, the German took an early 2-0 lead, but Shelton was able to bounce back winning the seventh game to cut Zverev's lead to 4-3. The top seed claimed the first set after a double fault by Shelton who looked nervous early and late in the set.

The first game of the second set marked the first deuce of the match, where Zverev took the first game. Shelton quickly answered holding Zverev to love in the second game. The two went back and forth trading games won that eventually forced a tiebreak. Zverev raced to an early 5-0 lead en route to a second set victory.

Through the first two sets, Zverev looked poised applying consistent pressure forcing long exchanges that Shelton was unable to handle. Shelton struggled to hit his spot on serves and tallied 29 unforced errors through the first two sets.

The third set looked very much like the second set, both players trading game victories. Zverev made things even at five after serving his eighth ace of the match. Shelton claimed the third set, 7-5, after a Zverev shot going wide left to extend the battle for the title. It marks the first time Shelton has broken Zverev's serve in 66 straight service games.

Entering the third hour of the match in set four, Zverev jumped to an early 2-0 lead. Shelton was able to bring the set within striking distance, down 3-2 against the top seed. Zverev continued to take charge at the net to go up 5-2, one game away from the title. Zverev secured the match point after Shelton's return went long, earning his second major title of the year.

Despite the defeat, Shelton will rise to a new career high No. 4 in the PIF ATP rankings on Monday, the highest-ranked former college tennis player on tour since James Blake in 2006.

Ben Shelton's US Open Results

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