ATP Alexander Zverev Ben Shelton US Open 2026

Zverev's unusual celebration after winning the US Open... he thought the match wasn't over!

Andrés Tomás Rico - 14 Sep 2026
Go to comments seciton
The unusual celebration of Zverev after winning the US Open… he thought the match wasn't over! Photo: Getty Images.

New York has a new champion after Alexander Zverev won the US Open final against Ben Shelton (6-3, 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2) in a match he controlled almost the entire time, except for that lapse in the third set that brought the American back into the game. But aside from that slip, the Hamburg player exerted total dominance, partly due to Shelton's nerves and multiple errors. Nonetheless, Zverev can now say he is a double Grand Slam champion in less than three months.

Zverev's celebration after winning the US Open has never been seen before in a Grand Slam final

Some Grand Slam final matches are not only remembered for the result or the players who participated but also for the celebration, which often remains etched in memory. In these instances, the winner usually falls to the ground or puts their hands to their face or head. But Zverev's celebration has never been seen in a Grand Slam final.

After Shelton missed the return, Zverev had won the match, but the German was so engrossed in the game that he didn’t realize it. He thought there was still a game left because he remained unfazed and sent the ball to the other court, already thinking about returning in the next game, when the crowd noise at Arthur Ashe made him look at the scoreboard and realize he had won the US Open.

At that moment, Zverev began to celebrate and ran to the net to shake hands with a Shelton who had been waiting for a few seconds and to whom he apologized. And after leaving his racket on his bench, he was able to celebrate properly, with the crowd and his team. 
 

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, La insólita celebración de Zverev al ganar el US Open… ¡pensaba que no había terminado el partido!