US Open Final RECAP - watch Zverev vs Shelton for free in final tennis Grand Slam of 2026, latest news
Men's title concludes at Flushing Meadows today
The US Open tennis is set for an epic Men's Final showdown on Sunday, 13th September, and Arthur Ashe Stadium is ready to blow the roof off!
Flushing Meadows has served up two weeks of shocking upsets, and blistering winners, culminating in a clash for the ultimate crown: the US Open Men's Singles title.
Will history be written in Queens by Zverev, or will underdog Shelton crash the party and snatch Grand Slam glory?
Follow along LIVE right here for game-by-game updates, free streams, break points, and every viral moment from the final major of the year.
US Open Final: The Essentials
- Date: 13 Sept 2026
- Match Start: 7pm BST / 2pm ET / 4am AEST
- FREE Stream: 9Now (Australia)
- UK: Sky Sports | US Stream: ABC
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Hello from New York!
Thanks for joining us at the final tennis Grand Slam of the year: the US Open men's final!
It's been quite a summer for New York with the Knicks triumphing in June, and this could be another monumental achievement to follow if American Ben Shelton beats German Alexander Zverev in the US Open final.
Stay with us for all the action starting in just under two hours!
Zverev's 2026
So, how do the two finalists this year stack up?
2026 has been Zverev's year. Having previously been a bridesmaid but never a bride, the last few months has seen this all change. Mainly due to the absence of Sinner, Alcaraz and Djokovic not being in form recently, he's emerged as the one to beat.
Having won his first Grand Slam with the French Open earlier this year he has got a taste for finals. While he lost to Sinner a month later at Wimbledon, he's back with a vengeance in New York.
The smart money would be on the German to triumph with his track record this year and as the world number one...but will he manage to claim his second Grand Slam under the lights at Flushing Meadows?
Keep tuned to find out...
Shelton: the underdog...with the home crowd
Ben Shelton is another player similar to Zverev who has spent his career previously doing well, with the occasional quarter final here and there, but no further...until now.
The American has reached his first Grand Slam final very convincingly - aside from a thrilling fifth set tiebreaker against Alcaraz - which could be a sign of things to come in the future.
Aged just 23, compared to Zverev's 29, he has youth on his side and also the home crowd who will be cheering on the Atlanta-born youngster. It would be a long shot, but could we see the first American to win a US Open since Andy Roddick in 2003?
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Where have all the American US Open winners gone?
Aside from the anomaly of Taylor Fritz coming second in 2024's US Open, you have to look back 20 years to see the last American competing in a men's final...so what happened?
Looking at the turn of the century, you couldn't move for Americans in US Open men's finals. Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick. It was a golden age of tennis in America until it wasn't.
The '00s saw the dominance of Nadal, Federer, Djokovic and Murray, and a drought of American men able to rival their excellence. These things often come in waves though, and maybe Fritz, Shelton and Tiafoe who are in the top 15 world seeds could see a new American revolution.
Only time will tell, but will Shelton be able to lead this charge tonight?
What happened to Djokovic this tournament?
The three dominate players - Djokovic, Sinner and Alcaraz - have been increasingly absent in 2026, but where have they gone?
Djokovic has not won a Grand Slam since 2023 after winning three of the four. Since then he's made it to two finals but has never looked like a threat, going out in the first round of this US Open.
He seems destined to haunt the circuit until he secures what would be an historic 25th Grand Slam which would put him above Margaret Court's 24 titles with whom he is tied with.
Will the Serb triumph or be forced into retirement without his sought after 25th title?
Less than 30 minutes until first serve!
Stick with us as we gear up for the US Open men's final!
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Zverev's for the losing?
Zverev is poised to take a second Grand Slam which, if all goes to his plan, would make him the only German man this century to win more than one Grand Slam title.
To put that in to perspective the last German man to win more than one Grand Slam title was Boris Becker. Can Zverev end a drought in Germany...or will Shelton end the drought in America?
Either way, history will be made!
Nearly time...
Inevitably there are delays as Shelton and Zverev are still in their gyms awaiting being called to the court.
Stay with us and we get ready for the big one...
The players enter the court!
Cometh the hour, cometh the men...
Zverev and Shelton both enter the court ahead of the biggest tennis event in America after the American national anthem has played.
The crowd is 23,000 strong and very heavily cheering for Shelton already. Will the home crowd be a determining factor in this match?
2 minutes until first serve
The umpire announces the two minute countdown.
How will the 23-year-old Shelton cope with the nerves of his first major Grand Slam final? Will Zverev get spooked by the home crowd?
Keep with us to find out...
Shelton wins the coin toss, but loses the first point
Shelton very decisively decided to serve after winning the coin toss but has lost the first two points.
A very thrilling second rally albeit, which bodes well for spectators, but early signs of panic for Shelton who needs to win his serve.
Double fault sees Shelton lose his serve
Not a great omen of things to come. After some promising rallies and a strong serve, Zverev has comfortably put the pressure on Shelton who then lost his serve.
Having his service broken on a double fault will be particularly stinging but the night is young.
Zverev 1 - 0 Shelton
Zverev powers through his first service game
Don't let the overwhelming cheers every time the American scores fool you. Shelton is looking nervy after two quick game losses but his second service game looks a lot more confident.
Powering through to a quick win should be expected with his powerful serve but is very important for the young American.
Zverev 2 - 1 Shelton
Shelton v Zverev history
Alongside being the bookies' favourite, the stats behind the two players favour Zverev.
In the five matches that the American and the German have played against each other, Zverev has won all of them. Of course, stats are irrelevant on the day with the emotions and atmosphere...let's see how this plays out.
Shelton leads in Zverev's game...but Zverev triumphs
Leading 30-0 on Zverev's serve, Shelton was a few points away from equaling his opponent in games...but alas.
Zverev seems to have developed a curious habit of bouncing the ball between 10 to 20 time before serving. A bit of mind play? Trying to catch Shelton on the offbeat?
Whatever it is, the crowd may turn on the German soon.
Shelton denies Zverev a two game lead
Zverev will have to work harder to win this first set as Shelton is going to keep on fighting for it.
The young American may have not swept his service game like previous ones but he denied the German an easy ride. What looked like it could have been a quick match has certainly become more interesting.
Zverev 4 - 3 Shelton
Zverev on the brink of his first set
5-3 to Zverev. He either needs to break the American's powerful serve or win his next service game...either way this looks like a certainty.
Looking ahead, Shelton could use the second set to refocus and start afresh...but let's not get ahead of ourselves. There's still plenty of time for surprises.
Double fault gives Zverev his first set
In times of pressure Shelton seems to deliver a double fault.
The American is dealing with nerves of a first Grand Slam final whereas the German is on his third consecutive Grand Slam final this year. Pretty much an old hand now.
Zverev takes his first set, Shelton needs to reset.
Shelton makes Zverev fight for his serve
Clearly energised after a self pep talk, Shelton makes Zverev work for his service game and wins his own service game.
Looking a bit shakier on his service game compared to his early ones, after leading 40-0 he is brought to deuce before winning advantage point. Eventually.
For the audience at home and spectators at Flushing Meadows, let's hope this is a more thrilling second set.
Zverev put on the ropes...for once
An incredible rally sees Shelton actually dictate where Zverev goes on the court as the German rushes from end to end.
A standing ovation for his effort as Shelton takes the point which sees the two go to deuce for Shelton's service game.
No break serves...yet
Zverev is breezing through his service games and Shelton is just about keeping his head above water for his.
How they win their games doesn't matter though as long as they don't allow their serves to be broken...which so far this set no one has done.
Shelton may be holding the tide at bay but water always wins in the end...
Shelton wins his service game in just a few minutes
Shelton is doing remarkably well this set, and the last game in particular, when you consider his underdog status and the mentality he has had to adopt.
Both players seem much more confident in their game, winning very convincingly...let's see how this plays out.
Shelton frustrated but fired up
Shelton appeared to be arguing with the umpire - whether that was about Zverev's long pre-service or something else - but it seems to have fired him up too.
Keeping level with Zverev's four sets in a 40-0 game, the American has given up the ghost yet.
Who will blink first?
Shelton holds his nerve
The crowd treats Shelton winning his serve as though he's won the match. But it's an important game.
Both on five games now, this looks like a tiebreaker unless either can win two consecutive games...this seems unlikely given how close this set has been.
Don't go anywhere.
Shelton gets to a tiebreaker!
Down 30-0, Shelton looked like he was going down two sets...but he brought it to a tiebreaker!
Thrilling stuff and egged on by the crowd, this could be a showstopper and the match the spectators want.
Zverev dominates the tiebreaker
147mph...the fastest serve of the tournament from Zverev in a tiebreaker. This remarkable show of courage from the German shows that experience counts for a lot in these high pressure situations.
It wasn't the tiebreaker that the spectators wanted, not a lot of tension in it with Shelton only winning two points and Zverev poised for winning his second Grand Slam.
Zverev 2 - 0 Shelton
Shelton knows every point counts
The crowd are getting behind their American champion even though they know it will take a miracle to see him triumph.
Zverev looks confident now, waiting for the inevitable and letting Shelton make the mistake but he's made this mistake before. Wimbledon saw him lead against Sinner before he inevitably lost against the Italian.
This seems unlikely to happen here...but you never know.
Shelton looks to the crowd for support
Again, Shelton beckons to the crowd for volume. They don't need asking twice.
However, it feels like desperate rather than deserved. The American leads three games to two but Zverev is waiting to pounce, whether that be breaking his serve or winning another tiebreak.
The end feels inevitable.
Zverev keeps his cool
On the verge of having his serve broken, Zverev kept his cool and managed to win the next two points and secure his serve.
Noticeably frustrated, Shelton looks apprehensive as the ball is back in the American's court as it rests on him to keep his service game.
Tiebreaker in the next 20 mins? I think so.
5-4...the tiebreak looms
Neither party seems interested in giving up their serve or making a noticeable effort to break the others.
There was an incredible rally which saw Zverev on the defensive until he found a shot to whizz past Shelton who dived for it to no avail. In many ways this is a metaphor for the match.
Shelton wins his service game convincingly but Zverev is unlikely to give up his service game with that incredible serve.
5-5
Zverev defends his service game, even if Shelton looked dangerous when they drew on 15-15.
A tiebreaker seems a cruel way to finish this set and given Zverev's dominance with them it may be another quick one.
There's still time for a 7-5 victory though...
One set to Shelton!
Where did this come from?
The crowd roar as the American takes his first set. Suddenly it feels like a very different game.
Is this a fluke or the start of what could be a long night? Stay tuned to find out!
Shelton victorious...but not for long
While he may have won his first set, Shelton seems to have lit a fire under Zverev.
The German came out the gates hot as he broke Shelton's first game and cruised on to win his first serving game. As the clock hits three hours, Zverev leads two games to nil in the fourth set.
30-0 down, Shelton comes back
What was looking like it could have gone to a 3-0 set led by Zverev was denied.
Winning four points in a row, Shelton made sure that Zverev did not cruise to victory this set.
Zverev gets a time violation...finally
Bouncing the ball between 10 to 20 times before every serve finally caught up with Zverev and he got an official time violation warning.
Clearly annoyed and to much booing from the crowd as he protested it, Zverev channeled this anger to power through and win his third game of the set.
Zverev 3 - 1 Shelton
Zverev breaks Shelton's serve (again!)
That's 5-2 as Zverev breaks Shelton's serve for the second time this set.
Now it's just the German to serve for the championship. It's just a matter of time now.
Game, set and match...Zverev wins!
Zverev wins!
The German triumphs, after a little hiccup which saw Shelton win one set, and it was definitely the best player who won.
For a moment Zverev hadn't realised he had won, maybe not keeping track of the score, so it's a delayed joy but the pain on Shelton's face is immediate.
Zverev 6-3 7-6 (7-2) 5-7 6-2 Shelton
Zverev is crowned the champion of the US Open
Zverev gives a very gracious speech after Shelton seems to thank every single person in attendance personally in a long runners up speech.
The crowd are pretty respectful considering they were denied seeing an American crowned US Open champion.
Zverev is the first German US Open champion, history is made.
