Alexander Zverev vs Ben Shelton: US Open men’s singles final – all to know

Ben Shelton and Alexander Zverev will contest the 2026 US Open men’s singles final at a sold-out Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sunday, with play due to begin at 2pm local time (18:00 GMT). Shelton, 23, arrives in his first major final after an eye-catching run in New York that has made him the centre of American hopes. Zverev, the top seed and a recent Grand Slam winner, returns to the US championship match seeking to build on his breakthrough season.

Shelton reached the title match by beating Frances Tiafoe 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 in an all-American semifinal, having earlier toppled defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a memorable five-set quarterfinal that finished at 3:33am — the latest finish in the tournament's history. The young American has credited a new level of consistency for his run and said he is relishing the challenge of testing himself in unfamiliar territory.

Zverev secured his place in the final with a straight-sets victory over Karen Khachanov, 6-3, 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (8/6). The German, who won his first Grand Slam this year at the French Open by defeating Flavio Cobolli in five sets, says his experience in recent big matches has left him better prepared than when he first reached a US Open final in 2020. Despite his form, Zverev carries a mixed record in major finals, having won one and lost four.

Head-to-head, Zverev leads Shelton 5-0, including a 6-3, 7-6(6) victory at the 2025 ATP Finals in Turin. But tournament form and the New York crowd have pushed some bookmakers and pundits to view Shelton as the favourite for Sunday’s clash. Coverage and build-up will be available from Al Jazeera Sport from 11am local time (15:00 GMT), ahead of the live text commentary of the final.