US Open 2026 Live Updates, Latest Results, Highlights and Schedule for Men's Finals

Perhaps Shelton punched himself out so to speak by putting so much energy into the second and third sets. His level dropped in the fourth, and Zverev took advantage.

It's Zverev's second major after entering the season as perhaps the best player ever without a major.

With this win, Zverev has a real chance to catch Jannik Sinner for the year-end No. 1 ranking.

Meanwhile, Shelton will be fourth in the rankings on Monday, a new career high.

Shelton played a poor game, but credit to Zverev for taking advantage with a great point at 15-40. He was a brick wall volleying at the net, putting Shelton in a tough spot that led to a missed lob.

Zverev will serve for the match momentarily.

Zverev held comfortably. Time is running out for Shelton.

On game point, Shelton was pulled into the deep forehand corner, then into the deep backhand corner and then again into the forehand corner, and he still won the point with a forehand flick down the line.

His athleticism is off the charts.

Zverev won the first two points before Shelton hit a backhand winner and backhand crosscourt shot that induced an error.

Prior to the 30-30 point, Zverev was given a time violation warning for waiting too long to serve. He briefly complained to the chair umpire before going on to win that point and the next.

Shelton lost the first two points of the game. Another break of serve would have all but ended the match.

But he responded by winning four straight points. He won't go away quietly.

Zverev held at 15, finishing the game with a backhand volley winner. He's not 20-of-24 on net points.

A disaster for Shelton, who finally had momentum. He saved one break point with a deft volley winner. But at deuce, Shelton surprisingly didn't go for a big first serve, and it cost him. And Zverev won an extended rally on the second break-point chance of the game.

It can only help Shelton that this match is on home soil.

After holding 66 straight times against Shelton, Zverev completely dumps a service game at a terrible time.

At 0-30, Zverev mishit two forehands, with the second one landing out. At 15-40, Zverev missed an easy volley.

A hold to 15 for Shelton, who has now held serve 12 consecutive times. He didn't face a break point in the third set.

A more comfortable hold for Zverev this time. Zverev is still winning 88 percent of his first-serve points.

Shelton has clearly been the better player in the third set. But if this set goes to a tiebreak, Shelton will have to deal with the demons of having struggled in tiebreaks against Zverev in the past.

Shelton got into a second consecutive Zverev service game and had a good look at the 30-30 point. But Zverev hit a stunning backhand pass from way behind the baseline.

Shelton is asking questions, and Zverev is coming up with the goods.

Shelton has won 14 or his last 15 service points.

Zverev played an error-filled service game to give Shelton his first break-point chance of the match, but he erased it with a cross-court backhand winner.

Zverev won the next two points from there. He's up to 64 straight holds vs. Shelton dating back to a 2024 match in Cincinnati.

Another love hold for Shelton.

This is Zverev's 63rd consecutive service hold vs. Shelton. 63rd! That's outrageous.

There was nothing Shelton could do this time. Ace, unreturned serve, ace and unreturned serve were the ways Zverev won the four points.

Shelton held at love, finishing the game off with his ninth ace. He's held on eight consecutive service games, but the problem is he can't generate break-point chances on Zverev's serve.

Zverev brushed off a minor threat at 30-30. He finished the game off with a cross-court backhand winner that had Shelton leaning the wrong way.

It wasn't straightforward, but Shelton held at 30.

The ESPN broadcast said that Zverev is 44-1 in his last 45 matches against lefties, so it's not just Shelton who has problems against Zverev.

Against Dominic Thiem in the 2020 US Open final, Zverev led two-sets-to-none, but he lost the last three. I'd be surprised if that happened again, as Zverev is a better, more experienced player now.

Zverev simply looked like the better, more poised player in the tiebreak.

Shelton lost the first set to Alcaraz and Tiafoe, so he's certainly capable of a comeback.

But a two-set deficit might be too much to overcome.

It's been all Zverev. He's won two mini breaks on an extended rallies in which he finished the points off with huge forehands down the line.

Shelton is in big trouble at the changeover.

Zverev won the first two points of the game, putting huge pressure on Shelton.

He responded with three straight points, including a drop-volley winner at 30-30 that had him pumping up the crowd.

After it went to deuce, Shelton won the next two points to force a tiebreak.

I didn't expect Shelton to produce a bunch of break-point opportunities, but the fact that he has zero through two sets is surprising and disappointing.

Zverev held to 15.

At 15-30, Shelton's solid volleying skills got him out of a tough situation. He won that point with a perfectly placed volley, and he finished off the game with an overhead smash.

Zverev held to 15. Shelton will now serve to stay alive in the second set.

Shelton held at love with a forehand winner at game point, and he looked to the crowd for some energy after hitting it.

Again, Shelton is showing better signs in the last few games, but can he find a break?

It's a good sign that Shelton got it to 30-30 and went for a huge forehand winner instead of playing passively. But he missed it just long.

A Zverev double-fault made it deuce. Again, Shelton got into an extended rally and went for a big forehand that he just missed.

Shelton held at love in his best service game of the match. He finished it off with a backhand winner down the line. Let's see if he can carry over that level of play into Zverev's service game.

Another love hold for Zverev, who is winning 89 percent (!) of his first-serve points.

He's also been protecting his second serve better as the match has progressed. He's now winning 50 percent of his second-serve points.

Down 15-30, Shelton played one of his best points of the match, keeping Zverev on the run the entire point. He double-faulted the next point to give Zverev a break-point chance, but a big serve got him out of trouble.

Shelton won the next two points and yelled "come on" after getting the hold.

Shelton's backhand is killing him in the extended rallies. And just getting to extended rallies on Zverev's serve isn't easy.

Zverev held at love.

Shelton hit the forehand much better in this game, but Zverev defended well enough to force him to hit one or two extra shots, and from there Shelton didn't execute.

At deuce, Shelton caught a break, as his volley winner hit the outside of the line.

Shelton finished the game with an overhead smash.

Shelton tried being more aggressive, including hitting a return forehand winner. But the game ended with a Shelton error. He's struggling to execute.

As Christopher Clarey points out, he's lost 11 straight sets to Zverev.

Neither player is playing all that aggressive in baseline rallies. That's allowing Zverev to play exactly the way he's most comfortable.

Shelton played a wretched service game, with multiple backhand errors and a double-fault to gift Zverev the break.

That was a set to forget for Shelton.

Shelton had a great look at 15-30. His return went into the corner, which forced a weak reply from Zverev. Shelton was inside the court looking to hit a winner, but he shanked it for an error.

Zverev won the next two points.

Zverev put pressure on Shelton, as the game went to deuce. But Shelton held without facing a break point.

One great sign for Shelton is he's winning 83 percent of his second-serve points.

Meanwhile, Zverev is winning just 20 percent of his second-serve points.

At 0-15, Shelton stole the point with a spectacular backhand stab winner off a Zverev passing shot that would have gone past most players.

Zverev recovered with his serve. Shelton didn't get another good look in the game.

No surprise that since the early break, no one has had a break-point chance. In this service game, Shelton held at love.

Shelton got into a neutral rally at 30-30, but he played it safer than he needed to, and Zverev took advantage with a forehand winner down the line.

Zverev held from there due to a Shelton error.

Now with his first hold of the match in the rearview, we'll see if Shelton can calm the nerves of his first Grand Slam final.

Zverev held comfortably, losing just one of the five points in the game.

Zverev won the first two points of the match to put pressure on Shelton's service game, but Shelton responded with an ace and a volley winner. A Shelton error gave Zverev a break-point chance, and Zverev was gifted the break with a Shelton double-fault.

We're moments away from the first point.

Suffice to say, he wants Shelton to win.