The finalists are set. Sunday's US Open men's singles final pits No. 2 seed Alexander Zverev against No. 9 Ben Shelton, and whichever way it breaks, history gets written into the scoreline.
The final takes place Sunday, September 13, at Arthur Ashe Stadium, with play starting at 2 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. CEST.
How Each Player Got Here
Zverev has defeated Lorenzo Sonego, Quentin Halys, Alejandro Tabilo, Luciano Darderi, Botic van de Zandschulp, and Karen Khachanov en route to his sixth career major final and second at Flushing Meadows - he previously led Dominic Thiem two sets to love in the 2020 final before losing in five.
Shelton's path has been the more dramatic of the two. He beat Tallon Griekspoor, Hubert Hurkacz, Denis Shapovalov, Stefanos Tsitsipas, defending champion
Carlos Alcaraz, and Frances Tiafoe to reach his first career Grand Slam final. His quarterfinal win over Alcaraz was the standout result - a 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(7) five-setter that finished at 3:33 a.m. local time, the latest conclusion in US Open history.
The Head-to-Head: A Lopsided Rivalry, With No Slam History
Zverev leads their Lexus ATP Head2Head series 5-0, having won all five previous meetings and 10 of the 11 sets they've played, including their most recent clash at the 2025 Nitto ATP Finals. Despite that dominance, Sunday will mark the first time these two have ever met at a Grand Slam.
Grand Slam Resumes Heading In
Zverev arrives with one major title, having broken through at this year's Roland Garros with a win over Flavio Cobolli. Shelton is still chasing his first, having previously reached semifinals at the 2023 US Open and the 2025 Australian Open - this final is his first step beyond that stage.
What's at Stake for Shelton and American Tennis
The historical weight on Shelton's side of the draw is significant. A win would make him the first American man to claim a Grand Slam singles title since Andy Roddick's 2003 US Open triumph. He's also already the first African American man to reach the US Open final since Arthur Ashe in 1972, and the first to reach any Grand Slam singles final since MaliVai Washington at Wimbledon in 1996.
Prize Money and Ranking Points US Open 2026
| Round | Points | Prize Money |
|---|---|---|
| Champion | 2,000 | $5,500,000 |
| Finalist | 1,300 | $2,800,000 |
Zverev's head-to-head edge and major-final experience make him the player with the established blueprint. But Shelton's run has already broken one historic pattern this fortnight, and a five-set win over a two-time champion at 3:33 in the morning isn't the resume of a player likely to be overwhelmed by the occasion. Whatever happens, Sunday adds a new name to either the list of Grand Slam champions or the list of American men who've come agonizingly close since Roddick.
