Alexander Zverev won the 2026 US Open men’s singles final, defeating American finalist Ben Shelton in four sets on the hard courts of Flushing Meadows to claim his second career Grand Slam title, according to reports from OA Sport. The victory marks Zverev’s second major championship of the 2026 season following his triumph at the French Open earlier in the summer.
US Open Prize Money and Financial Figures
According to OA Sport, the tournament organizers guaranteed a winner’s share of $5.5 million, which equates to approximately 4.743 million euros based on official public communications. With this check, Zverev extended his lead in the official ATP Prize Money Ranking for the season, according to OA Sport.
ATP Rankings and Race Implications
As the world number two, Zverev moved into sole possession of first place in the ATP Race following his New York title, surpassing the seasonal records of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, who won Wimbledon and the Australian Open respectively, as reported by OA Sport. Zverev collected a full allotment of 2,000 ranking points for the victory, dropping only the 100 points from his third-round exit in 2025. The autumn schedule, culminating in the ATP Finals in Turin, will determine whether Zverev can unseat Jannik Sinner from the number one position in the regular ATP rankings.
Historical Context for German Tennis
Zverev became the third male player to win his first two Grand Slam titles in the same season, joining Jimmy Connors in 1974 and Jannik Sinner in 2024. The win also lifts Zverev past Michael Stich into second place on the list of German male singles Grand Slam champions. Boris Becker remains the German leader with six major titles and was the last German to win at Flushing Meadows prior to Zverev’s 2026 run.
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