2026 US Open Finals Day: Zverev vs. Shelton Live
Rybakina claims the women's title; Zverev leads Shelton 6-3 in the men's final at Arthur Ashe
Finals Day at Flushing Meadows: Zverev vs. Shelton for the Title
As of September 13, 2026, the 2026 US Open has arrived at its men's singles final, with Alexander Zverev (Germany, No. 1 seed) squaring off against Ben Shelton (USA, No. 8 seed) at Arthur Ashe Stadium — a 2:00 p.m. ET start on ABC. On Saturday, September 12,
Elena Rybakina captured her first US Open title
, defeating two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in the women's final. Today's men's final carries an enormous subplot:
Ben Shelton, Alexander Zverev, and a 23-year-long drought are on center stage at the US Open — Shelton is seeking to become the first American man to win a major title since Andy Roddick in 2003.
Zverev enters as the pre-match favourite, with Shelton as the underdog.
The match is live right now;
Zverev struck twice to take the first set 6-3.
Track every service game, set score, and shifting odds in real time at WeeBet's live hub — /events/us-open-tennis-2026.
Saturday Recap: Rybakina Dethrones Sabalenka
The women's singles final on September 12 delivered the tournament's biggest upset at the title stage.
Elena Rybakina won her first U.S. Open, besting defending champion Aryna Sabalenka.
Two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka had been the top seed for the eighth consecutive Grand Slam.
Rybakina's triumph ends Sabalenka's stranglehold on the event and reshapes the WTA title odds heading into the Asian swing.
Christian Harrison and Neal Skupski lifted the men's doubles trophy on Saturday by defeating Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz
6-4, 7-6(6).
The Men's Final: Zverev vs. Shelton — Storylines and Status
Zverev vs. Shelton — Men's Final Matchup (as of 13 Sep 2026)
| Metric | Zverev (No. 1) | Shelton (No. 8) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Hard-Court W-L | 23-7 | 20-6 |
| Sets dropped, tournament | 4 | 6 |
| Aces, tournament | 87 | 71 |
| 1st serve pts won | 79% | 76% |
| H2H (all-time) | 5-0 | 0-5 |
| Sets won H2H | 10/11 | 1/11 |
Zverev is in full command of the first set, and the numbers tell a stark story heading into the final.
Shelton has lost all five career meetings against Zverev, winning just one of the 11 sets they have played.
The German arrived at Flushing Meadows with extraordinary momentum:
after Alexander Zverev opened the tournament with back-to-back five-setters, he found his game and won his last four matches in straight sets.
Zverev is bidding for his second Grand Slam title of the season after winning the French Open.
This also coincides with Zverev having an absurd record against left-handed players — he has won 44 of his last 45 matches against lefties dating back to 2023.
Shelton, for his part, arrived at today's final on the back of one of the tournament's great runs.
Shelton got there via an epic quarterfinal win over Carlos Alcaraz that set a record for the latest match in US Open history, then defeated his good friend and fellow American Frances Tiafoe in four sets in the semifinal.
In what was called the match of the tournament, Shelton defeated Alcaraz in a fifth-set tiebreak — a match that didn't finish until 3:33 a.m. local time.
How the Rybakina Win Moved the Women's Odds
Rybakina's title shifts the WTA Slam landscape meaningfully. She enters the Asian Swing with a Grand Slam on hard courts, now placing pressure on Sabalenka's year-end No. 1 position. Event contract markets on Rybakina to finish 2026 ranked No. 1 have shortened sharply since the Saturday result. Monitor the latest positions at WeeBet's US Open hub, where WTA futures markets update alongside the men's final in progress.
The American Drought Narrative — What's at Stake
Shelton is seeking to become the first American man to win a major title since Andy Roddick in 2003, and this is only the second time an American has reached a Grand Slam final since Roddick's retirement, joining Taylor Fritz at the 2024 US Open.
In the semifinal against Tiafoe, Shelton recovered from a set down before winning 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5.
The 23-year-old had his stellar serve dialed in, racking up 20 aces against Tiafoe.
Shelton has now won 12 of his last 13 matches.
The crowd at Arthur Ashe is entirely behind the American.
Shelton posts love holds and pumps up the crowd as he faces service games from Zverev — and this crowd is just waiting for the door to open for him.
First Set: Zverev Takes Control
The first set result confirms what the head-to-head data has consistently suggested.
Zverev struck twice to take the first set 6-3 against Shelton.
Ben Shelton has complained to the chair umpire about Alexander Zverev taking time between serves, including once at 40-40 at 3-3 when the top-seeded German tossed a ball into the air and let it come down — but no penalty or warning was assessed.
Zverev has reportedly bounced the ball more than 12,000 times at the US Open over the last two weeks, and it has been quite bothersome for the opposition.
- First set scoreZverev 0-3Zverev
- H2H recordZverev 0-0All-time
- Aces (tournament)0 vs 71Zverev leads
- Prize (champion)$0Record purse
- Total prize pool$0M2026 record
Tournament Context and Prize Money
The 2026 US Open offered a record $108 million in total player compensation, the largest package in tennis history and an increase of 21% from 2025.
The men's and women's singles champions each receive $5,500,000, a 10% increase
from the previous year.
In men's singles play, four-time champion Novak Djokovic was eliminated in the first round — only the third time in his career that he has lost in the opening round of a major.
The 2026 US Open runs August 24 through September 13, with New York City hosting the fourth and final major of the campaign on the hard courts of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
Live Odds and Markets on WeeBet
The men's final is live, and title odds are moving with every service game. WeeBet's US Open 2026 live hub at /events/us-open-tennis-2026 carries:
- Real-time match winner markets — Zverev vs. Shelton set-by-set
- Set betting event contracts — updated after every changeover
- WTA futures positions — Rybakina year-end No. 1, 2027 Slam winner
- Live in-play positions — next game winner, next set total
All markets are event contracts. Bet responsibly — set a budget before placing any wager, and use the deposit limits and cool-off tools available in your WeeBet account settings. If you feel your gambling may be a problem, visit the National Problem Gambling Helpline or call 1-800-522-4700.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is playing in the 2026 US Open men's singles final?
Alexander Zverev (Germany, No. 1 seed) faces Ben Shelton (USA, No. 8 seed) on September 13, 2026, at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Flushing Meadows. The match began at 2:00 p.m. ET on ABC.
Who won the 2026 US Open women's singles title?
Elena Rybakina won her first US Open women's singles title on September 12, 2026, defeating two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in the final.
What is Zverev's head-to-head record against Shelton?
Entering the September 13 final, Zverev leads the all-time head-to-head 5-0 against Shelton, having won 10 of the 11 sets played across all five matches.
How much does the 2026 US Open champion earn in prize money?
The singles champion receives $5,500,000. The total prize pool for the 2026 US Open is a record $108 million, an increase of 21% from the 2025 edition.
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