The final of the 2026 US Open men’s singles tournament is set: Alexander Zverev versus Ben Shelton.
Shelton and Zverev have met five times before on the ATP Tour, with the German leading the head-to-head 5-0.
Though the American has taken just one set off him across the five meetings, they have never met in a best-of-five match at a Grand Slam before.
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Shelton, competing in his first major final, is bidding to become the first American man to win a Grand Slam singles title since Andy Roddick in 2003.
Zverev, on the other hand, is looking to clinch his second Grand Slam crown, after capturing his first at Roland Garros earlier this year.
Ben Shelton set to clinch career-high ranking at the US Open
Shelton entered the US Open as the world number nine, but after earning his first Grand Slam final appearance, he is set to secure a new career-high ranking.
He will rise five places to world number four, with just Jannik Sinner, Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz now the only players ahead of him.
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Felix Auger-Aliassime, who was fourth heading into the US Open, will drop one place after losing in the second round to eventual semifinalist Karen Khachanov.
Novak Djokovic, previously fifth, will drop outside the top ten for the first time in eight years following his shocking first-round exit.
Daniil Medvedev will rise to sixth on Monday despite losing in the fourth round, while Roland Garros runner-up Flavio Cobolli will drop to seventh.
After a third semifinal defeat at the US Open in five years, Frances Tiafoe will re-enter the top ten for the first time since 2023, rising to a career-high ranking of eighth with his loss to Shelton.
| Rank | Player |
| 1 | Jannik Sinner |
| 2 | Alexander Zverev |
| 3 | Carlos Alcaraz |
| 4 | Ben Shelton |
| 5 | Felix Auger-Aliassime |
| 6 | Daniil Medvedev |
| 7 | Flavio Cobolli |
| 8 | Frances Tiafoe |
| 9 | Alex de Minaur |
| 10 | Taylor Fritz |
Alex de Minaur, who lost in the second round of the US Open, will drop to ninth in the world, while Taylor Fritz is set to stay in 10th after his third-round exit.
Four young stars closing in on top 10 despite disappointing US Open
It was not the greatest showing for the young stars in tennis at the US Open, with not many of the big names tipped to snap the dominance of Sinner and Alcaraz making it past the fourth round.
Rafael Jodar, the 19-year-old who burst onto the scene during the clay swing, suffered a first-round exit at Flushing Meadows.
As did 22-year-old Arthur Fils, with the Frenchman falling in his opening match of the tournament to a resurgent Stefanos Tsitsipas.
French Open semifinalist Jakub Mensik, 20, managed to win two matches at the US Open but lost in the third round to Learner Tien, also 20, who then bowed out in round four.
Two young players who managed to reach the quarterfinals were Alexander Blockx, 21, and Alex Michelsen, 22.
Blockx was forced to retire in his quarterfinal match with Khachanov, while Michelsen was denied by Tiafoe in the last eight.
Though they did not enjoy deep runs in New York, Jodar, Fils, Mensik and Tien are all poised to enter the top ten very soon.
Fils is ranked 11th, Tien is 13th, Jodar is now 14th and Mensik is placed 15th in the ATP live rankings.
Blockx rose seven places to 27th in the world after his US Open run, while Michelsen was bumped up 12 spots to 34th.
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