The drought abides: US men’s tennis still without a major since 2003 despite Ben Shelton’s heroics
On a Sunday afternoon set up for Ben Shelton to play national hero, the US Open final debutant suffered a four-set defeat to Alexander Zverev, a result that deflated the partisans at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The match compounded Shelton’s miserable head-to-head record against the German, who claimed a second career Grand Slam title without having to face final bosses Jannik Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz. The defeat also extended a long drought – the last win by an American man at a Grand Slam was Andy Roddick at the 2003 US Open, when Shelton was still a month off his first birthday.
