Alexander Zverev beats Ben Shelton to win U.S. Open, extending drought for American men

Alexander Zverev's best year in tennis goes on, and so does that lengthy Grand Slam drought for American men.

Zverev won his second major championship and disappointed a crowd that was desperate to see the first Grand Slam title by an American man since 2003, beating Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-2 on Sunday in the  U.S. Open final. 

Zverev finally broke through in the majors by winning this year's  French Open and followed up by adding the title in New York that he  so painfully let slip away in 2020. 

The No. 1 seed in a Grand Slam for the first time, he capitalized on Shelton's shaky start in his first major final, played a nearly flawless tiebreaker on serve and then turned back Shelton's comeback attempt in front of a crowd that desperately cheered him on.

Shelton was trying to win the first title by an American man since Andy Roddick won in Flushing Meadows in 2003, as well as become the first Black player to win the men's crown since Arthur Ashe in 1968.

But Zverev was too good in majors this year and apparently didn't even know how good he was. He finished the match on his serve but didn't seem to realize it, dropping back behind the baseline as if set to return. Only a few moments later did he figure out he had won, raising his arms in celebration.

HE DIDN'T REALIZE HE'D WON