US Open: Alexander Zverev loses prize money after message to Ben Shelton’s girlfriend
Alexander Zverev made it two Grand Slam triumphs in three attempts with a 6-3, 7-6 (7-2), 5-7, 6-2 victory over Ben Shelton at the US Open. It caps off a transformative year for Zverev, who, heading into 2026, had never won a Slam of any kind and had previously lost in three different finals.
Instead, he’s now a two-time major winner, with Zverev having reached the final of Wimbledon as well. For Shelton, he will have to wait until 2027 at the earliest to claim his first Grand Slam victory, but the young American still earned plenty of plaudits for his run to the final.
Meanwhile, in the women’s singles draw, it was a third Grand Slam title for Elena Rybakina, who defeated Aryna Sabalenka in Saturday’s final. The new WTA world No.1 also enjoyed a stellar 2026, having kick-started the year by winning the Australian Open.
Here, Express Sport round up all of the latest US Open news and updates following the weekend’s finals…
Alexander Zverev gives emotional reaction to US Open title win
The recently-crowned US Open champion said post-match: “I want to thank one person who is never watching my matches but is the most important person in my tennis life and in my life in general.
“When your four-year-old son gets diagnosed with diabetes and doctors tell you that life and sports will be very limited for that child, it takes a very strong mother to walk out of those offices and say ‘my son will be whatever wants to be – if he wants to be a tennis player, he will be a tennis player, if he wants to do something else, he will do something else – but this illness will not define us’.
“I’m happy that we worked through it and we’re doing things that we’re doing right now.
“My mother is the most important and strongest person I know because it takes an unbelievably strong woman to do what she did, so thanks to her as well.”
Alexander Zverev immediately loses prize money after US Open win
Alexander Zverev banked a prize worth £4million for winning the US Open… or did he?
The German will be forced to hand up a hefty chunk of the prize money to the New York taxman, with around nine per cent of his winnings deducted.
That’s on top of the federal tax of 37 per cent, meaning his overall tax cut is around £1.8m.
It means his take-home earnings from the US Open is roughly £2.1m.
Still, not bad for a couple of week’s worth of work!
Alexander Zverev sends message to Ben Shelton’s girlfriend
Alexander Zverev sent a message to Ben Shelton’s girlfriend, Trinity Rodman, immediately after winning the US Open.
Rodman is a professional football player in the United States, but she skipped her team’s Sunday afternoon match to watch Shelton at the US Open.
Speaking post-match, Zverev said: “Trinity, I thought you had a game today. You’re the lucky charm … not today, but usually.”
