2 Responses to uo26zverev_shelton

1. Voo de Mar says:

   September 14, 2026 at 12:04 am

   Points won by each set: | 27-24, 44-37, 26-36, 28-16 |
   Unreturned serves:
   33 % Zverev – 39 of 116
   28 % Shelton – 35 of 122

   Zverev [2] was among favorites to win the US Open already nine years ago after his sensational triumph in Montreal when he easily outplayed four very good players in his last four matches. Through all those years when he was waiting for his maiden Slam title, I don’t think he has developed something new from a technical standpoint, he’s improved a lot in the physical department and having contested so many tough battles over the years, he has gained the experience which allows him to distribute his energy wisely and choose the right shots when it matters the most. Against Shelton [9], he was only two games away to repeat his methodical semifinal win over Khachanov with the same scoreline. He had the final under his full control from the opening game when he won a spectacular point to lead 30/0 and breake at 30. Shelton, who was broken in the opener twice committing double faults on break points, slightly improved from the beginning of the 2nd set, but he was unable to create a break point until he led 3:2 in the 3rd set. In the 12th game he finally broke Zverev having lost against him 66 successive games as a receiver! Shekton took a toile break to change his attire, it lasted suþix minutes. Zverev seemed a bit tired at the inception of the 4th set, but Shelton had a similarly difficult route to the final, and perhaps he run out of gas. Two breaks in the 4th set, and the German easily served the match out. After the match point (an unreturned serve at 3:33h of play) an unprecedented situation occurred – Zverev was ready to begin another game, his brother sitting a few meters away, told him it was over! Zverev later admitted he thought he led 5:1. “I think the scars of the 2020 final, they kind of disappeared after I won in Paris,” Zverev referred to his US Open ’20 loss against Thiem in a match he should have won. “I said it at Wimbledon. Even though I lost the final, I enjoyed the match. I enjoyed being in the Grand Slam final, I enjoyed playing on Centre Court, I enjoyed playing in front of an amazing crowd, in front of some celebrities and all that. I enjoyed doing that.” Throughout this year’s US Open he was exceptionally extending breaks between 1st and 2nd serves by bouncing the ball 15-20 times, during one of the press conferences he said he was unaware of that, but after the final against Shelton, he said he’d been doing that deliberately because Shelton plays better when the pace is fast.

   Zverev’s route to his 26th title:
   1 Lorenzo Sonego 6-4, 3-6, 6-7(7), 7-5, 6-4 ☆
   2 Quentin Halys 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-7(3), 6-3
   3 Alejandro Tabilo 6-2, 7-6(2), 6-2
   4 Luciano Darderi 6-2, 6-2, 7-6(3)
   Q Botic van de Zandschulp 6-2, 7-5, 6-1
   S Karen Khachanov 6-3, 7-6(7), 7-6(6)
   W Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2

   Serve & volley: Zverev 3/3, Shelton 10/14

   ☆ Zverev two points away from losing at *4:5 (30-all) in 4th set

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2. Voo de Mar says:

   September 14, 2026 at 2:27 am

   ☆ US Open champions who were within a game to lose before they got the title:

   ’76 – Jimmy Connors… 2 pts (Panatta, 4R)
   ’80 – John McEnroe… 4 pts (Connors, SF)
   ’89 – Boris Becker… 1 pt (Rostagno, 2R)
   ’92 – Stefan Edberg… 4 pts (Lendl, QF)
   ’96 – Pete Sampras… 1 pt (Corretja, QF)
   ’00 – Marat Safin… 2 pts (Grosjean, 3R)
   ’03 – Andy Roddick… 1 pt (Nalbandian, SF)
   ’09 – Juan Martín del Potro… 2 pts (Federer, F)
   ’11 – Novak Ðoković… 1 pt (Federer, SF)
   ’16 – Stan Wawrinka… 1 pt (Evans, 3R)
   ’20 – Dominic Thiem… 2 pts (Zverev, F)
   ’22 – Carlos Alcaraz… 1 pt (Sinner, QF)
   ’26 – Alexander Zverev… 2 pts (Sonego, 1R)

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