Alexander Zverev vs Ben Shelton: Which player has the best odds to win US Open 2026?
Alexander Zverev has beaten Ben Shelton in each of their previous five meetings
The US Open 2026 final will see top seed Alexander Zverev of Germany take on American No. 8 seed Ben Shelton. However, unlike the women’s draw, the men’s side at Flushing Meadows produced some shocking results and upsets on the way to this final.
Novak Djokovic of Serbia suffered the earliest Grand Slam exit of his career, going down in five gruelling sets to unseeded Argentine Mariano Navone in the first round, a result that potentially ends all hopes of a 25th major.
Italy’s Jannik Sinner withdrew with an injury, and Jack Draper’s continued absence further thinned the field before the tournament even started. Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, the defending champion, then suffered arguably the tournament’s biggest shock when Shelton outlasted him in an epic five-set quarter-final.
Frances Tiafoe, meanwhile, clawed back from two sets down against Alex Michelsen before eventually falling to Shelton in an all-American semi-final for the third time in his career. Taylor Fritz, Flavio Cobolli and Daniil Medvedev failed to reach the final eight.
US Open 2026: Odds for men’s singles
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- Alexander Zverev: -132 → Bet ₹830 → Win total ₹1,459 (profit ₹629)
- Ben Shelton: +109 → Bet ₹830 → Win total ₹1,735 (profit ₹905)
Zverev goes in as the shorter price, and his record against Shelton explains why. The German leads their head-to-head 5-0, with four of those five wins coming in straight sets, including their most recent meeting at last year’s ATP Finals in Turin.
He has also benefited from a relatively kind draw, without facing a single top-20 opponent before Sunday’s final, and arrives fresher for this championship match.
Shelton’s path has been challenging, which also makes his campaign more impressive, given the quality of rivals he has overcome. The American entered the US Open after winning the Canadian Open, and his run in New York is highlighted by the stunning defeat of Alcaraz and a gritty four-set win over Tiafoe in which he fired 20 aces to just three double faults.
Related: Ben Shelton does it! First Black American man in US Open final since ’72
The 23-year-old is already guaranteed to rise to a career-high No. 4 in the world once the tournament ends, and he will have the full backing of a raucous crowd at the Arthur Ashe Stadium, desperate to end America’s 23-year wait for a men’s major champion.
Despite their one-sided history, Shelton’s past performances are incomparable to his current form. He did not face the German this year and has been playing the best tennis of his life over the past fortnight.
Note: Any betting decision should be made at the individual’s own discretion, and no outcome is guaranteed.
Has Alexander Zverev won the US Open before?
No, Alexander Zverev is yet to win a US Open singles title.
What has been Ben Shelton’s best Grand Slam run so far?
Reaching the US Open 2026 final has been Ben Shelton’s best Grand Slam run so far.
Who has the best chance of winning the US Open 2026 men’s final as per the betting odds?
Ben Shelton has the best chance of winning the US Open 2026 men’s final as per the betting odds — +109 → Bet ₹830 → Win total ₹1,735 (profit ₹905).
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