Ben Shelton acknowledged his disappointment following a straight-sets loss to Alexander Zverev in the U.S. Open men's singles final, but he expressed a strong commitment to leveraging the experience for future success. The American, who reached his maiden Grand Slam final at Flushing Meadows, stated his intention to return to Australia stronger.
"I’m motivated. Disappointed with how [Sunday] went. Happy with how I fought throughout the two weeks, excited with the progress I’ve made. But yeah, this one stings, 100 percent," Shelton said. "Try to keep getting better and show up in Australia even stronger than I showed up here."
Shelton's path to the final marked a significant improvement after a challenging year in the Grand Slams, with earlier exits at the Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon. His performance in New York showcased a more developed game, though his 6-3, 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-2 defeat to Zverev highlighted the distance he still needs to cover to compete consistently with the sport's top players.
The American men's singles drought in Grand Slams now stands at 92 consecutive tournaments and 24 years. Shelton's U.S. Open run has nonetheless generated optimism that he may be the player to eventually break this streak.