US Open 2026: Zverev champion with the Gravity — the double-Slam racquet is now in the catalog

Alexander Zverev has won the 2026 US Open, defeating Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2 on Sunday at Arthur Ashe Stadium. It is his second Grand Slam title — and second of the year after Roland Garros in June, the definitive confirmation of a resurgence that started in Paris. For Shelton, who was aiming to become the first American man to win a major since Andy Roddick in 2003, the final was another step in a historic fortnight: his Tuesday win over Alcaraz in the latest-finishing match in tournament history is already etched in stone.

The match: the top seed's cold efficiency in his sixth final

Zverev walked into the final with every number on his side: a 5-0 head-to-head against Shelton (who had taken just one set off him ever), 44-1 against left-handers since the 2023 French Open, and the experience of six Grand Slam finals — his third this year alone — against an opponent playing the first of his career. And he played like someone who knows history weighs: a huge serve, the backhand crosscourt to the corner, and the patience to give away nothing in the big moments.

Shelton, carried by a devoted Ashe crowd, hung on through the second-set surge and stole the third when the German wobbled on serve for the first time. But the fourth was a monologue: Zverev broke early, put everything back in play, and closed out the title with the authority of a man who had been here before. (Sources: USOpen.org, The Guardian.)

The champion's racquet: the Gravity Tour, now in a Zverev edition

The gear story of the final: Zverev plays with the Head Gravity Tour, and after his first Roland Garros title HEAD launched the Gravity Tour Zverev 2026, a limited edition finished gold on one face and deep purple on the other — a nod to his three gold necklaces and his relationship with New York. It is now in our catalog: Head Gravity Tour Zverev 2026from 228,95 €.

The specifications, verified against the official spec sheet: 98 sq in, 323 g strung (305 g unstrung), an open 16x19 pattern — the first open-pattern Gravity in history —, RA 61 flex, 22 mm beam and Auxetic 2.0. On court that translates into exactly Zverev's game: a control frame that lets you load spin without giving up precision, comfortable for arms that hit flat and long. On tour he strings it with Hawk Touch mains and natural gut crosses at 52 pounds (source: HEAD, Tennis Express).

Shelton and his EZONE 98: the future is already here

On the other side of the net, the 8th-generation Yonex EZONE 98 — Yonex EZONE 98 (8th gen)from 247,99 € — remains one of the racquets of the year. With it Shelton hit the 146 mph (235 km/h) serve that took out Alcaraz and put together a fortnight for the ages: the first Grand Slam final by an American man since Roddick lifted the trophy in 2003, after beating Tiafoe in the semis 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5. 98 sq in, 320 g strung, 16x19 and a sweet spot enlarged by Yonex's ISOMETRIC design: easy power and a comfortable feel for the most electric serve on tour.

Gravity Tour vs EZONE 98: two ways to read 98 square inches

Both are 98-square-inch, 16x19 frames for advanced players — and they still play opposite brands of tennis. The final's duel, in specs:

• Weight and balance: the Gravity Tour Zverev at 323 g strung (4 pts head-light, ~318 mm); the EZONE 98 at 320 g (~320 mm). Nearly identical on the scale, but the Head carries the higher swingweight (326) while the Yonex prioritizes maneuverability.
• Stiffness: RA 61 for the Gravity vs RA 63 for the EZONE. The Head is more elastic and comfortable; the Yonex returns a bit more free energy at contact.
• Philosophy: the Gravity Tour is control with spin access — for whoever builds the point with depth and finishes flat; the EZONE is instant power and a generous sweet spot — for whoever lives on the first strike. Zverev vs Shelton, distilled into two frames.

Zverev's year, in numbers

• 2 Grand Slams — Roland Garros and the US Open, both in 2026. Before Paris he had lost his first three major finals (2020 US Open, 2024 Roland Garros and 2025 Australian Open).
• 6 Grand Slam finals played, three of them in 2026 alone.
• 44-1 against left-handers since the 2023 French Open — a streak he defended in this final against Shelton.
• First German man to win a Grand Slam since Boris Becker (1996 Australian Open).

The season now turns to the Asian swing — Tokyo and Beijing, both ATP 500s, in the last week of September — and the circuit's finale. With Sinner returning and Alcaraz healing his wrist, the fight for No. 1 promises to run all the way to Turin.