Alexander Zverev claims first US Open after four-set battle with Ben Shelton

No 1 seed wins 6-3, 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-2 American’s hopes dashed in tense final For a passing moment at the end of a rugged third set, hope sprung anew for Ben Shelton.

He had been outserved and outplayed for nearly three hours, but at 6-5 in the third set, one game from defeat, the American finally broke through. He burst into the return game finally pounding his forehand freely and he willed himself into an unexpected fourth set. After he had finished pumping his fist, cupping his ear to the crowd and admirably trying to initiate a drastic momentum shift, the next sequence was most revealing. Shelton opened the…