NEW YORK (AP) — Ben Shelton was not even a year old the last time an American man won a Grand Slam tennis title.
Now 23, Shelton is in the same position Alexander Zverev once was, playing for his first major championship in the U.S. Open final. When Zverev lost that night — after he was so painfully close to winning — it took six more years before he finally broke through.
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Alexander Zverev, of Germany, serves the ball to Karen Khachanov, of Russia, during the men's singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Ben Shelton, of the United States, reacts after he won his match against Frances Tiafoe, of the United States, during the men's singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Alexander Zverev, of Germany, returns the ball to Karen Khachanov, of Russia, during the men's singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Ben Shelton, of the United States, hits balls to audience after he won his match against Frances Tiafoe, of the United States, during the men's singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
American tennis fans don't want to wait any longer.
Shelton can end his country's drought and win the first Grand Slam title by an American man since Andy Roddick in 2003 if he beats the top-seeded Zverev on Sunday.
Shelton is 0-5 against Zverev, winning just one set. But the No. 8 seed said he has never been more confident in his tennis, and he already took out the defending champion when he beat Carlos Alcaraz in a five-set quarterfinal that ended at 3:33 a.m., the latest finish in U.S. Open history.
Should he beat Zverev, he would become the first man to beat the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds en route to the U.S. Open title since 1975.
But Zverev, after a slow start to his first Grand Slam tournament as the No. 1 seed, has saved his best tennis for the late stages of the event. Forced to play five-setters in each of the first two rounds, he hasn't dropped a set since.
The German won the French Open in June and bids to become the first player to win his first two major titles in the same year since Jannik Sinner in 2024. He hoped the initial title would come at the U.S. Open — and still can't believe it didn't — but he blew a two-set lead against Dominic Thiem in 2020, becoming the first man to do that in the U.S. Open final since 1949.
Zverev also reached the Wimbledon final and is 24-2 in Grand Slam matches this year.
See AP’s full tennis coverage here
Alexander Zverev, of Germany, serves the ball to Karen Khachanov, of Russia, during the men's singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Ben Shelton, of the United States, reacts after he won his match against Frances Tiafoe, of the United States, during the men's singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Alexander Zverev, of Germany, returns the ball to Karen Khachanov, of Russia, during the men's singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Ben Shelton, of the United States, hits balls to audience after he won his match against Frances Tiafoe, of the United States, during the men's singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
DEN BOSCH, Netherlands (AP) — The Solheim Cup is back in the hands of the Europeans.
The blue wave came early in the Sunday singles at Bernardus Golf and never really went away, with Lottie Woad holing a putt from 2 feet on No. 17 to guarantee Team Europe will reach the 14 1/2 points needed to beat the United States.
Woad's 2-and-1 victory over Auston Kim left the official score at 14-10 but Carlota Ciganda was assured of at least a half-point against Jennifer Kupcho from the next-to-last match.
That was one of four matches still out on the course — and the winning point was clinched by Ciganda about 10 minutes later.
Ciganda also won the point that retained the Solheim Cup for Europe in 2023.
The Europeans have now won three of the last five editions, the only loss in that stretch coming in Virginia two years ago. The U.S. team didn't have possession of the crystal trophy for long.
The teams were tied at 8-8 after two days and set out Sunday in heavy rain for the singles, with Europe going out fast and putting blue all over the scoreboard.
Early wins for Charley Hull and Linn Grant laid the platform for victory, the only wobble coming when U.S. player Alison Lee came from 4 down after 11 holes to beat Esther Henseleit, 1 up, for the greatest comeback in Solheim Cup history.
See AP’s full golf coverage here
Carlota Ciganda of Europe reacts as she walks onto the 16th green during the final day of the Solheim Cup in Den Bosch, Netherlands, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Nelly Korda of the United States misses a putt on the 15th green during the final day of the Solheim Cup in Den Bosch, Netherlands, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Linn Grant of Europe embraces Angel Yin of the United States after winning their singles match during the final day of the Solheim Cup in Den Bosch, Netherlands, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Nelly Korda of the United States plays from the 8th tee during the final day of the Solheim Cup in Den Bosch, Netherlands, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Linn Grant of Europe celebrates as she leaves the 6th green during the final day of the Solheim Cup in Den Bosch, Netherlands, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Esther Henseleit of Europe plays from the 1st tee during the final day of the Solheim Cup in Den Bosch, Netherlands, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Alison Lee of the United States plays from the 1st tee during the final day of the Solheim Cup in Den Bosch, Netherlands, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Europe fans gather in the rain on the 1st tee on the final day of the Solheim Cup in Den Bosch, Netherlands, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Spectators gather in the rain on the 1st tee on the final day of the Solheim Cup in Den Bosch, Netherlands, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Charley Hull of Europe plays from the 1st tee during the final day of the Solheim Cup in Den Bosch, Netherlands, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Maja Stark, right, and Linn Grant of Europe celebrate after putting on the 15th green during the Solheim Cup in Den Bosch, Netherlands, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Andrea Lee, right, bumps fists with Yealimi Noh of the United States after holing a putt on the 9th green during the Solheim Cup in Den Bosch, Netherlands, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Charley Hull of Europe plays from a bunker near the 8th green during the Solheim Cup in Den Bosch, Netherlands, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Europe supporters stand along the course on day two of the Solheim Cup in Den Bosch, Netherlands, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Jennifer Kupcho of the United States celebrates after holing a putt on the 18th green during the Solheim Cup in Den Bosch, Netherlands, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
