The 2026 U.S. Open men’s final is locked in, folks, and it is a massive one. We’ve got top-seeded Alexander Zverev taking on American Ben Shelton this Sunday. This isn’t just any match for Shelton, though. He’s got a shot to become the first American guy to snag a Grand Slam title since Andy Roddick pulled it off right here at the U.S. Open way back in 2003. That’s a 23-year drought, and the pressure is absolutely immense on the young American to finally break it.
All Eyes on Arthur Ashe: The Matchup and the Odds
It all goes down at 2 p.m. ET from Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, N.Y. Zverev is coming into this final having already bagged a Grand Slam this year, winning the French Open. He’s looking for his second major title of 2026, and the oddsmakers certainly like his chances. Zverev is the -152 favorite, meaning you’d have to risk $152 to win $100. Our guy Ben Shelton is sitting there at +126. The over/under for total games in the match is set at 42.5. You gotta wonder if Shelton can channel that home crowd energy to overcome the favored Zverev and the weight of history.
This Expert Knows His Tennis and Has a Wild Pick
If you’re looking for someone who consistently nails these predictions, then tennis handicapper Jose Onorato is your guy. This dude grew up playing competitive tennis in Caracas, Venezuela, then trained at famed coach Nick Bollettieri at IMG Academy in Florida, even facing players like Robert Farah, who’s now one of the top-ranked doubles players on the planet. His record since 2022? A flat-out incredible 168-106-8, netting over 107 units in profit. He’s been on fire, correctly calling Jannik Sinner for the 2025 Australian Open (+160), Carlos Alcaraz for the 2025 French Open (+130), and Sinner again for 2025 Wimbledon (+180). He even hit on Coco Gauff for the 2025 French Open (+700), Iga Swiatek at 2025 Wimbledon (+1200), and, yes, Alexander Zverev himself at this year’s French Open (+700). The guy knows his stuff.
So, when Onorato weighs in, you listen. His best bet for the U.S. Open men’s final is Alexander Zverev -1.5 games at -115. He acknowledges Shelton’s incredible run to the final, and he knows the crowd will be deafening for the American. But Onorato points to Zverev’s experience at this level as a huge advantage. He also brought up some brutal stats from their last meeting at the 2025 ATP Finals: Shelton only managed to win 10 of 54 return points against Zverev, and Zverev absolutely feasted on Shelton’s second serve, winning 16 of 21 points. Those numbers do not lie.
This Sunday, at 2 p.m. ET, it is all on the line. Will Ben Shelton defy the odds, the expert, and those tough head-to-head numbers to break a 23-year American Grand Slam drought? Or will Alexander Zverev claim his second major of the year, proving why he’s the favorite and the top seed? Get ready, because this is going to be one for the history books, no matter who hoists that trophy.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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