The US Open junior boys’ singles final had almost everything a tennis fan could ask for. A comeback, a tight finish, three championship points saved and a home favorite finally celebrating after a marathon tie-break. And that has Ben Rothenberg wondering if the grown-up final can live up to it.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
“If the grown-up finals are half as dramatic as this one, we are in luck,” posted Ben Rothenberg on X. “Huge U.S. Open for Marcel Latak, who beats #1 Guto and becomes the second straight American boy to win a junior slam after Jordan Lee at Wimbledon.”
The drama Rothenberg is talking about came from 17-year-old Marcel Latak, who pulled off a huge upset against top seed Guto Miguel. The American lost the first set but fought back to win 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(13), saving three championship points along the way.
Latak had even led the final-set tie-break 7-2 and then 9-6 before Miguel fought back. Still, the American found a way to finish it, hitting a backhand winner before dropping to the court in celebration. He became the first American in more than a decade to win, after Taylor Fritz did so in 2015.
That makes the comparison with Sunday’s men’s singles final pretty interesting. Alexander Zverev and Ben Shelton are also bringing plenty of their own storylines into Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Zverev is chasing his second Grand Slam title of the year, while Shelton is playing in his first major final and trying to end America’s 23-year wait for a men’s singles champion.
Why Alexander Zverev vs. Ben Shelton Could Deliver Another Thriller
Shelton’s five-set quarter-final against defending champion Carlos Alcaraz went all the way to 3:33 a.m., with the American picking up his first win over a Top-3 opponent. Now he has another challenge in front of him.
Now, the German has won all five of their previous meetings and has dropped only one set against Shelton. He also arrives with a solid run after finally winning his first major at Roland Garros earlier this year and reaching the Wimbledon final.
Zverev has also been consistent at the Grand Slams in 2026 with 24-2 at the majors. His serving has played a role in that but he has also looked comfortable in long rallies.
His straight-set win over Karen Khachanov in the semi-finals included two dramatic tie-breaks, both of which Zverev managed to close out.
Shelton will need to put Zverev under pressure first with his famous left-handed serve and explosive movement. But if he allows the German to settle into long exchanges, though, the match could start moving in Zverev’s direction.
For Shelton, there is also a bigger prize. He can become only the third African American man in the Open Era to reach a Grand Slam singles final, after Arthur Ashe and MaliVai Washington. A win would make him the first American man since Andy Roddick in 2003 to win a major.
Zverev, meanwhile, has already experienced the pain of losing major finals, including the 2020 US Open final after surrendering a two-set lead.
After what Latak and Miguel produced in the junior final, Rothenberg may be asking for a lot. But with Zverev and Shelton bringing their own record and pressure, Sunday’s final has plenty of reasons to be dramatic.