Alexander Zverev finally experienced his long-awaited US Open triumph, six years after surrendering a two-set advantage in the 2020 final. However, for some of his supporters, the German's biggest celebration was overshadowed by a closing comment from John McEnroe during the broadcast.
Zverev defeated American Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2 on Sunday to claim his first US Open title, adding the New York trophy to the French Open crown he secured earlier this year. The victory capped years of near misses for the 29-year-old, who had lost the 2020 US Open final to Dominic Thiem after giving up a two-set lead.
Rather than ending the broadcast by focusing on Zverev's breakthrough, McEnroe turned his attention to two prominent players who were absent from the final, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
"Get healthy, Carlos and Jannik," McEnroe said, a remark that quickly angered Zverev's fans online.
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The comment spread rapidly, with supporters accusing McEnroe of shifting attention away from Zverev's achievement and towards players who were not involved in the final.
"McEnroe is so pathetic. Makes every moment about himself, shows bias when his guy isn't winning and is proven wrong predictions wise. Why ESPN includes him in every big match I don't know," one fan wrote.
"I was only half paying attention at that point but McEnroe's b****y comment stood out. Bitter little man," another posted.
Some fans also highlighted that Carlos Alcaraz had been fully fit during the tournament and was eliminated by Ben Shelton in a hard-fought semi-final.
WHY DID MCENROE REACT LIKE THAT?
McEnroe's remarks came after a final in which both Zverev and Shelton appeared nervous for extended periods. Zverev, however, handled the pressure better when it mattered most, taking an early lead and then responding strongly after Shelton managed to claim the third set.
The German was so focused on the match that he initially failed to realise he had won. After Shelton sent the match-point return long, Zverev walked towards the baseline as though he was preparing for another serve, before the umpire's announcement made him realise the contest was over.
He then smiled, sprinted towards the net and embraced Shelton as the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd rose to applaud him.
The victory also secured Zverev a record $5.5 million winner's prize and completed a remarkable comeback from the heartbreak of his 2020 final defeat.
"I think God has seen how hard we worked, how much we suffered, how much pain we went through and I think 2026 is the outcome of all the years that happened before," Zverev said during the trophy ceremony.
McEnroe did recognise Zverev's display, calling him the superior player on the day and praising how the German managed the strategic, emotional and physical challenges of the final.
"He was certainly the better player today. He played a really strong strategic match, as well as an emotionally intense match, as well as a physical match. All those things together, and that's why he's so tough to beat in these best-of-fives," McEnroe said.
The seven-time Grand Slam champion also suggested that Zverev had been unfortunate not to win more major titles earlier in his career.
"He knows to say the right thing," McEnroe said following Zverev's on-court interview. "You know, he was arguably unlucky. He should have had a couple of majors before this.
"So, uh, karma works in crazy ways, and somehow, he's gonna be finished the year the number one ranked player in the world."
ZVEREV RISES TO THE OCCASION
Even the partisan New York crowd, which had been hoping Shelton could end the 23-year wait for an American men's Grand Slam champion, had to appreciate Zverev's performance.
"I know that today 99.9% of the people wanted Ben to win so I'm very sorry," Zverev said. "Even though I know that the crowd was against me, the crowd was always incredibly fair and we as players we appreciate it."
For Zverev, the night represented an opportunity to finally move beyond one of the most painful moments of his career. However, for many viewers, McEnroe's closing comments ensured that the focus soon shifted towards the two major stars who were not part of the final.
