John McEnroe’s bitter comment spoils Alexander Zverev’s US Open victory for fans
Alexander Zverev finally got his moment at the US Open, six years after letting a two-set lead slip away in the 2020 final. But for some of his fans, the German’s long-awaited celebration was overshadowed by John McEnroe’s final words on air.
Zverev defeated American Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2 on Sunday to win his first US Open title and add the New York crown to the French Open title he won earlier this year. It was the culmination of years of near misses for the 29-year-old, who lost the 2020 US Open final to Dominic Thiem after giving up a two-set lead.
Yet instead of ending the night with Zverev’s breakthrough, McEnroe turned his attention to the two players missing from the final, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
“Be healthy, Carlos and Jannik,” McEnroe said in a remark that quickly drew the ire of Zverev’s supporters online.
The comment went viral and fans accused McEnroe of making Zverev’s biggest night about players who weren’t there.
“McEnroe is so pathetic. He makes every moment about himself, shows bias when his guy doesn’t win and is proven to have bad predictions. Why ESPN includes him in every big match I don’t know,” wrote one fan.
“I was only half paying attention at the time but McEnroe’s stupid comment stood out. Bitter little man,” wrote another.
Some also pointed out that Carlos Alcaraz was fully fit in the tournament and lost to Ben Shelton in a grueling semi-final match.
WHY DID MCENROE REACT THAT WAY?
McEnroe’s comments came after a crushing final in which both Zverev and Shelton battled nerves for long stretches. However, Zverev was the more composed player when it mattered, taking control early and recovering after Shelton fought back to win the third set.
The German was so locked into the match that he didn’t realize at first that he had won. When Shelton sent a long match point return, Zverev headed for the baseline, seemingly expecting to receive another serve before the umpire finally registered.
He then smiled, ran toward the net and hugged Shelton as the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd gave him a standing ovation.
The win also earned Zverev a record $5.5 million winner’s prize and capped a remarkable turnaround since his heartbreak in 2020.
“I think God saw how hard we worked, how we suffered, what pain we went through, and I think 2026 is the result of all the years that happened before,” Zverev said during the handover ceremony.
McEnroe acknowledged Zverev’s performance, describing him as the best player of the day and praising the German for the strategic, emotional and physical demands he handled in the final.
“He was definitely 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 combined, that’s why he’s so hard to beat in these best-of-fives,” McEnroe said.
The seven-time Grand Slam champion also suggested that Zverev was unlucky not to have won more majors before.
“He knows he has to say the right thing,” McEnroe said after Zverev’s on-court interview. “You know, he was probably unlucky. He should have had a few majors before this.”
“So, uh, karma works in a crazy way and somehow he’s going to end the year as the number one player in the world.
ZVEREV RISE TO THE OPPORTUNITY
Even a devout New York crowd desperate for Shelton to end a 23-year wait for a US men’s Grand Slam champion had no choice but to acknowledge Zverev’s performance.
“I know today 99.9% of people wanted Ben to win, so I’m very sorry,” Zverev said. “Even though I know the crowd was against me, the crowd has always been incredibly fair and we as players appreciate that.
For Zverev, the night was about finally putting one of the most painful chapters of his career behind him. But for many onlookers, McEnroe’s closing words ensured the conversation quickly shifted towards the two stars who weren’t on the court.
– The end
Issued by:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
14 Sep 2026 09:35 IST