“Not a Final That Gets Me Excited”: Ben Shelton vs Alexander Zverev Criticized by Former Pro

Alexander Zverev vs. Ben Shelton is set to be an electrifying US Open final, but is it exciting enough? For former French player Alize Cornet, the answer is no.

Cornet recently opened up about the US Open RMC's Les Grandes Gueules du Sport, and she did not mince her words. "It's completely personal and subjective, but for me, this isn't a final that gets me excited," Cornet said on the Les Grandes Gueules du Sport Podcast. "First of all, everyone knows the affection I have for Alexander Zverev, so I think that skews my judgment a little."

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Her "affection" towards Zverev was a dig at the German player and not a real compliment. She later elaborated on her point by calling the final matchup "a brute serving 254 km/h against a grinder"

The former French player lost interest the moment Carlos Alcaraz was out of the competition. She did, however, compliment Ben Shelton, acknowledging that he has a "flair" for his gameplay.

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However, she claims to watch tennis for the personalities it can bring to the court. This time, the final just doesn't move her much in terms of the players. Zverev was particularly in her crosshairs, as she said that he brings a visceral reaction out of her.

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The feud between the two can be traced back to June 2026. Alexander Zverev said that very few athletes "have anything in our head anyways," when asked about dealing with the mental pressure of the matches. He said that sometimes it's just easier to "be stupid". The statement immediately drew criticism from Cornet earlier in the year.

Now, she seems to still hold something against the German player. The only saving grace for Cornet is that an American has finally made it to the final after years of drought. This is certainly a noteworthy achievement for Ben Shelton.

Ben Shelton to Write American History at US Open 2026

Ben Shelton's run at the US Open has been historic. In his fourth round, he proved his mettle by defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas and later solidified his run by removing Carlos Alcaraz from the tournament.

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In the semi-finals, he defeated his fellow American and friend, Frances Tiafoe. This made Ben Shelton the first man of African-American ethnicity to make it to the US Open's final since 1972.

The last one to do it was none other than Arthur Ashe. It is perhaps a thing of beauty that Shelton will be playing his final in the stadium named after the tennis legend, after all.

Taking the win against top seed Alexander Zverev is no joke. If Shelton manages to claim victory, he will be the first American man to win a Grand Slam since Andy Roddick won it in 2003.

Therefore, there's a lot riding on the young American's shoulders. Shelton has so far proven himself with relentless rallies against Alcaraz and powerful serves against Tiafoe in the semi-finals.

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During his match against Tiafoe, Shelton's first-serve win rate was 77% while his second-serve win rate stood at 60%, while Foe's rates were 78% and 40%, respectively. Shelton also hit a staggering 20 aces during his semi-final match, while his opponent only managed 3.

In many ways, he's in the perfect form to face a giant like Zverev. During his own semi-final against Khachanov, Zverev hit 15 aces to close out the tournament. During the last set, Alexander Zverev was down 2-5 in a tie-breaker. However, he hit back-to-back winners to bring the score to match point.

After a forehand shot from Khachanov went wide, Zverev claimed victory. Now, he will face America's highest hope, Ben Shelton, in the US Open final. Only the best will emerge victorious.

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