Brad Pitt Leads 4-Plus Celebrity Turnout at US Open Men’s Final

Q: Did Ben Shelton finally shatter America's 23-year Grand Slam drought in front of a star-studded crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium?

No. Ben Shelton did not end America’s 23-year men’s Grand Slam drought at the US Open. In front of a celebrity-filled crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium that included Brad Pitt, Courteney Cox and Martha Stewart, Shelton lost to Alexander Zverev in four sets, 6-3, 7-6 (7-2), 5-7, 6-2. The defeat means the wait for the first American man to win a major since Andy Roddick’s 2003 US Open title continues. Shelton, 23, had reached his first Grand Slam final after beating Frances Tiafoe in the semifinals and had carried significant historical expectations into Sunday’s match. He was bidding to become the first American man in 23 years to win a Slam and the first Black American man to win the US Open since Arthur Ashe. He managed to take the third set and briefly raised hopes, but Zverev regained control in the fourth. The result gave Zverev his first US Open title and his second Grand Slam title of 2026, after winning the French Open. Multiple reports described the German as too strong on the day, using his experience and control from the baseline to blunt Shelton’s power. So while Shelton’s run was a breakthrough and confirmed him as one of the leading figures in American men’s tennis, he did not complete the title-winning finish the home crowd wanted.

3 articles · Updated · Page Six · Sep 13

Arthur Ashe Stadium drew Brad Pitt, Courteney Cox, Martha Stewart and other A-listers on Sunday for the US Open men’s singles championship in Flushing, Queens.
The celebrity turnout centered on the title match between Ben Shelton and Alexander Zverev, the tournament’s final men’s singles showdown.
The appearance of multiple high-profile guests underscored the US Open final’s status as one of New York’s marquee sports-and-celebrity events.