Alexander Zverev speaks out after getting criticized for his comment about Trinity Rodman following his US Open win against Ben Shelton.
Alexander Zverev won the 2026 US Open by beating Ben Shelton in the final, claiming his second Grand Slam of the year. The German player had already won the French Open earlier, which was his first Grand Slam, and now he added the US Open title to his achievements.
Many thought he’d be proud of his success, but he faced some backlash after making a comment about Shelton’s girlfriend, Trinity Rodman, during his victory speech. Now, Zverev has responded to the criticism.
After beating Shelton, Zverev said, “Trinity, I thought you had a game today, no? Well done to you as well. You’re the lucky charm. Not today, but usually.” He was trying to be funny, but some felt he was teasing Shelton and Rodman in a not-so-kind way, especially since he had just won.
Zverev later spoke with Julia Adams to clear things up. He explained, “I didn’t expect her to be there. When I saw her, I was surprised. I heard she played a match and then came to support Ben, which is really impressive. She’s known as his lucky charm. I’m sorry it didn’t help this time.”
It’s worth noting that Rodman hasn’t responded or said she found the comment disrespectful.
After his US Open win, Zverev is now playing for Germany in the Davis Cup. He helped Germany reach the Final Eight by beating Dino Prizmic in straight sets, leading to a 3-1 win over Croatia. Zverev won both matches over the weekend without dropping a set and has a season record of 55-13, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.
Germany is hoping to win the Davis Cup for the first time in 33 years, with their last trophy coming in 1998. They’ve won the cup three times before—in 1988, 1989, and 1993—and finished second in 1970 and 1985. With Zverev playing so well, the team aims to bring home the title again. On the same day, Great Britain also made it to the Davis Cup quarter-finals.