Ben Shelton delivered a thrilling victory over fellow American Frances Tiafoe in the U.S. Open semi‑final on Friday, earning a place in the championship match against Germany's Alexander Zverev.
The match unfolded on a night that was tinged with remembrance, as the tournament opened with tributes marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. Shelton, who fell behind early, rallied from a set down to win 4‑6, 6‑3, 6‑3, 7‑5, moving one step closer to ending a 23‑year drought for U.S. men in Grand Slam singles.
No American male has lifted a Grand Slam singles trophy since Andy Roddick’s triumph at Flushing Meadows in 2003, and Shelton now has a realistic shot at becoming the next champion. His run also makes history: he is the first Black American to reach the US Open final since Arthur Ashe did so in 1972. Earlier in the day, Zverev secured his spot in the final with a straight‑sets win over fellow German Karen Khachanov, 6‑3, 7‑6 (9‑7), 7‑6 (8‑6), positioning himself for a potential second Grand Slam title.
After the match, an exuberant Shelton said, "First, 'Foe' is like a big brother to me. This is where we want to be, at the tail end of this tournament.
I know what my goal is, what my job is. I'm going for it here. Let's do this for the USA!
One more thing – it's a difficult day to be out here playing. My thoughts and prayers go to all the families who were impacted by 9/11." The US Open continues to dominate the tennis calendar, with live draws, schedules, and results streamed from Flushing Meadows throughout the final Grand Slam of 2026. Fans can follow the action from Arthur Ashe Stadium, Louis Armstrong Stadium, and the surrounding courts, as well as keep up with news, commentary, and updates on the tournament’s website and broadcast partners.
The semi‑final itself was a roller‑coaster. Tiafoe surged ahead 5‑4 after Shelton double‑faulted, then held serve to take the opening set. In the second set, Tiafoe kept targeting Shelton’s backhand, but the 23‑year‑old American answered with a series of thunderous serves.
After a change of balls at 3‑3, Shelton unleashed a 125 mph serve that forced Tiafoe into a defensive posture, followed by serves clocked at 144, 139 and 140 mph, raising the intensity and leveling the match. Shelton broke in the fifth game of the third set, establishing a solid lead that he would never relinquish. His left‑handed, booming serve combined with an almost impenetrable defense in the high‑octane fourth set, allowing the eighth seed to press his advantage and close out the match emotionally.
He finished the encounter with 47 winners and 20 aces, a performance that underscored his growing reputation as a power player. Statistically, Shelton’s serve speed was noteworthy. While his 148‑mph serve fell short of the all‑time US Open record of 152 mph set by Andy Roddick in 2002, it placed him among the tournament’s most powerful servers. The overall record for the fastest serve in professional tennis belongs to Sam Groth, who recorded 163.6 mph in a Challenger event.
On the other side of the draw, Zverev’s path to the final has been equally compelling. The French Open champion had been pushed to five sets in each of his first two rounds, yet he rebounded to win his next four matches without dropping a set, securing his third consecutive major final appearance. The German’s journey included a runner‑up finish at the 2020 US Open, where he fell to Dominic Thiem.
Reflecting on his early struggles, Zverev admitted, "After the second round at 3 a.m., my team and I were in the locker room actually laughing at how bad I was playing. That sense of humour helped me.
I have improved a little bit, otherwise I wouldn't be in the US Open final." Zverev’s matches have largely taken place under the lights, creating a nocturnal rhythm of play that has become his trademark this tournament. The absence of top competitors such as Jannik Sinner, combined with early exits of Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic, opened a pathway that Zverev capitalized on, aided by a favorable draw. In his semi‑final against Khachanov, Zverev needed only a solitary break to clinch a tight first set. He extended his lead with a break early in the second, appearing to be on track for a routine win.
However, a double fault gave Khachanov a lifeline, and the German found himself embroiled in a tense tie‑break, trailing 5‑3 before rallying with a 35‑shot exchange to take the set. The third set mirrored the drama, with Khachanov holding set points at 6‑4, only for Zverev to rescue the match with two errant forehands and a decisive ace, securing match point on his first opportunity. Looking ahead to Sunday, Zverev expressed excitement rather than anxiety about playing before a partisan crowd. "I think it's going to be a fantastic feeling playing a final in a sold‑out Arthur Ashe and not in an empty one.
For me, a loud and energetic crowd is always great, as long as they're fair," he told reporters. Former champion Martina Navratilova, now a commentator for Sky Sports Tennis, praised Zverev’s season: "What a year Zverev has had at the majors. It's been outstanding stuff. Okay, Sinner lost early at the French Open and Alcaraz didn't play, but there are no asterisks – he still had to get through even as a favourite.
And that has given him the confidence to play better tennis after that. I think he played better at Wimbledon than he did at Roland Garros, and now he started off badly here by his own admission, but he hasn't lost a set in the last four matches." The US Open will continue to be broadcast live on Sky Sports from August 30, with streaming options available on NOW and the Sky Sports app, allowing fans worldwide to follow the drama as Shelton and Zverev prepare to battle for the coveted trophy.
The tournament also serves as a platform for other storylines, such as whether Aryna Sabalenka can achieve a three‑peat or if newcomer Elena Rybakina will capture her first Grand Slam title in New York. As the final approaches, the narrative is clear: an American hopeful stands on the brink of ending a two‑decade‑plus drought, while a seasoned German seeks to add another major to his résumé.
Both players carry the weight of personal ambition, national pride, and the memory of a somber day that reminded the world of resilience. The stage is set, the crowds are ready, and the world will be watching to see who lifts the US Open champion’s cup this year.