Ben Shelton delivered a thrilling performance on Friday, overcoming fellow American Frances Tiafoe in a dramatic U.S. Open semi‑final to earn a spot in the championship match against Germany's Alexander Zverev.
The match unfolded on a night charged with emotion, as the tournament opened with tributes marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. Shelton, who dropped the opening set, rallied to win 4‑6, 6‑3, 6‑3, 7‑5, moving the United States one step closer to ending a 23‑year drought without a male Grand Slam champion.
The last American man to claim a singles title at Flushing Meadows was Andy Roddorick in 2003, and Shelton now has the chance to become the next. In addition to his historic run, Shelton became the first Black American to reach the US Open final since Arthur Ashe did so in 1972, adding another layer of significance to his achievement.
Earlier in the day, Zverev secured his own place in the final by defeating fellow German Karen Khachanov 6‑3, 7‑6 (9‑7), 7‑6 (8‑6), keeping his hopes alive for a second Grand Slam crown. After his victory, Shelton addressed the crowd: "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." His words underscored both his personal ambition and the broader emotional context of the evening. The semi‑final itself was a roller‑coaster. Tiafoe surged ahead 5‑4 after Shelton double‑faulted, then held serve to capture the first set.
In the second set, Tiafoe continued to probe Shelton's backhand, but Shelton responded with a serve he believed to be the fastest in Grand Slam history at 158 mph. Subsequent review by Hawk‑Eye and the USTA corrected the figure to 144 mph, still an impressive speed. When fresh balls were introduced at 3‑3, Shelton unleashed a 125 mph serve that forced Tiafoe into a defensive posture, followed by serves clocking 144, 139 and 140 mph as he raised the intensity. Shelton broke in the fifth game of the third set, establishing a decisive lead.
His left‑handed power serve and rock‑solid defense carried him through a high‑octane fourth set, where he applied relentless pressure to close out the match. The 23‑year‑old finished the encounter with 47 winners and 20 aces, cementing his place in the title match.
Statistically, Shelton's serve ranks among the fastest ever recorded at the US Open. While Andy Roddick holds the tournament record at 152 mph set in 2002, and Sam Groth's Challenger record stands at 163.6 mph, Shelton's 144 mph serve places him in elite company.
Zverev's path to the final was equally compelling. After being pushed to five sets in each of his first two rounds, the 29‑year‑old German then won four consecutive matches without dropping a set, earning his third straight major final appearance. He previously finished runner‑up at Flushing Meadows in 2020, losing to Dominic Thiem.
Reflecting on his early tournament struggles, Zverev laughed, "After the second round at 3 am, me and my team were in the dressing 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." He added that the night‑time schedule—playing most matches under lights—had become routine, describing it as a "perpetual loop of darkness and midnight finishes." Zverev benefited from the absence of top competitors Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic, as well as a favorable draw, to reach his third consecutive Grand Slam final.
In his semi‑final against Khachanov, a solitary break was enough to clinch a tight first set. A double fault gave Khachanov a chance to stay alive, leading to a tense tie‑break that Zverev won after a 35‑shot rally.
The third set mirrored the second, with Khachanov holding set points at 6‑4 before Zverev's decisive ace and a match point on the first opportunity. Looking ahead, Zverev expressed enthusiasm for a packed Arthur Ashe Stadium, saying, "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." Martina Navratilova, providing commentary for Sky Sports Tennis, praised Zverev's consistency: "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 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 the last four matches." The US Open, the final Grand Slam of the 2026 season, continues to draw global attention. Fans can follow the draw, schedule, and live scores through official channels, with Sky Sports securing a three‑year extension to broadcast the tournament through 2030.
In addition to the men's final, the women's competition promises its own drama, with questions lingering about whether Aryna Sabalenka will achieve a "three‑peat" or if rising star Elena Rybakina will claim her first major title in New York. As the tournament reaches its climax, the narrative is rich with historic milestones, personal redemption arcs, and the ever‑present weight of national pride. Whether Shelton can fulfill his promise to "do this for the USA" and become the first American man to win a Grand Slam since Roddick, or whether Zverev will add a second major to his résumé, the final match is set to be a defining moment for both players and for tennis fans worldwide.