Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe are still chasing the dream of becoming the first American man to lift a Grand Slam trophy since Andy Roddick’s 2003 victory at Flushing Meadows. As the US Open moves into the semi‑final round, both players have produced memorable performances that have reignited U.S. hopes.
Shelton’s run this year has been nothing short of dramatic. In the early hours of Wednesday, he knocked out defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in what became the latest‑finishing match in tournament history. The German‑American youngster fought his way to a third major semi‑final, having already reached the final four at the 2023 US Open and the 2025 Australian Open. "That was a war," Shelton said afterward, calling it the most enjoyable match of his career.
The semi‑finals are slated for Friday, 11 September, with both matches taking place in Arthur Ashe Stadium. The first contest, scheduled for 3 p.m. local time (8 p.m. in the United Kingdom), will see Alexander Zverev take on Russia’s Karen Khachanov.
The second semi‑final, set for 7 p.m. local time (midnight in the UK), will feature the all‑American showdown between Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe.
Tiafoe’s path to the semi‑final was equally impressive. After falling two sets behind and losing a service break, he rallied to defeat compatriot Alex Michelsen, securing his third semi‑final appearance at the US Open. The New Yorker has already given fans plenty of highlights: a stunning victory over Rafael Nadal on his way to the 2022 semi‑final and a high‑profile win against Shelton two years earlier.
Yet Tiafoe insists he is a different player now. "Those two runs were great and I’ll cherish them forever, but I’m not the same person I was in 2022 or 2024," he explained. "I’m excited to see what this new me can do." He added, "I have higher expectations for myself.
The tournament is still alive, there are many more sets to be played and many physical challenges ahead. We’ll enjoy it, but we have to keep pushing." The stakes are high. The winner of the Shelton‑Tiafoe clash will become the first Black American man to reach a US Open final since Arthur Ashe in 1972, and the first Black American man to appear in any Grand Slam final since MaliVai Washington’s Wimbledon final in 1996. While the men’s draw has been shaken up by the early exits of Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev has quietly advanced.
The German, now world No. 2, has already defeated the 21st‑seeded Italian Luciano Darderi—his highest‑ranked opponent to date in this tournament—and dispatched world No.
70 Botic van de Zandschulp in straight sets. At 29, Zverev is a clear favorite to overcome the unseeded Russian Karen Khachanov in the opening semi‑final, a match that will be broadcast on Sky Sports at 8 p.m.
on Friday. Zverev holds a dominant head‑to‑head record over Shelton, having won all five of their previous meetings, and he has lost just one of his ten encounters with Tiafoe.
After capturing his first Grand Slam title at the French Open and reaching the Wimbledon final, Zverev feels increasingly comfortable in the latter stages of major events. He reflected, "The more often you get to this stage, the more normal it feels, but you never take it for granted.
Confidence is crucial, yet it can vanish in an instant. I learned that after Wimbledon when I struggled on hard courts, but I’ve found it again here. I’m happy with how things are going and I hope to play two solid matches." Khachanov, meanwhile, is hunting his first Grand Slam final.
He previously reached the US Open semi‑final in 2022 and the Australian Open semi‑final in 2023, but this is his first appearance in a major semi‑final as an unseeded player since 2018. Although he has consistently made it to at least the third round of all four majors for the first time, his recent form has been mixed, with early exits at the three hard‑court events leading up to New York. Historically, Zverev and Khachanov have met nine times, with the German holding a 6‑3 edge.
Their most notable clash came at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics final, where Zverev won in straight sets to claim gold. Their only Grand Slam meeting before this tournament was at the 2018 French Open, where Zverev recovered from a set down to win in five.
Former world No. 1 Lindsay Davenport praised Tiafoe’s recent resurgence, noting the significant lifestyle and fitness changes he made toward the end of last year.
She said, "It’s not easy for players to turn their lives around, but Frances has reshaped everything around tennis. Watching him battle back from two sets down shows a new level of determination." The US Open continues to be a major media event, with live coverage on Sky Sports from August 30 onward. Fans can also stream matches without a contract via NOW or the Sky Sports app, and the tournament’s schedule includes additional attractions such as the Laver Cup at The O2 in London later in September.
In summary, the semi‑finals set the stage for a potential all‑American final and a showdown between Zverev and Khachanov that could determine whether the German will add another Grand Slam crown to his résumé. The outcomes will not only shape the narrative of this year’s US Open but also influence the broader conversation about the next generation of tennis stars and the enduring quest for American men’s Grand Slam success.