Ben Shelton overcame his fellow American Frances Tiafoe in a thrilling US Open semi‑final on Friday, earning the right to meet Alexander Zverev in the championship match. The evening was tinged with solemnity as the tournament opened with tributes marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. Shelton rallied from a set down, turning a 4‑6, 6‑3, 6‑3, 7‑5 victory into a chance to end a 23‑year drought for U.S.
men’s singles Grand Slam champions. The last American to win a major at Flushing Meadows was Andy Roddick in 2003, and Shelton now stands on the brink of becoming the next.
His achievement is historic in another way: he is the first Black American to reach the US Open final since Arthur Ashe did so in 1972. Meanwhile, Zverev secured his spot in the final by defeating Karen Khachanov 6‑3, 7‑6 (9‑7), 7‑6 (8‑6), moving one step closer to a second Grand Slam crown. After the match, 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 semi‑final began with Tiafoe surging ahead 5‑4 after Shelton double‑faulted, then sealing the opening set with a confident hold. In the second set, Tiafoe continued to hammer Shelton’s backhand.
At 2‑1, Shelton believed he had unleashed the fastest serve in Grand Slam history at 158 mph, but a subsequent Hawk‑Eye review confirmed the speed was actually 144 mph. With fresh balls at 3‑3, Shelton answered with a 125 mph serve that forced Tiafoe into a defensive posture, followed by serves clocking in at 144, 139 and 140 mph as he raised the intensity to level the match. Shelton broke in the fifth game of the third set, establishing a commanding lead.
His powerful left‑handed serve and rock‑solid defence carried him through a high‑octane fourth set, where he applied relentless pressure to close out the match. The 23‑year‑old finished with 47 winners, including 20 aces, sealing his place in the title showdown. Historical context underscores the significance of Shelton’s run.
The record for the fastest serve at the US Open belongs to Andy Roddick, who hit 152 mph in 2002, while the all‑time highest speed recorded in any professional event is Sam Groth’s 163.6 mph in a Challenger tournament. Shelton’s serving numbers, though short of those marks, demonstrate a level of power rarely seen from a player of his age. On the other side of the draw, Zverev’s path to the final has been equally dramatic.
After being pushed to five sets in each of his first two rounds, the German has won his last four matches in straight sets, earning a third consecutive major final appearance. He previously fell short in the 2020 US Open, losing to Dominic Thiem. Reflecting on his own performance, Zverev admitted, "After the second round at 3 am, 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." The German has spent the tournament playing night sessions, often finishing deep into the early morning, which has created a perpetual cycle of darkness and midnight finishes.
Zverev’s run has benefited from the absence of Jannik Sinner and early exits of Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic, as well as a favorable draw. He described his mindset before the final: "I really started off the tournament, and I was like, ‘Well, this is pointless because I’m not going to do anything here,’ and here I am sitting and preparing for a Sunday final." In his semi‑final against Khachanov, Zverev needed only a single break to clinch a tight first set. A second early break set the tone for a routine afternoon, but a double fault gave Khachanov a lifeline, leading to a tense tie‑break where Zverev trailed 5‑3 before winning a grueling 35‑shot rally. The third set mirrored the second, with Khachanov holding set points at 6‑4, only for Zverv to rescue the match with two errant forehands and a decisive ace, converting match point on his first opportunity.
Looking ahead, Zverev expressed enthusiasm about playing the final before a packed Arthur Ashe crowd rather than an empty stadium, stating, "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, commenting for Sky Sports Tennis, praised Zverev’s year: "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 stage is set for a compelling US Open final on Sunday, pitting the young, powerful American Shelton against the seasoned German veteran Zverev. Both players have navigated emotional and physical challenges to reach this point, and the tennis world will be watching closely to see who can capture the coveted Flushing Meadows trophy.
The match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports from August 30, with streaming options available on NOW and the Sky Sports app, and fans can also attend the Laver Cup at The O2 in London later in September.