Ben Shelton delivered a thrilling performance on Friday, overcoming fellow American Frances Tiafoe in a high‑octane US Open semi‑final to earn a place in the championship match against Germany’s Alexander Zverev. The match unfolded on a night tinged with solemn 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 an American man to capture a Grand Slam singles title. The last U.S.
male champion at Flushing Meadows was Andy Roddick in 2003, and Shelton now has the opportunity to become the next. In doing so, he also joins a historic lineage as the first Black American to reach a US Open final since Arthur Ashe’s appearance in 1972. Earlier in the day, Zverev secured his own final berth with a straight‑sets victory over Karen Khachanov, 6‑3, 7‑6 (9‑7), 7‑6 (8‑6), positioning himself for a potential second Grand Slam crown.
After the match, an emotional 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.” The semi‑final began with Tiafoe seizing an early advantage, breaking Shelton’s serve to go up 5‑4 after a double fault from the American. Tiafoe then held serve to close out the opening set.
In the second set, Shelton targeted Tiafoe’s backhand and, at 2‑1, believed he had unleashed the fastest serve in Grand Slam history—a 158 mph bullet. Subsequent Hawk‑Eye analysis, however, corrected the figure to 144 mph. With fresh balls at 3‑3, Shelton responded with a 125 mph serve that forced Tiafoe into a defensive posture, followed by serves clocking 144, 139 and 140 mph as he escalated the intensity. He broke in the fifth game of the third set, establishing a commanding lead that he never relinquished.
Shelton’s left‑handed power serve and rock‑solid defense proved decisive in a blistering fourth set, allowing the eighth seed to apply relentless pressure and close out the match. The 23‑year‑old amassed 47 winners, including 20 aces, to secure his spot in the title showdown. His serving numbers placed him alongside some of the tournament’s most powerful servers: Ben Shelton’s 149 mph, 148 mph, 147 mph deliveries sit just behind Andy Roddick’s all‑time US Open record of 152 mph set in 2002, while Sam Groth holds the overall fastest serve record at 163.6 mph in a Challenger event.
Zverev’s path to the final had been equally dramatic. After being pushed to five sets in each of his first two rounds, the German champion won his next four matches in straight sets, earning a place in his third consecutive major final. He previously finished runner‑up at the US Open in 2020, losing to Dominic Thiem.
Reflecting on his second‑round performance, Zverev joked, “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.” He added, “I have improved a little bit, otherwise I wouldn’t be in the US Open final.” All of Zverev’s matches up to the semi‑final were played during night sessions, leaving him accustomed to late‑night finishes and the unique atmosphere of a tournament that often runs into the early hours. The 29‑year‑old benefited from the absence of Jannik Sinner and early exits of Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic, combined with a relatively favorable draw, to reach yet another Grand Slam final. In his semi‑final against Khachanov, Zverev secured a solitary break to edge the first set, then extended his lead with another break early in the second.
A double fault from Khachanov gave the German a chance to serve for the match, but he was forced into a tie‑break, trailing 5‑3 before clinching it after a grueling 35‑shot rally. The third set mirrored the second, with Khachanov holding set points at 6‑4, only for Zverev to rescue the set with two errant forehands and a decisive ace, eventually converting match point on his first opportunity. Looking ahead to Sunday’s final, Zverev expressed enthusiasm rather than apprehension about the crowd: “I think it’s going to be a fantastic feeling playing a final in a sold‑out Arthur Ashe stadium and not an empty one.
For me, a loud and energetic crowd is always great, as long as they’re fair.” Former champion Martina Navratilova, commenting for Sky Sports Tennis, praised Zverev’s consistency: “What a year Zverev has had at the majors. It’s been outstanding stuff. Sure, 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.
That has given him confidence to play better tennis. 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 its live coverage on Sky Sports from August 30, with streaming options available on NOW and the Sky Sports app. Fans can also catch the upcoming Laver Cup at The O2 in London from September 25‑27, broadcast live on Sky Sports.