In a thrilling semi‑final on Friday, Ben Shelton overcame his fellow American Frances Tiafoe to earn a place in the US Open championship match against Germany's Alexander Zverev. The encounter 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 claim a 4‑6, 6‑3, 6‑3, 7‑5 victory, moving one step closer to ending a 23‑year drought for a U.S. man to capture a Grand Slam singles title.
Since Andy Roddick's triumph in Flushing Meadows in 2003, no American male has lifted a major trophy. Shelton now has the chance to become the first Black American to reach the US Open final since Arthur Ashe did so in 1972, and potentially the first U.S.
champion in over two decades. Earlier in the day, Zverev secured his own final berth by defeating Karen Khachanov 6‑3, 7‑6 (9‑7), 7‑6 (8‑6), bringing him within striking distance of a second Grand Slam crown.
After the match, Shelton addressed the crowd, saying, "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 first set with a confident hold.
In the second set, Tiafoe continued to target Shelton's backhand, but Shelton responded with a serve he initially believed to be a record‑breaking 158 mph. Subsequent Hawk‑Eye analysis by the USTA corrected the speed to 144 mph, still an impressive figure. With fresh balls at 3‑3, Shelton unleashed a 125‑mph serve that forced Tiafoe into a defensive posture, followed by a series of serves clocking 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 maintained throughout the remainder of the contest. His left‑handed, booming serve and rock‑solid defense proved decisive in the high‑octane fourth set, where the eighth seed applied relentless pressure and eventually closed out the match. The 23‑year‑old finished with 47 winners, including 20 aces, cementing his spot in the title showdown. Historical context adds further weight to Shelton's achievement.
The fastest serve ever recorded at the US Open belongs to Andy Roddick, who hit 152 mph in 2002, while Sam Groth holds the all‑time record with a 163.6 mph serve in a Challenger event. Shelton's power, though not record‑breaking, ranks among the tournament's elite. Zverev, the French Open champion, entered the US Open having endured five‑set battles in his first two rounds, but he then rode a wave of four consecutive straight‑set victories to reach his third successive major final.
After a runner‑up finish in 2020 to Dominic Thiem, he now eyes his second title at Flushing Meadows. Reflecting on his journey, Zverev said, "After the second round at 3 a.m., my team and I were 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 star has been a night‑session player throughout the tournament, often finishing matches in the early hours. He has benefitted from the absence of Jannik Sinner and early exits of Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic, as well as a relatively favorable draw, to secure his place in a third straight Grand Slam 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," Zverev told reporters.
In his semi‑final against Khachanov, Zverev needed only a single break to clinch a tight first set. He extended his lead with another early break in the second set, but a double fault allowed Khachanov back on serve, pushing the German into a tense tie‑break that he eventually won after a grueling 35‑shot rally. The third set mirrored the second, with Khachanov holding set points at 6‑4 before Zverev salvaged the set with two wayward forehands and a decisive ace, converting match point on his first opportunity. Looking ahead to Sunday, Zverev expressed enthusiasm about playing in front of a packed Arthur Ashe Stadium rather than an empty arena.
"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 said. Martina Navratilova, commenting for Sky Sports Tennis, praised Zverev's season, noting, "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 will continue to be broadcast live on Sky Sports from August 30, with streaming options available on NOW and the Sky Sports app.
Fans can also look forward to the Laver Cup at The O2 in London from September 25‑27, also shown on Sky Sports.