Ben Shelton delivered a thrilling victory over fellow American Frances Tiafae in the US Open semi‑final on Friday, earning 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 a tribute to the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
Shelton rallied from a set down, overturning a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 loss to claim the win and move one step closer to ending a 23‑year drought for a U.S. man to capture a Grand Slam singles title.
The last American to achieve this feat was Andy Roddick, who lifted the trophy at Flushing Meadows in 2003. Shelton now has the chance to become the first American champion in nearly a quarter of a century. In addition to his historic run, Shelton also 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.
Meanwhile, Zverev secured his own place in the final with a straight‑sets triumph over Karen Khachanov, winning 6-3, 7-6 (9-7), 7-6 (8-6) and positioning himself for a potential second Grand Slam title. 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." His words underscored both the personal stakes and the broader national sentiment surrounding the evening. The semi‑final began with Tiafae taking an early lead, breaking Shelton's serve to go up 5-4 after Shelton double‑faulted. Tiafae then held serve to close out the first set 6-4.
In the second set, Tiafae 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 Tiafae into a defensive posture, followed by a series of serves in the 139‑144 mph range, raising the intensity of the contest. Shelton broke in the fifth game of the third set, establishing a commanding lead that he never relinquished.
His left‑handed power serve and rock‑solid defense proved decisive in a high‑octane fourth set, where he applied relentless pressure. The 23‑year‑old finished the match with 47 winners, including 20 aces, sealing his place in the title match. Statistically, Shelton's serve was among the fastest recorded at the US Open. While Andy Roddick holds the tournament's all‑time record of 152 mph set in 2002, and Sam Groth's 163.6 mph in a Challenger remains the overall tour record, Shelton's performance demonstrated that modern players can still generate extraordinary velocity.
On the other side of the draw, Zverev's path to the final had been equally dramatic. After two grueling five‑set battles in the early rounds, he had won his last four matches in straight sets, showcasing a return to form that propelled him into his third consecutive major final.
Zverev, who was runner‑up at the 2020 US Open to Dominic Thiem, reflected on his journey: "After the second round at 3 am, 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." Zverev's matches were all played during the night sessions, meaning he spent much of the tournament in a perpetual twilight. The absence of top rivals Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and Novak Djokovic, combined with a favorable draw, cleared a path for the German to reach yet another Grand Slam final.
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 secured a solitary break to take the first set, then broke again early in the second. A double fault from Khachanov gave him a brief reprieve, leading to a tense tie‑break that Zverev won after a marathon 35‑shot rally, despite trailing 5‑3 at one point. The third set mirrored the second, with Khachanov holding set points at 6‑4 before Zverev's two errant forehands and a decisive ace gave him match point, which he converted on the first opportunity. Looking ahead, Zverev expressed enthusiasm about playing the final in front of a full house at Arthur Ashe Stadium: "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." Former tennis great Martina Navratilova, speaking for Sky Sports Tennis, praised Zverev's recent form: "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 its broadcast on Sky Sports from August 30, with streaming options available on NOW and the Sky Sports app, and the Laver Cup scheduled to be shown live from The O2 in London later in September.
The final promises to be a historic showdown: a young American star seeking to end a two‑decade drought versus a seasoned German champion looking to add a second Grand Slam title to his résumé. Both players carry the weight of their personal narratives and national expectations, setting the stage for a compelling climax to one of tennis's most storied tournaments.