Eighth-seeded Ben Shelton reached the first Grand Slam final of his career on Friday, defeating fellow American Frances Tiafoe in a four-set battle at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Shelton, who previously eliminated defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-finals, secured the 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 victory by firing 20 aces throughout the match.
The win sets up a high-stakes final against top seed Alexander Zverev, who advanced by defeating 50th-ranked Russian Karen Khachanov 6-3, 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (8/6). Zverev’s victory marks his third consecutive Grand Slam final appearance, following his maiden major title at the French Open and a runner-up finish at Wimbledon.
Reflecting on his achievement, an emotional Shelton credited his parents for their sacrifices, noting that his father’s mother passed away earlier this year. “Without her, there’s no Ben Shelton standing here today,” he said during his on-court interview. “I’m going for it. I’m gonna leave it all on the court.” Shelton now aims to become the first American man to win a Grand Slam title since Andy Roddick’s 2003 US Open victory.
Zverev, meanwhile, is determined to prevent a home-crowd celebration. “Hopefully I can not make the American dream come true on Sunday,” the German player remarked. Regarding his own semi-final performance, Zverev noted that while the scoreline appeared straightforward, the match was highly competitive. “Second and third set I think it’s more than obvious that they could have gone both ways. I just played a few points better here and there,” he added.
The match was played against a somber backdrop, as the tournament observed the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. During the national anthem ceremonies, Shelton acknowledged the gravity of the date, stating, “It’s a difficult day to be out here playing. My thoughts and prayers go out to all the families affected by 9/11.”
The intense semi-final drew a star-studded audience, featuring tennis legends Serena Williams, Stan Smith, and Lindsey Davenport, alongside actors Ben Stiller and Rami Malek and NBA star Jalen Brunson.
Tiafoe initially took the lead after a double fault from Shelton in the first set, but the momentum shifted as Shelton capitalized on Tiafoe’s increasingly erratic serving. After leveling the match in the second set, Shelton secured a critical break in a marathon ninth game of the third set to pull ahead. Despite a late surge from Tiafoe in the fourth, Shelton maintained his composure to seal the win.
Zverev’s path to the final was equally hard-fought. Although he defeated Khachanov in straight sets, the Russian challenged him significantly, particularly in the tiebreakers. Khachanov held two set points in the second set and a 6-4 lead in the third-set tiebreaker before committing unforced errors that allowed Zverev to close out the match.
Looking ahead to the weekend, the women’s final is scheduled for Saturday. Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina will face Aryna Sabalenka, with Rybakina aiming to prevent the Belarusian from securing a third consecutive title just days after overtaking her in the world rankings. The report also notes that who broke for a 3-2 lead then seized the set with a break in a marathon ninth game that went to deuce seven times, the momentum was all with Shelton. The report also notes that my dad, my mom have sacrificed a lot for me to be in this position today. The report also notes that and I’m gonna need you guys on Sunday to bring the energy. The report also notes that zverev is eager for the chance to play spoiler. The report also notes that although the Russian — who fell to Zverev in the Olympic gold medal match in Tokyo in 2021 — put up a spirited challenge in the second and third sets, zverev doused Khachanov’s hopes of reaching a first Grand Slam final.
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