Shelton reaches first US Open final, setting up Zverev showdown
The eighth seed defeated Frances Tiafoe in four sets and will face top seed Alexander Zverev in Sunday’s final.
Ben Shelton has reached his first Grand Slam final after defeating fellow American Frances Tiafoe 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 in the US Open semi-final.
The eighth seed will meet Alexander Zverev in Sunday’s final after the top seed defeated Karen Khachanov 6-3, 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (8/6). Zverev, the 2026 French Open champion, is seeking a second major title this year and a second US Open final appearance after finishing runner-up in 2020.
Shelton’s progression leaves him one win from potentially becoming the first American man since Andy Roddick in 2003 to win a Grand Slam singles title. The result also makes him the first Black American man to reach a US Open final since Arthur Ashe in 1972, according to reporting by Al Jazeera.
The final will place Shelton’s power-based game against Zverev’s recent consistency. The German has won four consecutive matches without dropping a set after being pushed to five sets in each of his opening two rounds.
Shelton’s victory over Tiafoe followed a match in which he recovered from losing the opening set before taking control in the third and fourth. The winner in New York will be decided on Sunday.
