Shelton advances to US Open 2026 men’s final for Zverev showdown

Ben Shelton defeated compatriot Frances Tiafoe 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 in an electric US Open semifinal on Friday to secure a title clash with Alexander Zverev and move closer to ending a 23-year American wait ⁠for a men’s singles Grand Slam champion.

Zverev booked his place in Sunday’s final by fighting past unseeded Russian Karen Khachanov 6-3, 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (8/6) earlier in the day to close in on a second major title.

Victory sent the German top seed into his second final in New York after his runner-up finish ⁠in 2020 to Dominic Thiem.

Shelton, the big-hitting 23-year-old who took down defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals, now stands one victory away from becoming the first American man to win a major singles title since Andy Roddick hoisted the trophy at Flushing Meadows in 2003.

With the semifinal lineup having already ensured a Black American man would reach the final, Shelton’s win made him the first to do so in New York since Arthur Ashe in 1972, and at any of the majors since MaliVai Washington at Wimbledon in 1996.

French Open ‌winner Zverev was pushed to five sets in each of his opening two rounds, but has now won four straight matches without dropping a set to charge into his third consecutive major final and stand in Shelton’s path.

“I’m going for it,” Shelton said. “I’m going to leave it all on the court. I hope you guys come and back me; let’s do this for the US.

“It’s a lot of emotion. My dad, my mum have sacrificed a lot for me to be in this position today. My dad lost his mom earlier this year, and she’s the reason he was able to play tennis.