US Open semi-final tennis delivered a milestone on Friday night, as Ben Shelton rallied past Frances Tiafoe 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 in an all-American bout at Arthur Ashe Stadium to book his first appearance in a grand slam final. He will face Alexander Zverev on Sunday.
US Open semi-final: Shelton wins 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5
After dropping the opening set, Shelton steadied behind a dominant serve and increasingly assertive baseline play. He closed the match in the 12th game of the fourth set, breaking when Tiafoe double-faulted on match point.
The players embraced at the net. Shelton then pointed toward his coach and father in the stands and addressed the crowd in his on-court remarks.
Post-match reaction
Shelton said Tiafoe “is like a big brother,” adding that sharing center stage on Arthur Ashe felt “super special.” Reflecting on his growth since his breakthrough run in New York three years ago, he said he is “more mature, more focused” and fully committed to his goals.
He also dedicated the victory to his late grandmother and noted the significance of competing on the anniversary of 9/11, offering thoughts to families affected.
Fourth set
Shelton survived a 12-point opening service game after a brief delay for Tiafoe’s clothing change. He then rode a run of quick holds on the back of a stream of aces and unreturnables.
Tiafoe, who had kept pace with several love holds of his own, served at 5-6 to force a tiebreak but fell behind 0-30 after a 10-shot rally. Shelton earned three match points and converted the second when Tiafoe double-faulted.
Third set
Shelton seized control with a break for 3-2, ripping a cross-court backhand to finish a 10-shot exchange. He consolidated with a routine hold and clinched the set in a marathon 20-point game on Tiafoe’s serve, finally converting his fourth set point after more than 15 minutes of tension to lead two sets to one.
Second set
Momentum swung early when Shelton broke at love for 2-0. Although Tiafoe hit back immediately, Shelton’s pressure told again at 5-3.
A backhand winner set up the decisive break, and he served out the set moments later, finishing in 34 minutes.
First set
Tiafoe struck first blood, breaking in the ninth game after pushing to deuce from 0-30 down. He then served out the set at love for 6-4, completing a clean 45-minute opener.
Roads to the last four
Both players arrived from grueling five-set quarter-finals. Tiafoe came back from two sets down and a 3-0 fifth-set deficit to outlast Alex Michelsen 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (6), reaching his third US Open semi-final in five years.
Shelton toppled defending champion Carlos Alcaraz 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (7) in a late-night epic that ended at 3.33am, snapping the Spaniard’s 18-match grand slam win streak and earning his first victory over a top-three opponent.
What it means
The win sends Shelton into Sunday’s final against Zverev with a chance to end the United States’ 23-year wait for a men’s major singles champion. It also ensures the first appearance by a Black American man in the US Open singles final since Arthur Ashe in 1972, and the first in any grand slam final since MaliVai Washington at Wimbledon in 1996.
Notable moments
- Shelton’s serve was a constant weapon, piling up aces and unreturnables. A briefly recorded 158 mph delivery in the third set was later confirmed as a speed-gun error, with the serve actually in the mid-140s, leaving John Isner’s ATP-best mark intact.
- Extended rallies punctuated a physical night, including 31-shot and 21-shot exchanges during a pivotal third-set hold by Tiafoe from 15-40 down.
Atmosphere and ceremony
Before play, Arthur Ashe Stadium marked the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks with a moment of silence and the national anthem performed by JoJo. The crowd of 23,771 remained engaged throughout a high-quality contest on a warm, breezy evening in Queens.
Series history and context
It was the third US Open meeting between the friends in four years. Shelton had won their 2023 quarter-final in four sets, while Tiafoe prevailed in five sets in the 2024 third round.
Shelton entered with a 3-1 edge overall, including a straight-sets win in Washington last summer. This time, the higher stakes belonged to Shelton, who at 23 is bidding to be the youngest American man to reach the US Open final since Andy Roddick, 21, won the title in 2003.