Ben Shelton reached his first Grand Slam final on Friday, beating fellow American Frances Tiafoe 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 in the US Open 2026 semifinal at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The victory put Shelton into Sunday’s final against Alexander Zverev and gave American men’s tennis its first Grand Slam finalist since 2003.
Speaking after the win, Shelton said the moment carried a deeper meaning for his family and for American tennis. “It’s a lot of emotion. My mom and dad sacrificed a lot for me to be in this position today,” Shelton said. “My dad lost his mom this year. She’s the reason he was able to play tennis. Without her there’s no Ben Shelton standing here today. This one is for her.”
Ben Shelton after reaching his first Grand Slam final at U.S. Open
“2003 since the last time an American man won the title. It’s been since 1972 that a black man played in the final here. It was Arthur Ashe. On Sunday you will set foot on Arthur Ashe stadium looking to take your… pic.twitter.com/OX1C3krNZh
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) September 12, 2026
Ben Shelton Beats Frances Tiafoe: US Open 2026 Semifinals
Tiafoe made the stronger start, taking the opening set 6-4 after Shelton double-faulted at 4-5 to hand his opponent the crucial break. But Shelton settled into the match and gradually took control with his serve and aggressive baseline game.
Ben Shelton recognized the significance of the day for the United States in his post-match interview. pic.twitter.com/hm4PmL8h1b
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 12, 2026
The eighth seed levelled the match by taking the second set 6-3 before breaking Tiafoe in the fifth game of the third set. Shelton held that advantage to win the set by the same score and move within one set of his first major final.
The fourth set stayed close until the closing stages. Shelton eventually found the breakthrough he needed and completed the victory 7-5, finishing with 20 aces and 47 winners.
Shelton Carries American Hopes Into Final
Shelton’s victory also ended a long wait for an American man to reach the US Open final. Andy Roddick was the last American man to win a Grand Slam singles title, doing so at the US Open in 2003.
The result also makes Shelton the first Black American man to reach the US Open final since Arthur Ashe in 1972. With the milestone in mind, Shelton urged the home crowd to bring their energy for Sunday’s final.
“I’m going to need you guys on Sunday to bring the energy. We’re going for it here,” 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 USA.”
Shelton also acknowledged the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, which was being commemorated during the tournament.
“One more thing, it’s a difficult day to be out here playing,” Shelton said. “My thoughts and prayers go out to all families who are impacted by 9/11. This is one of the greatest cities in the world and one of the biggest tragedies. Thoughts and prayers to everyone involved and affected.”
Shelton will now face Zverev in Sunday’s final with a chance to become the first American man to win a Grand Slam singles title since Roddick.
