He plays Alexander Zverev on Sunday. The German top seed, who reached the final earlier on Friday by beating Karen Khachanov 6-3, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (6), has won all five matches.
Shelton lost the opening set and won 14 of the next 20 games. The meeting changed what each man did with his opportunities; The No. 8 player converted five of his 11 break points, two of 7 in the 11th. Shelton hit 47 winners to make it 27 and won 77% of her points behind her first serve.
“He also started to come back better,” Tiafoe noted. “The first set, 5-4 game alone, his forehand-backhand return was a way out. He had some minor tremors, but that is something I continue to need to improve. That’s what held me back a lot from the eight ball tonight.”
A service to be argued about
Down 2-1 in the third set, Shelton hit a 158 mph, 254 km/h serve, which would be the fastest serve in Grand Slam history. Hawkeye was reading the same ball at 144 mph. Until the two readings are reconciled, the number is disputed rather than a record.
The story next to Sunday is the story of the night. No black American has reached a US Open final since Ashe did so in 1972, and no one has reached a Grand Slam final of any kind since 1996, thirty years ago, at Wimbledon in Washington, D.C. At 23, Shelton is also the youngest American in a major final since Andy Roddick in 2005, and Roddick was the last American to win one in 2003.
Shelton was asked in court what went through his mind when he heard the numbers and responded with his family. “It’s a lot of emotion. My mother and father have sacrificed a lot for me to be in this position today. My father lost his mother earlier this year. He is the reason she was able to play tennis. Without him, there would be no Ben Shelton here today. This is for him.”
I need you guys to bring energy on Sunday. We’re going for it here. I’ll leave it all in court.
Then he asked the stadium for Sunday. “I need you guys to bring energy on Sunday. We go for it here. I’ll leave it all on the court. I hope you will come and take me back. Let’s do it for the USA.”
And he closed the date. The semi-finals took place on September 11. “It’s a tough day to play here. My thoughts and prayers go out to all the families affected by 9/11. It is one of the greatest cities in the world and one of the greatest tragedies. Thoughts and prayers to all involved and those affected.”
Tiafoe loses in third semi-final at home
For the 28-year-old Tiafoe, it is his third US Open semi-final and third loss in one. He lost to Carlos Alcaraz in five sets in 2022 and Taylor Fritz in five sets in 2024, and now to his compatriot in four. All three of his Grand Slam semi-finals have been played here.
He overcame American Martin Damm 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, Japanese Rei Sakamoto 6-3, 7-6 (2), 7-5, Monegasque 22nd Valentin Vacherot: 6-4, 6-2, 6-4, 6-4, Russian. 7-6 (6) and Alex Michelsen 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (6) on Tuesday, a match he won in two sets and a break and ended up consoling the man he beat.
Shelton’s two weeks have been tougher on paper. He defeated Talon Grikspur of the Netherlands 1-6, 6-1, 7-6 (3), 6-2, Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (3), 7-5, Canada’s Denis Shapovalov 7-6 (3), 6-7 (5), 6-4-3, 6-4-3, Greece. Stefanasi. 6-3, 6-4, before defeating two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (7) in the last finish in tournament history.