Shelton beats Tiafoe in US Open semifinals to reach first major final - USA Today
NEW YORK – Twenty-three years is a long time to wait, and Ben Shelton just got American tennis one win closer to ending it.
No American man has won the US Open – or any Grand Slam singles title – since Andy Roddick lifted the trophy in Flushing Meadows in 2003. Now, Ben Shelton will look to finally break the long U.S. drought in the final against No. 1 Alexander Zverev on Sunday, Sept. 13.
Shelton outlasted Frances Tiafoe 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 in an all-American semifinal that had Arthur Ashe Stadium rocking for over three hours. Add that it was two Black men playing on the court named after the legendary American tennis player. Ashe was the last Black American man to play in a US Open final, all the way back in 1972.
The turning point for Shelton was a wild final game of the third set. Tiafoe holding four separate game points and unable to close a single one, finally handing Shelton the break that swung the match his way. USWNT and NWSL star Trinity Rodman, Shelton's girlfriend, watched it from his box.
Shelton has now gone farther in this US Open than he has at any of the four Grand Slam tournaments. His previous best finish in a major was the semifinals of the Australian Open in 2025.
Earlier top-seeded Alexander Zverev advanced to his third consecutive Grand Slam final, defeating Karen Khachanov 6-3, 7-6, 7-6 in the US Open semifinal at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Zverev won the French Open and was the runner-up at Wimbledon.
USA TODAY Sports had live coverage of both men's semifinal matches Friday. Scroll below for highlights:
The final game of the third set was a battle in itself, lasting 15 minutes and five seconds. Frances Tiafoe served to try and keep the set alive but could not hold off the surging Shelton. Tiafoe held four separate game points, and Shelton kept finding a way to fight back to even.
Shelton had his own chances slip away too. He had three break points before Tiafoe missed a forehand into the net to give Shelton the third set 6-3.
Ben Shelton was recorded hitting a 158-mile an hour serve in the third set.
After losing the first set, Ben Shelton came back and broke Frances Tiafoe's serve twice to take the second set 6-3. Shelton cut down on his mistakes, with just four unforced errors after committing 14 in the first set. He also used his booming serve more effectively, serving five aces and winning 75% of the points on his first serve.
Frances Tiafoe broke Ben Shelton in the ninth game and then won his serve to take the first set 6-4. Shelton is hurting himself with 14 unforced errors and two double faults.
NBA champion Jalen Brunson was spotted with actor Ben Stiller in the stands watching the match. The Knicks star is set to host the first Saturday Night Live of the season.
Before two American men battle it out for a spot in the final of the US Open, the USTA remembered those who died in the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. The New York City Police Department and Fire Department honor guards presented the flags and pop singer JoJo sang the national anthem.
Read more on how the US Open remembered 9/11 here.
Ben Shelton's got his biggest fan back in his box: Trinity Rodman is courtside for the semifinal, same as she has been for his big wins all tournament.
No. 1 Alexander Zverev defeats . Karen Khachanov, 6-3, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (8)
With both players complaining about a glare coming off the the doors of the suites, Khachanov held his serve to send the third set into a tiebreaker.
The broadcast said the glare is coming from the glass on the doors of the suites when they are opened.
After Alexander Zverev won the first set 6-3, he won the tiebreak 9-7 and claimed the second set, 7-6. Khachanov saved one set point when he lasered a 93-mph backhand winner, but on the next set Zverev dug in and defended for the win.
Zverev now has a 26-12 record in tiebreaks this year. Meanwhile, Khachanov falls to 8-14 in tiebreaks this year.
Zverev didn't lose a point and closed out the game with an ace to force a tiebreak at 6-6 in the second set. In their previous head-to-head meetings, Zverev and Khachanov have played three tiebreaks. Zverev won two of them.
The second set is back on serve with Khachanov leading 6-5, so Zverev needs to win his next service game to force a tiebreak game. Zverev's first two matches of the tournament went to five sets, but he won his next three in straight sets and will be hoping to avoid another marathon match.
In a critical moment, Alexander Zverev tied the second set 3-3 and denied Karen Khachanov a second consecutive break. If Zverev goes on to win this set, that game will be considered a massive turning point and a squandered opportunity for Khachanov, who had seized momentum and could taste a two-game lead.
Khachanov earned a crucial hold to go up 3-2 in the second set, his first lead of this match. There's still an uphill climb in front of him, but the Russian seems to be growing more confident at the net and is wearing Zverev down with his relentless crosscourt backhand.
Alexander Zverev had his serve broken for the first time today and allowed Karen Khachanov to even the second set, 2-2. After Khachanov sent Zverev chasing shots out wide and set up a couple of break points at 15-40, Zverev double faulted on the next point.
Karen Khachanov recovered from getting broken and won his next service game, including a spectacular over-the-shoulder backhand volley. He now trails 2-1 in the second set.
With Khachanov serving in the first game of the second set, Zverev won and took an early 1-0 lead. Zverev could very well go into cruise mode now.
Alexander Zverez looked like he barely broke a sweat while jumping out to a one-set lead. Karen Khachanov is playing decent tennis, but he had almost twice as many unforced errors as Zverev, who was content to play defensively and wait for his opponent to make a mistake. In eight of their last nine meetings, the player who won the first set won the match.
Alexander Zverev secured the first break of the match and will serve for the first set up 5-3. Khachanov was one point away from tying the set 4-4 when he committed a double fault, setting up the first deuce point of the day. Following a flurry of crosscourt backhand rallies, Zverev won the next two points and pumped his fist.
It might be semifinal nerves, but so far Zverev's first serve hasn't been as accurate as it usually is. In his first four service games, the German has made just 60% of his first serves -- far below his career average of 72%. He's still winning 92% (11-of-12) of his first serve points, taking advantage of his 6-foot-6 height to make winning shots at the net.
Neither man has been broken yet through three games, with Zverev leading the opening set 2-1. The last time Zverev and Khachanov played each other was in August 2025 in the round of 16 at the Cincinnati Open, when Khachanov retired early with Zverev leading 7-5, 3-0.
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Betting odds are courtesy of BetMGM as of Friday, Sept. 11 at 8:44 a.m. ET
Alexander Zverev leads the all-time series against Karen Khachanov, 6-3. Zverev won their most recent meeting, which came at the 2025 Cincinnati Masters, when Khachanov retired.
Ben Shelton has beaten Frances Tiafoe in three of the four matchups they've had. Shelton won the last time they faced off, at the 2025 Washington Open. This will be their third clash at the US Open, with each winning once.
Betting odds are courtesy of BetMGM as of Friday, Sept. 11 at 8:44 a.m. ET
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