Ben Shelton Advances to First Major Final at U.S. Open
In what could only be a poignant display of American pride on the 25th anniversary of 9/11, two American men competed for the chance to face No. 1 Alexander Zverev for the U.S. Open title.
Former Florida star and Gainesville native No. 8 Ben Shelton took the court against No. 11 Frances Tiafoe in the U.S. Open semifinal. In a blistering game, Shelton advanced to his first Grand Slam final in four sets, winning 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5.
“If he can harness it more regularly, he’ll be a nightmare matchup for anyone,” tennis analyst and former world No. 1 Jim Courier said. “The raw power is there, now it’s about control and confidence.”
Shelton showed such confidence Friday night through his high service accuracy and hard hitting. His serve certified his dominance, notching 18 aces to Tiafoe’s one ace of the night.
He also broke his personal serve speed record this week with a 158 mph shot.
On the other side of the court, Tiafoe struggled with his first serves. And in his second attempts, Tiafoe’s serves created a layup situation for Shelton.
Among the many significant milestones for Shelton with his semifinal win, he will also be the first Black man to compete in the U.S. Open final since 1972 when Arthur Ashe himself competed in the final.
“Without Arthur Ashe, my dad probably never would have been playing tennis,” Shelton said. “This sport has given my family a lot and I think that it’s really cool to be able to recognize that and be a part of history.”
On Tuesday, Shelton stunned No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz, who recently came off of a four-month injury to his right wrist. The grueling match lasted until 3:33 a.m., demonstrating Shelton’s ability to maintain consistent pressure despite facing a seven-time Grand Slam winner.
This will be Shelton’s first Grand Slam final appearance. His opponent, Zverev, has competed in five other major finals. In their all-time meetings, Zverev has bested Shelton 5-0. However, their last meeting was over a year ago at the 2025 Nitto ATP Finals.
The German defeated his semifinal opponent, Karen Khachanov, in straight sets Friday. He is seeking his second major title after winning the French Open earlier this year.
“Hopefully I can not make the American dream come true on Sunday,” Zverev said after his match, regarding the opportunity to compete against an American in the final.
Shelton will look to achieve his first major tournament win as well as becoming the first American to win the U.S. Open since Andy Roddick in 2003.
“Let’s do it for the USA,” he said when it was all said and done. “Thank you all.”
After four years on the professional tennis circuit, Shelton now has his ultimate goal in sight: a Grand Slam title. He faced disappointing ends at the French Open and Wimbledon tournaments this year, losing in the second and first rounds, respectively.
On Sunday, he will have his chance to etch his name in the history books when the U.S. Open Men’s Singles Final begins at 2 p.m. ET.
Category: Feature Sports News, Former Gators, Gators Tennis, Tennis, US Open
