Ben Shelton beats Frances Tiafoe and will play Alexander Zverev for the U.S. Open title
Ben Shelton defeated Frances Tiafoe to reach the U.S. Open men's singles final. He will face Alexander Zverev on Sunday in a bid to become the first American man to win a Grand Slam title since 2003.
Why it matters
This match represents a significant milestone for American tennis, as the host nation seeks its first major men's champion in over two decades.
Ben Shelton won the all-American duel with Frances Tiafoe and now he's the one who can end his country's long wait for another men's Grand Slam champion.
Shelton pulled out a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 victory on Friday (September 11, 2026) and will play No. 1 seed Alexander Zverev on Sunday (September 13) for the U.S. Open title.
The No. 8-seeded Shelton had plenty of energy left after ousting defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a quarterfinal match that ended Wednesday (September 9) at 3:33 a.m., the latest finish ever at the U.S. Open.
Now he needs to stop French Open champion Zverev to give the host nation its first men's major winner since Andy Roddick at the 2003 U.S. Open.
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