By Nigeria Magazine — Sports Desk
Ben Shelton is through to his first-ever Grand Slam final. The No. 8 seed defeated fellow American Frances Tiafoe 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 in Friday night’s blockbuster semifinal at Arthur Ashe Stadium, capping the first all-Black-American men’s semifinal in US Open history — and sending Shelton into Sunday’s championship match against top seed Alexander Zverev.
Tiafoe came out sharper, breaking Shelton late in the first set to take it 6-4. But Shelton settled after a rocky start, leaning on a dominant serve that finished the night with 20 aces to Tiafoe’s three. He took the next two sets 6-3, 6-3 before Tiafoe dug in for a tense fourth, saving match points across seven deuces before a late double fault handed Shelton the 7-5 finish and the match.
The win guarantees Shelton a place among American tennis royalty. With the semifinal lineup already assuring a Black American man would reach Sunday’s final, Shelton’s victory made him the first to do so at the US Open since the legendary Arthur Ashe in 1972 — and the first at any Grand Slam since MaliVai Washington’s Wimbledon final in 1996.
It caps a remarkable week for the 23-year-old, who toppled defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a five-set quarterfinal thriller that didn’t finish until 3:33 a.m., the latest finish in US Open history.
Standing in Shelton’s way on Sunday is Alexander Zverev, who battled past Karen Khachanov 6-3, 7-6, 7-6 earlier Friday to reach his third straight Grand Slam final. The German, a runner-up here in 2020 and this year’s French Open champion, is chasing his second major title.
For Shelton, victory on Sunday would make him the first American man to win a Grand Slam singles title since Andy Roddick’s 2003 US Open triumph — ending a 23-year drought that has hung over American men’s tennis🎾
“I’m going for it,” Shelton said after the match. “I’m going to leave it all on the court. I hope you guys come and back me — let’s do this for the US. It’s a lot of emotion. My mom and dad have sacrificed a lot for me to be in this position today.”
What’s next: Ben Shelton faces Alexander Zverev in the US Open men’s singles final on Sunday at Arthur Ashe Stadium, with a place in tennis history on the line.
Stay tuned to Nigeria Magazine for full coverage as the final unfolds in Flushing Meadows.
