Shelton Defeats Tiafoe to Reach US Open Final

Ben Shelton defeated fellow American Frances Tiafoe 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 on Friday to reach the US Open men’s singles final for the first time.

Shelton recovered from losing the opening set to dominate the next two, before holding his nerve in a closely contested fourth set to complete the victory.

The 23-year-old hit 18 aces and produced a strong serving performance as he overcame Tiafoe after more than three hours of play.

The victory made Shelton the first Black American man to reach the US Open men’s singles final since Arthur Ashe in 1972. He is also the first American man to reach the tournament’s final since Andy Roddick in 2006.

Shelton had earlier defeated defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a five-set quarter-final thriller that ended at 3:33 a.m., the latest finish in US Open history.

He will face Germany’s Alexander Zverev in Sunday’s final after the second seed defeated Karen Khachanov 6-3, 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (8-6) in the other semi-final.

The final gives Shelton an opportunity to end a long wait for an American men’s Grand Slam champion, with Andy Roddick the last American man to win a major title at the 2003 US Open.