US OPEN: Shelton sets up final against Zverev
Ben Shelton punched his ticket to the 2026 US Open final after defeating Frances Tiafoe in an electric, all-American semifinal showdown under the lights at Flushing Meadows.
Ben Shelton, seeded eighth, advanced to the US Open final after defeating Frances Tiafoe 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 in a thrilling match at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The victory puts the American on course for a Grand Slam title for the first time since 2003. Shelton's father and mother sacrificed much for him to reach this point, with his late mother being a significant influence.
Zverev, the top seed, will face Shelton in a rematch of the French Open final, where Zverev won in three straight sets and claimed his maiden major. Zverev expressed his eagerness to prevent the American dream from coming true for Shelton. The semi-final drew a star-studded crowd, including tennis legends Serena Williams, Stan Smith, and Lindsey Davenport, as well as actors Ben Stiller and Rami Malek, and New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson.
Tiafoe took the first set but Shelton's superior serve broke through, leading to a fifth-set clincher.
Written by urgent.news from IOL's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
