Atlanta fans rally behind Georgia native Ben Shelton in U.S. Open final

Atlanta spectators rallied Sunday to support local Georgian Ben Shelton as he battled in the U.S. Open final. Some spectators had initially been watching the match on their smartphones before noticing it was projected on a larger screen inside. A fan remarked, "There's an Atlanta player competing. It's a big moment. No American has won the U.S. Open final in 23 years."

Shelton, 23, has injected new energy into tennis as he steps onto one of the sport's most prestigious stages. Born in Atlanta and raised around the tennis courts at Georgia Tech, where his father Bryan Shelton coached women's tennis, Shelton later played college tennis at the University of Florida before turning professional. The atmosphere was charged with historical significance, as Shelton aimed to become the first American man to claim the U.S. Open title since Andy Roddick in 2003. "A win for American tennis," shouted another supporter.