Ben Shelton beats Frances Tiafoe in four sets to set up US Open final against Alexander Zverev

Shelton prevails in all-American semifinal

World No. 9 Ben Shelton defeated compatriot Frances Tiafoe 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 on Friday night on Arthur Ashe Stadium to reach his first Grand Slam final. The 23-year-old Floridian struck 47 winners and fired 20 aces during the four-set contest, overcoming an opening set drop caused by a double fault. Tiafoe, ranked 12th in the world, mounted a 15-minute resistance in the eighth game of the third set, saving three set points before Shelton converted on his fourth opportunity. An initial radar reading clocked one of Shelton's serves at 158 mph (254 km/h), though Hawkeye technology subsequently corrected the official speed to 144 mph (231 km/h). The victory makes Shelton the fifth American man to reach the US Open final since 2000, following Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, and Taylor Fritz.

Zverev secures third consecutive Grand Slam final

In the afternoon semifinal, world No. 2 Alexander Zverev defeated Karen Khachanov 6-3, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (6) in two hours and 56 minutes. The 29-year-old German saved two set points when trailing 4-6 in the third-set tie-break before closing out the contest on his first match point. Khachanov, currently ranked 50th, committed 21 forehand unforced errors throughout the match, including consecutive errors on decisive tie-break points. The result marked Zverev's fourth consecutive straight-sets win of the tournament and extended his career record against Khachanov to 7-3 since September 2016. Sunday's championship match will be Zverev's sixth career Grand Slam final and his second at Flushing Meadows, following a five-set defeat to Dominic Thiem in 2020.

Head-to-head history and the title matchup

Shelton enters Sunday's final seeking to become the first American man to win the US Open singles title since Andy Roddick lifted the trophy in 2003. Zverev holds a 5-0 advantage in previous career meetings against Shelton, though the two players have not faced each other during the 2026 season. The American left-hander enters the title contest with momentum after winning the Masters 1000 tournament in Montreal and defeating defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in five sets in the quarterfinals. Top-seeded in New York following the withdrawal of world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, Zverev acknowledged the physical test posed by his younger opponent.

Ben is just strong, a powerful guy. A monstrous serve, powerful groundstrokes. Everything he does is just impressive.

Atmosphere and ceremonies at Flushing Meadows

Arthur Ashe Stadium held a memorial ceremony prior to the evening session to observe the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. Singer JoJo and supporting vocalists performed the national anthem while an NYPD and FDNY honor guard presented the American flag on the court. Courtside attendees included New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson, who received applause from the crowd during changeovers. Addressing the crowd after his victory, Shelton called for local support in his bid to secure the men's trophy for the host nation.

I need you on Sunday. I am going to give everything on the court. We are going to do this for America.