Ben Shelton has won the all-American duel with Frances Tiafoe and now he’s the one who can end his country’s long wait for another men’s grand slam champion.
Shelton pulled out a 4-6 6-3 6-3 7-5 victory and will play top seed Alexander Zverev on Sunday (Monday AEST) for the US Open title.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Shelton delivers emotional speech
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The No.8-seeded Shelton had plenty of energy left after ousting defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a quarter-final match that ended at 3.33am on Wednesday, the latest finish ever at the US Open.
Now he needs to stop French Open champion Zverev to give the host nation their first men’s major winner in New York since Andy Roddick in 2003.
The 23-year-old also became the first black American man to reach a US Open Final since Arthur Ashe (1972), and just the second American man since 2010 to make a major final.
Now he will step on Arthur Ashe Stadium for the final.
Ben Shelton has come from a set down to win the all-American US Open semi-final in New York. Credit: AAP Asked what that would mean to him, Shelton was pure class, praising his family and also acknowledging the death of his grandmother.
“It’s a lot of emotion,” he said.
“My mum and dad sacrificed a lot for me to be in this position today. My dad lost his mom earlier this year. She’s the reason he was able to play tennis. Without her, there’s no Ben Shelton standing here today. This one is for her.”
He then turned to the crowd and urged them to get behind him in the final.
“I’m gonna need you guys on Sunday to bring the energy. We’re going for it here,” he said.
“I’m gonna leave it all on the court. I hope you guys come and back me. Let’s do this for the USA.”
In signing off, he once again took the limelight off himself.
“One more thing, it’s a difficult day to be out here playing,” he said, referring to the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy.
“My thoughts and prayers go out to all families who are impacted by 9/11. This is one of the greatest cities in the world and one of the biggest tragedies. Thoughts and prayers to everyone involved and affected.”
Earlier on Friday (Saturday AEST), Zverev beat Karen Khachanov 6-3 7-6 (9-7) 7-6 (8-6) in the first semi.
“Hopefully I can not make the American dream come true on Sunday,” Zverev said.
Shelton and Tiafoe treated the star-studded crowd at Flushing Meadows to a good show, after both had to come through match tiebreakers in the previous round. Shelton, who was less than a year old when Roddick won his title, advanced to his first major final.
“This is both of our favourite tournament in the world, our favourite court in the world and to be able to light it up in front of (this crowd) is the best feeling that there is,” Shelton said.
Tiafoe fell to 0-3 in the US Open semis, the last two against fellow Americans. Taylor Fritz beat him in 2024 before losing to Jannik Sinner.
Zverev, who had long been considered the best men’s player without a major, finally broke through in Paris this year. The German then reached the Wimbledon final, where he lost to Sinner, and is 24-2 in grand glam matches this season.
“Sometimes just things go your way and I feel like I’ve had a lot of struggles at the major level, I was so close so many times, and maybe this year God has said that this is going to be your year and just enjoy the time on the court,” Zverev said.
Now he will try to win the title that he still can’t believe he let get away in 2020. Zverev won the first two sets against Dominic Thiem but then lost in a fifth-set tiebreaker, as the Austrian became the first man to win the US Open title since 1949 after dropping the first two sets.
Zverev was solid after going up two sets this time, and has won 13 consecutive sets after becoming the first No.1-seeded man to play five-setters in each of the first two rounds of a major.
Khachanov was trying to reach his first major final at the third time of asking.