Shelton advances to US Open 2026 men’s final for Zverev showdown

What the report says

Ben Shelton reached the US Open men’s singles final on Friday after defeating fellow American Frances Tiafoe in four sets at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York, according to Al Jazeera’s report based on Reuters. The win sends the 23-year-old Shelton into his first Grand Slam final and leaves him one victory away from becoming the first American man to win a major singles title since Andy Roddick in 2003.

Shelton will play Germany’s Alexander Zverev in Sunday’s final. Zverev advanced earlier in the day by beating Russia’s Karen Khachanov in straight sets, reaching his third consecutive major final and his second US Open final after finishing runner-up in 2020. Shelton had also knocked out defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals.

The semifinal was played on an emotional night in New York that also included 9/11 commemorations. Shelton recovered after dropping the opening set, then took control with a strong serve and improved defense. The victory also made him the first Black American man to reach the US Open final since Arthur Ashe in 1972, and the first at any major since MaliVai Washington at Wimbledon in 1996, as the article noted.

Shelton said afterward that he intended to “leave it all on the court,” and described the match as especially meaningful because of the support of his family. The result adds to the significance of a final that could end a long drought for American men in Grand Slam singles competition.