BEN SHELTON IS ONE WIN AWAY FROM HISTORY—BUT ALEXANDER ZVEREV STANDS IN HIS WAY

NEW YORK — Ben Shelton is one victory away from making American tennis history.

The 23-year-old American powered past fellow countryman Frances Tiafoe, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5, on Friday night to reach his first Grand Slam final, setting up a blockbuster showdown with world No. 1 Alexander Zverev for the 2026 US Open men’s singles championship.

Shelton’s victory carries significance far beyond his personal breakthrough.

A win over Zverev on Sunday would make him the first American man since Andy Roddick in 2003 to win a Grand Slam singles title. It would also end a 23-year wait for an American men’s champion at a major tournament.

But Shelton is already making history.

His victory over Tiafoe made him the first Black American man to reach the US Open men’s singles final since Arthur Ashe in 1972. He is also the first Black American man to reach a Grand Slam men’s singles final since MaliVai Washington’s Wimbledon run in 1996.

Shelton survives another major test

The semifinal did not begin smoothly for Shelton.

Tiafoe, the No. 11 seed, captured the opening set 6-4 and appeared capable of turning the all-American showdown into another deep battle.

Shelton, however, responded with greater aggression and consistency. He took control of the second set, continued applying pressure from the baseline and eventually pulled ahead by taking the third.

With the match on the line in the fourth, Shelton’s powerful left-handed serve and defense helped him withstand Tiafoe’s final push. He eventually sealed the victory at 7-5 in the fourth set.

The run has been anything but easy.

Shelton survived five sets against Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals, defeating the two-time defending champion 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(7) in a dramatic encounter that ended at the latest time in US Open tournament history.

That victory proved to be a major turning point in Shelton’s New York campaign.

Now, only one opponent remains.

Zverev presents the final obstacle

Standing between Shelton and the championship is Alexander Zverev, the tournament’s No. 1 seed and reigning French Open champion.

Zverev booked his place in the final earlier Friday by defeating Russia’s Karen Khachanov 6-3, 7-6(7), 7-6(6). The German held his nerve through two tense tiebreaks to reach his second US Open final.

The result also extended Zverev’s remarkable Grand Slam season.

After winning his first major at Roland Garros, Zverev reached the Wimbledon final before advancing to another Grand Slam title match in New York. He has now reached three consecutive Grand Slam finals.

For Zverev, Sunday’s match is another opportunity to add a second major championship to his résumé.

For Shelton, it could be the biggest night in American men’s tennis in more than two decades.

A fascinating head-to-head awaits

The matchup also gives Zverev a statistical advantage.

According to the official US Open, Shelton has yet to defeat Zverev in five previous meetings. Their most recent encounter came at the 2025 Cincinnati Open, where Zverev won in straight sets.

But Sunday’s final will be different.

This will be their first meeting at a Grand Slam, with Shelton playing in his first major final and Zverev returning to the championship match at Flushing Meadows for the first time since his heartbreaking 2020 loss to Dominic Thiem.

Zverev knows exactly what awaits him.

The German has already acknowledged the massive home support Shelton is likely to receive and said he hopes to prevent the American dream from becoming reality.

The pressure is enormous—but so is the opportunity

Shelton has embraced the moment.

After beating Tiafoe, he made clear that he intends to leave everything on the court in the championship match.

The American’s path to the final has required resilience, power and an ability to recover from difficult moments. Now he faces the biggest challenge of his career against the world’s top seed.

The stakes could hardly be higher.

Win, and Shelton becomes a US Open champion and ends America’s 23-year wait for a men’s Grand Slam singles title.

Lose, and Zverev adds another major trophy to a breakthrough season.

One thing is certain: the 2026 US Open men’s final has the ingredients for a historic showdown.

And for Shelton, the question is no longer whether he belongs on the biggest stage.

It’s whether he can finish the job.