American tennis star Ben Shelton reached the first Grand Slam final of his career after defeating fellow American Frances Tiafoe in the 2026 US Open men’s singles semi-final at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York.
The eighth-seeded Shelton came back strongly after losing the opening set. He eventually defeated Tiafoe 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 to book his place in Sunday’s final. Shelton showed great confidence and control as the match progressed, especially in the final two sets.
This is Shelton’s second appearance in the US Open semi-finals. He had previously reached the last four at Flushing Meadows in 2023, but this time he went one step further by securing a place in his first Grand Slam final.
Shelton entered the semi-final after producing one of the biggest wins of his career against defending champion Carlos Alcaraz. He defeated Alcaraz in a thrilling five-set quarter-final that finished at 3:33 a.m., becoming the latest-ending match in US Open history. The victory was also Shelton’s first against a top-three player and made him the first American to defeat Alcaraz at a Grand Slam.
His impressive run had already included victories over several former top-10 players, including Hubert Hurkacz, Denis Shapovalov and Stefanos Tsitsipas. His straight-sets victory over Tsitsipas in the fourth round further demonstrated his strong form throughout the tournament.
The semi-final against Tiafoe was their fifth career meeting. Shelton entered the match with a 3-1 advantage in their head-to-head record. Their previous two meetings at the US Open had been split, with Shelton winning in 2023 and Tiafoe taking the victory in 2024.
Tiafoe had also enjoyed a difficult run to the semi-finals. He reached the last four after defeating Alex Michelsen in a dramatic five-set match, recovering from a 3-0 deficit in the fifth set.
Shelton’s success at the US Open adds to an already impressive 2026 season. Earlier in the year, he won the Canadian Open in Montreal, claiming his fourth singles title of the season and seventh ATP singles title overall.
In Sunday’s final, Shelton will face top seed Alexander Zverev, who defeated Karen Khachanov 6-3, 7-6(7), 7-6(6) in the other semi-final. Zverev will be playing in his third consecutive Grand Slam final and his second US Open final.
The 2026 US Open men’s singles tournament will therefore have a new champion, as defending champion Carlos Alcaraz was eliminated by Shelton in the quarter-finals. Shelton now has the opportunity to win his first Grand Slam title on one of tennis’s biggest stages.