Ben Shelton demonstrated impressive play at the US Open 2026, securing a spot in the men's singles final of the tournament. The 23-year-old American athlete reached the final after defeating his compatriot Francis Tiafoe in the semi-finals on September 12 (Saturday) at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York with a score of 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5.
As the eighth seed, Shelton has reached a Grand Slam final for the first time. He now faces the title favorite, Alexander Zverev.
Ben Shelton's victory was particularly significant as he started the match under pressure. Francis Tiafoe initially took the advantage by winning the first set 6-4. However, Shelton then methodically shifted the game in his favor through patience. His aggressive forehand, powerful serve, and ability to remain calm in critical moments changed the course of the confrontation.
The first set featured a tense battle between the two American tennis players. At the start of the match, neither player could break the opponent's serve. When the score reached 4-4, Francis Tiafoe increased the pressure on Shelton's serve. Despite Shelton leading 30-0, Tiafoe managed to get back into the game with a brilliant forehand winner. Following this, Shelton made errors and a double fault, allowing Tiafoe to win the break. Tiafoe easily closed out the set.
In the second set, Ben Shelton immediately adopted a more attacking approach and managed to break Francis Tiafoe's serve. Tiafoe quickly regained the break, but Shelton gained momentum. After the score reached 3-3, he secured another break. When Tiafoe's forehand went out of bounds, Shelton gained a decisive advantage. He held his serve and won the set 6-3, regaining control of the match.
In the third set, Ben Shelton utilized his serve as his main weapon. The initial speed of one of his serves was recorded at 158 mph, although it was adjusted to 144 mph after verification. Nevertheless, this high speed constantly put pressure on Francis Tiafoe. In the last game of the set, Tiafoe refused to give up. There were seven deuces in this game, and Shelton had to save three set points. By winning this game, which lasted about 15 minutes, he won 6-3.
Francis Tiafoe attempted a comeback in the fourth set. He constantly challenged Ben Shelton with his serve and forehand. Both players held their serves until the score reached 5-5. After Shelton took the lead 6-5, he increased the pressure on Tiafoe's serve. At a crucial moment, Tiafoe committed a double fault, giving Shelton a chance to win the match. He immediately seized this opportunity, winning the set 7-5 and securing his place in the final.
In the upcoming final match, Shelton will face Alexander Zverev. The German player reached the final in the second semi-final, defeating Karen Khachanov with a score of 6-3, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (6). However, Ben Shelton has reasons for concern regarding his head-to-head statistics against Zverev: the American tennis player has been unable to win in the last five matches.
