For the third time in his career Frances Tiafoe claimed the opening set of a US Open semifinal.
Once again, it wasn’t enough to get him over the hump.
Ben Shelton rose to the occasion and rallied past Tiafoe for a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 win to book his spot in his first major final on Friday night in Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The 23-year-old American will face Alexander Zverev in Sunday’s final as he bids to become the first American man to win a major title since Andy Roddick in 2003.
Shelton also became the first black American man to reach the US Open final since legendary Arthur Ashe in 1972.
“He’s like a big brother,” Shelton said of Tiafoe. “To be honest, every time that we get to take this court together, Arthur Ashe, and play each other, it’s super special. But this is where we want to be, at the tail end of this tournament.
“This is both of our favorite tournament in the world, our favorite court in the world, and to be able to light it up in front of you guys is the best feeling that there is.”
Shelton cranked 20 aces and 47 winners against Tiafoe, and converted five break points to keep his nose ahead of Tiafoe ever since he leveled up at a set apiece.
Asked to compare himself to the Ben Shelton that played and lost the US Open semifinals in 2023, Shelton said:
“I think I’ve grown up. I’m more mature, more focused. I know what my goal is. I know what my job is out here, and I’m 100 percent committed to those goals.”
Shelton then referenced the Ashe glitterati that were in attendance on Friday night, a crowd that included Hollywood stars Adrian Brody, Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey, as well as NBA stars Jalen Brunson and Devin Booker.
“It’s not easy playing here on Arthur Ashe,” he said. “You’re playing in front of all your favorite athletes and movie stars, so to be able to keep your head down and focus for over three hours is not an easy task.
“I keep on looking up at the screen like, “Oh, shoot, Jalen Brunson’s here.”
After difficulties in the first set and a half, Shelton made it look easy. He made 75 percent of his first serves on the night, and secured 54 percent of his second serve points (compared to just 38 percent for Tiafoe).
Story of the Match
After dropping the opening set, Shelton moved ahead quickly in set two, breaking for set two, but was broken back in the next game.
Shelton sent a wicked first serve that exploded off the court and knocked Tiafoe off his feet while serving at 4-3, but he didn’t do much damage on return as the pair moved to the later stages deadlocked on serve.
Meanwhile, the tennis picked up, as both seemed to gain comfort in the mild conditions, amongst the A-list celebrities that peppered the packed stadium.
During a 17-shot rally, with Tiafoe serving at 3-4, 15-30, Shelton sent two gorgeous defensive lobs over his opponent’s head, but Tiafoe handled both and eventually won the point with a backhand pass.
Shelton persevered and won the next point to earn his second break point of the set, and faded a second serve return to elicit the forced error from Tiafoe to reclaim the break lead at 5-3.
Shelton served out the 34-minute second set to level the contest at a set apiece.
A 31-stroke and a 28-stroke rally highlighted the early stages of the third set and it was Shelton who consistently knocked on the door. The 23-year-old finally broke through with a backhand pass to break Tiafoe at love for 3-2.
Shelton kept pushing and found himself at set point with two hours and one minute on the match clock, Tiafoe serving at 3-5, 30-40.
11 minutes later, after many body blows were exchanged, Shelton converted his fourth set point to take the two sets to one lead.
Set four was tight as well, but it was Shelton once again who refused to lose.
In the final game of the match, with Tiafoe serving at 5-6, Shelton won the first three points to earn three match points. Tiafoe saved the first, but his second-serve floated into the net on the next to end the drama in three hours and 16 minutes.
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