Tiafoe and Shelton set for historic US Open semifinal

Frances Tiafoe defeated Alex Michelsen in a five-set quarterfinal on Tuesday, while Ben Shelton upset Carlos Alcaraz in another five-setter that finished after 3 a.m. Their victories set up a semifinal on Friday that will be the first all-African American men's match in US Open history. The winner will advance to the final on Sunday with the chance to become the first Black American man to win the US Open singles title since Arthur Ashe captured the inaugural Open-era tournament in 1968.

"That’s tennis," Tiafoe told reporters after his win. "You’re going to win some, you’re going to lose some."

"This is the greatest moment on the tennis court of my life," Shelton said at his post-match press conference.

Tiafoe, 28, previously reached the US Open semifinals in 2022 and 2024, losing both times in five sets. Shelton, 23, is making his third Grand Slam semifinal after straight-set defeats in his earlier appearances at the 2023 US Open and the 2024 Australian Open. Both players have risen in popularity, drawing support from fans who relate to their personal backgrounds—Tiafoe’s parents fled civil war in Sierra Leone, and Shelton transitioned from college tennis to the professional tour.

If either player wins the final, it would end a 58-year gap without a Black male champion at the US Open and add to the growing representation of Black athletes in the sport.