Tiafoe and Shelton set for historic US Open men’s semi-final

Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton are scheduled to face each other in the US Open men’s semi-final at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The match marks the third encounter between the two American players in New York in four years, with Shelton holding a 3-1 edge in their head-to-head record.

The victor will become the first Black American man to reach a US Open singles final since Arthur Ashe in 1972 and the first to reach any Grand Slam final since MaliVai Washington at Wimbledon in 1996. He will also join a short list of American men who have reached the New York final this century, which includes Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick and Taylor Fritz.

Both competitors survived dramatic five-set quarter-finals. Tiafoe recovered from two sets down against Alex Michelsen, winning 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (6) to reach his third US Open semi-final in five years, tying Andre Agassi for the most appearances by an American man this century. Shelton defeated defending champion Carlos Alcaraz 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (7) in a match that ended after 3:33 a.m., ending Alcaraz’s 18-match Grand Slam winning streak and giving Shelton his first win over a top-three opponent.

The winner will advance to a Sunday final against Alexander Zverev, offering a chance to end the United States’ 23-year drought without a men’s major champion.

"The first ball will not be at 7 p.m. local time as scheduled while Ashe changes over for the separately ticketed night session," the announcer noted, adding that an approximate start time will be provided later.