Ben Shelton poised to end 23-year US men's Grand Slam drought at US Open
Twenty-three years after Andy Roddick's 2003 US Open win, 23-year-old Ben Shelton reached the final and could become the first American man to claim a Grand Slam title since then.
American teenager Ben Shelton advanced to the US Open final after defeating fellow U.S. player Frances Tiafoe in the semifinals, putting him one match away from ending a 23-year Grand Slam title drought for U.S. men. Shelton, a former NCAA champion, has captured four tour titles this season, including the Canadian Open, and is ranked fourth in the world.
The 6-foot-4 left-hander said he would rely on crowd support for the championship match. > "It's a lot of emotion. I'm going to need you guys on Sunday to bring this energy. I'm going for it here. I'm going to leave it all on the court. I hope you guys come and back me. Let's do this for the USA."
His opponent in the final, No. 1 seed Alexander Zverev, won his first Grand Slam at the French Open earlier in the year and is considered the main challenger. Shelton expressed confidence ahead of the match. > "It'll be amazing to play in front of this crowd, feel their energy, be able to ride that wave. I haven't had success against Zverev in the past, but that doesn't scare me. This is the perfect opportunity to put it all on the line."
Shelton's rise has been credited to a focused coaching partnership with his father, former pro Bryan Shelton, who transitioned from collegiate coaching to full-time mentorship. Their long-term development plan emphasized enhancing Shelton's serve, forehand and net play while improving his return game. If he wins, Shelton would become the first American man to capture a Grand Slam title since Roddick, ending a two-decade period of near-misses by players such as John Isner, Mardy Fish, Sam Querrey and Taylor Fritz.