Shelton reaches first Grand Slam final, to face Zverev for US Open title

Ben Shelton defeated his close friend and compatriot Frances Tiafoe in a four-set semifinal on Friday night to reach his first Grand Slam final at the US Open. The eighth-seeded American won 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 at Arthur Ashe Stadium, setting up a championship match against top seed Alexander Zverev on Sunday. Shelton, 23, will now have the opportunity to become the first American man to win a Grand Slam singles title since Andy Roddick triumphed at the US Open in 2003. He is also the first Black American man to reach a US Open singles final since Arthur Ashe in 1972. The match was a tense, high-quality contest between two friends. Tiafoe, the 28-year-old crowd favorite, took the opening set after Shelton double-faulted on break point. However, Shelton rallied, producing 47 winners and 20 aces to seize control. He broke Tiafoe early in the second set and maintained his momentum, securing the decisive break at 6-5 in the fourth set when Tiafoe sent a double fault long. A notable moment of controversy occurred in the fourth set. With Shelton facing break point, chair umpire Aurelie Tourte did not intervene when Tiafoe indicated he was not ready to receive serve.