Ben Shelton has reached his first Grand Slam final at the US Open.
Shelton came from a set down to beat his compatriot Frances Tiafoe 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 to reach the US Open final.
It was not all straightforward for Shelton, who was furious with the chair umpire during the fourth set of the match.
After overcoming these frustrations, Shelton addressed the crowd on Arthur Ashe Stadium and made a request ahead of the US Open final against Alexander Zverev.
Ben Shelton says he ‘is going to need’ the American crowd vs Alexander Zverev
Shelton spoke to former ATP player Chris Eubanks in the on-court interview after reaching the US Open final, where he initially spoke about how special it was to play a friend like Tiafoe.
“Yeah, I mean first on Foe. He’s like a big brother to me,” began Shelton. “To be honest, every time we get to take to this court together on 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 favourite tournaments in the world, our favourite court in the world, and to be able to light it up in front of you guys it is the best feeling that a player has.”
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Shelton had been in a US Open semi-final before, but he was on the wrong end of the result when he faced Novak Djokovic in 2023.
When asked about what was different about himself three years on, Shelton stated that he is a much more mature player now at 23 years old.
“I think I’ve grown up,” answered Shelton. “I’m more mature, I’m more focused, I know what my goal is, I know what my job is out here and I’m 100% committed to those goals.
“It is not easy playing out here on Arthur Ashe, playing in front of all your favourite athletes and movie stars, so to be able to keep your head down and focus is not an easy task. I kept on looking up on the screen and was like oh shoot, Jalen Brunson’s [NBA player] here.”
Shelton will now be attempting to become the first American man to win a Grand Slam title since Andy Roddick won the US Open in 2003.
Ahead of his first Grand Slam final against top seed Zverev, Shelton requested American fans to show up in full voice for the championship match on Sunday.
“It’s a lot of emotion,” said Shelton. “My dad and my mom have sacrificed a lot for me to be in this position today. My dad lost his mom earlier this year and she was the reason he was able to play tennis. Without her there is no Ben Shelton standing here today, so this one is for her.
“And I’m going to need you guys on Sunday to bring the energy. I’m going for it, I’m leaving it all on court, let’s do it for the USA!”
Ben Shelton vs Alexander Zverev Head-to-Head
Shelton will certainly need to utilise the home support against Zverev, against whom he has lost all five previous matches.
This includes four straight sets defeats, with Shelton’s last defeat to Zverev coming at the ATP Finals last year.
Zverev has an impeccable record against left-handed players like Shelton, having won 44 of his last 45 matches against them.
| Year | Tournament | Result |
| 2024 | Cincinnati Open (QF) | Zverev beat Shelton, 3-6 7-6(3) 7-5 |
| 2025 | BMW Open – Munich (F) | Zverev beat Shelton, 6-2 6-4 |
| 2025 | Stuttgart Open (SF) | Zverev beat Shelton, 7-6(8) 7-6(1) |
| 2025 | Cincinnati Open (QF) | Zverev beat Shelton, 6-2 6-2 |
| 2025 | ATP Finals (RR) | Zverev beat Shelton, 6-3 7-6(6) |
Despite the overwhelming head-to-head record, this will be the first time that Shelton and Zverev have played each other at a Grand Slam.
Shelton and Zverev will compete for the US Open men’s singles title at 2pm New York time on Sunday, September 13.
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