Alexander Zverev and Ben Shelton will meet in the US Open men’s singles final after contrasting semifinal victories set up a fascinating clash at Flushing Meadows.
Zverev, the top seed and world No. 2, stayed composed when the pressure rose to beat Karen Khachanov 6-3, 7-6(7), 7-6(6). Hours later, Shelton fought back from a set down to defeat fellow American Frances Tiafoe 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 and reach his first Grand Slam final.
The final gives both players a chance to write an important chapter in their careers. Zverev is looking to add the US Open trophy to the French Open title he won earlier this year, while Shelton is chasing his first major crown and carrying the hopes of American men’s tennis.
Zverev’s semifinal was a test of patience as much as power. Khachanov, ranked 50th in the world, refused to let the German pull away after losing the opening set. The Russian pushed both the second and third sets into tie-breaks, creating several tense moments.
Zverev, however, found a way through each time. His serving and powerful groundstrokes helped him stay in control when the margins became extremely narrow. The victory sent him into his second US Open final and his sixth Grand Slam final overall.
The German has also recovered impressively after a difficult start to the tournament. He needed five sets in each of his first two matches but has since won three straight matches without dropping a set. His 2026 season has already included his first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros, and another major final now gives him a chance to add to that breakthrough year.
Shelton’s route to the final has been far more dramatic.
The 23-year-old American had already produced one of the tournament’s biggest results by defeating two-time US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz in a late-night quarterfinal. He then had to face Tiafoe in an all-American semifinal that carried plenty of emotional weight for the home crowd.
Tiafoe started strongly and took the first set, but Shelton gradually turned the match around. His serve became increasingly difficult to handle, while his aggressive baseline game put Tiafoe under constant pressure. Shelton eventually closed out the four-set victory 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5.
The win has given American men’s tennis something it has been waiting for since Andy Roddick’s 2003 US Open triumph. Shelton is now one victory away from ending a 23-year wait for an American man to win a Grand Slam singles title.
His achievement is significant beyond the title race. Shelton has become the first Black American man to reach the US Open men’s singles final since Arthur Ashe in 1972. His run has therefore added another important dimension to a tournament that has already produced several historic moments.
The semifinal also marked another difficult US Open ending for Tiafoe. The 28-year-old was appearing in his third US Open semifinal and had been enjoying a strong return to form. His run will nevertheless take him back into the world’s top 10, with a career-high ranking of No. 8 expected after the tournament.
The upcoming US Open final presents Shelton with a particularly difficult challenge. Zverev has won all five of their previous meetings, giving the German a clear advantage in their head-to-head record. Shelton, though, has shown throughout this tournament that he is comfortable playing against highly ranked opponents.
His victory over Alcaraz, combined with his comeback against Tiafoe, has given the American plenty of belief heading into the biggest match of his career.
Zverev, meanwhile, will enter the final with the experience of having already played several Grand Slam championship matches. He reached the US Open final in 2020 and has since made deep runs at the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon. His French Open triumph earlier this year finally delivered the major title that had eluded him for years.
That experience could prove valuable against Shelton, who will be playing his first Grand Slam final.
The US Open final is therefore about more than just another trophy. Zverev has the chance to establish himself as one of the leading players of this generation, while Shelton can turn a breakthrough tournament into a defining moment for American tennis.
New York has already watched the two men take very different routes to the championship match. Now, with the title waiting, the power of Zverev’s established game will meet the energy and ambition of a young American who has refused to back down.
