Ben Shelton has reached the final of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time – in an emotional moment, he dedicated the victory to his grandmother.
Ben Shelton will face Alexander Zverev in the US Open final. The American defeated his compatriot Frances Tiafoe 4–6, 6–3, 6–3, 7–5 in the semi-finals and has reached the final of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time.
The eighth-seeded left-hander Shelton, who had knocked out defending champion Carlos Alcaraz – who was returning from injury – in the quarter-finals, could become the first American since Andy Roddick in 2003 to win a major singles title.
US Open: Shelton emotional after reaching final
“This is very emotional,” said Shelton after the match. “My mum and dad have sacrificed a lot so that I can be standing here today. My dad lost his mum at the start of the year, and she’s the reason he was able to play tennis in the first place. Without her, Ben Shelton wouldn’t be standing here today. That’s why I’m dedicating this victory to her. And on Sunday, I’ll need you all to give me energy.”
Shelton, however, has a disastrous record against the top-seeded Zverev: the 23-year-old has lost all five of their encounters, managing to take just one set off the Hamburg native. In Sunday’s final (8.00 pm CEST), however, Shelton can count on the support of nearly 24,000 tennis fans at Arthur Ashe Stadium, the world’s largest tennis arena. “I’ll give it my all. I’ll leave everything I’ve got on the court,” he promised.
Shelton also demonstrated his strong form against Tiafoe, a form that had been hinted at during his Masters triumph in Montréal in early August. In the world rankings, Shelton is set to make a huge leap from number nine to number four – a position he has never held before.