Shelton and Zverev to meet in U.S. Open final

American Ben Shelton and German Alexander Zverev have advanced to the final of the U.S. Open following their respective semi-final victories on Friday in New York. The 23-year-old Shelton defeated compatriot Frances Tiafoe with a score of 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5, marking his first appearance in a Grand Slam final. Earlier in the day, top-seeded Zverev secured his place in the final by overcoming Russian Karen Khachanov in straight sets, 6-3, 7-6, 7-6.

Shelton aims to become the first American man to win a Grand Slam singles title since Andy Roddick in 2003. His progression to the final is historic, as he is the first Black American man to reach this stage at the U.S. Open since Arthur Ashe in 1972. The tournament semi-finals also included commemorations for the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, featuring a tribute ceremony at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The final match is scheduled for Sunday. Zverev enters the match seeking his second major title after previously finishing as the runner-up in 2020, while Shelton enters following a notable tournament run that included a five-set victory over Carlos Alcaraz. Both players are now preparing for the championship match.