Ben Shelton will face Alexander Zverev in the US Open final after rallying past Frances Tiafoe in an all-American semifinal. The 23-year-old carried the weight of history, seeking to end a 23-year drought since an American man last won a major. Shelton's victory over Tiafoe, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5, in front of nearly 24,000 fans on Arthur Ashe Stadium, marked his first major final.

The win came after defeating Carlos Alcaraz in a late-night thriller days earlier. Tiafoe embraced Shelton post-match as a "big brother" figure. Shelton declared, "I'm going for it here, and I'm going to leave it all on the court." The field appeared wide open with world No. 1 Jannik Sinner sidelined and Alcaraz returning from injury.