Ben Shelton defeated Frances Tiafoe in a thrilling All-American match to advance to the semifinals of the 2023 US Open. The 20-year-old Shelton secured a 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (9-7), 6-2 victory, earning his first-ever Grand Slam semifinal appearance. Shelton becomes the youngest American to reach the last four of the US Open since Michael Chang in 1992.
The match concluded late on Tuesday night, with loud cheers filling Arthur Ashe Stadium as Shelton celebrated his win.
“I feel like I left everything out on the court tonight. It was an emotional battle,” Shelton said in his post-match interview. “Thanks to all of you for staying so late. The atmosphere was incredible, and your support helped push me over the finish line.”
Shelton took the first set, but No. 10 seed Tiafoe, who reached the semifinals last year, fought back in the second set. The third set required a tiebreak to determine the leader. Despite Tiafoe’s previous perfect record in tiebreaks for the tournament, Shelton was able to break that streak and carry the momentum into the final set.
“Sometimes you have to turn off your brain, close your eyes, and just swing,” Shelton said. “Maybe that’s what happened on set point, but it worked out. Some might call it clutch, but I’m not sure about that.”
This match at Flushing Meadows marked only the second time that two black Americans faced each other in the US Open and the first time in the quarterfinals.
Shelton’s season has been inconsistent, but entering Tuesday’s match, he was already the youngest American man to reach the quarterfinals since Andy Roddick in 2002. No American man has won a Grand Slam title since Roddick in the 2003 US Open, and none have reached a final since 2009.
Shelton turned pro just before last year’s US Open, after being the 2022 NCAA singles champion. In the past two years, he has climbed the rankings from No. 802 to No. 165. Following his performance in this tournament, he will be ranked at least No. 19 in the world next week.
Shelton now has a chance to end the drought for US men, but he will first have to face world No. 2 Novak Djokovic in the semifinals.
During an on-court interview, Shelton was asked about the upcoming match, and he asked the crowd to continue supporting him.
“Yeah, he has won 23 of these, something like that?” he said. “It doesn’t get much better than that. It’s been tough. The last two matches, I’ve been playing Americans, but hopefully, you guys bring it for me two nights from now.”
