Ben Shelton’s surge to first U.S. Open Final: The big wins that got him there

After 28 tiring sets across seven individual matches, Gator alum Ben Shelton’s first appearance in a Grand Slam final was cut short. His historic run at the U.S. Open was characterized by new records, first appearances, outstanding performances and heartbreak.  

Despite a valiant effort, No. 8 Ben Shelton was defeated by No. 1 Alexander Zverev in a four-set bout 6-3, 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2 on Sunday at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, New York. 

The Gator began his fifth appearance at the U.S. Open on Aug. 31 as the No. 8 seed. He started the tournament against Tallon Griekspoor in a four-set battle. The first set was over in just 28 minutes as the Dutchman recorded a 6-1 victory.

The American didn’t take long to regain control, however. He took the second set with his own 6-1 win. However, the third frame did not come as easily. On deuce point of the first game, Shelton took the first point on a fake-out shot that sent his opponent guessing the wrong way.

As the set kept going back and forth, Griekspoor tried lobbing shots over Shelton, but the former Gator’s athleticism excelled. You could also see this athleticism as he came closer to the net and established his dominant six-foot-four presence, with unreturnable slams.

Though Griekspoor stayed close behind Shelton, each time it looked like momentum shifted in his favor, Shelton reminded him whose match it was. The American took the seven-point tiebreaker 7-6(3) as the Dutchman double-faulted for a sixth time. Shelton built off that newfound confidence and finished the match 6-2, tallying 12 aces and 112 points won.

Just two days later, Shelton found himself facing Hubert Hurkacz in the second round. He took the first set 6-3 after working Hurkacz around the court with a mix of soft shots and fast forehands. But the Pole quickly put on a similar show of his own, sending Shelton scrambling around the court to survive. Hurkacz ultimately equalized the match with a 7-5 second-set victory.

The third set featured more shoe squeaks, and despite being down most of the set, Shelton forced yet another seven-point tiebreaker. He took an early 3-0 lead and continued his aggressive attacking style to win 7-6(3). Despite recording his lowest ace count of the entire tournament with just six and tanking the 14 that came his way, Shelton advanced to the third round with a 7-5 win over Hurkacz.

With momentum at his back, the Gator fought whatever opponent lined up in front of him. This time it was a familiar foe, Denis Shapovalov. Just like at the Dallas Open, the Canadian proved a worthy opponent for Shelton, opening the match with a 4-2 lead. But as the American won five straight points and fought back in various deuce points, he snuck out of the first set with a 7-6(3) victory over Shapovalov.

Even though Shelton went up 5-3 in the second frame, Shapovalov fought back with sideline winners and an efficient 92% first-serve win percentage to come back and win 7-6(5). But as Shelton continued to tack on more aces, the remaining sets proved too difficult for the Canadian to mount a comeback. In the opening of the fourth set, Shelton miraculously returned what was almost guaranteed to be an ace. The Gator pushed forward to take the last two sets, 6-3, 6-4.

Finally, after 12 long sets across three long matches, Shelton had found himself in the Round of 16 at the U.S. Open for the first time since 2023. This time, he faced 28-year-old Stefanos Tsitsipas and made quick work of him. For the second consecutive match, the American recorded at least 12 aces. These aces, paired with his precise shots, brought him the victory in straight sets for the first and only time in the tournament, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4.

But what was to come was no easy feat – potentially one of his hardest matches yet. Shelton continued to man the center court at Arthur Ashe Stadium against one of the most decorated tennis players of this decade, No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz.

As the match began and both athletes began to go toe-to-toe, it was clear the matchup would be stretched into a fifth-set tiebreaker. With both players displaying freak athleticism and world-class volleys, Alcaraz took the first step to victory as he won the first frame 7-6(5).

In the next set, Shelton knew he had to use one of his greatest strengths to retake control. Through his serve, he did exactly that. He carved up eight total aces throughout the match with multiple reaching speeds of 140-plus mph. Shelton evened out the match with a dominant 6-1 second-frame victory. From there, he kept pushing, even through various deuce-point games, to win the third frame 6-3.

But the Spaniard was not going down that easily. Alcaraz returned the favor with his own dominant 6-1 set win, forcing a dramatic game-deciding fifth set. As the Gator adjusted to a rapid game of sideline winners, service box control and conservative play, he outlasted the Spaniard in a close 10-point tiebreak, with his signature ace – a 146 mph slam – bringing him the win 7-6(7).

This upset was both the first time Alcaraz lost to an American in a Grand Slam Tournament and to a left-hander. He had been 13-0 and 14-0, respectively, prior to the match.

With this win under his belt, it seemed like Shelton could go all the way. But to reach the finals, he had to go through fellow American, No. 11 Frances Tiafoe. As Shelton’s aggressive playstyle met Tiafoe’s consistent longevity, Tiafoe took the first set 6-4. Again, Shelton knew he had to play to his advantage, and marked the second set with five consecutive aces, winning the second frame 6-3.

The third set was characterized by a rather long deuce point and eventual 15-minute-long final game that ended in another Shelton 6-3 win. Despite Tiafoe’s durability in the semifinal match, Shelton's combined 20 aces and difficult shots were deemed too hot to handle, as Shelton secured the straight-set victory 7-5 in the fourth and final frame.

Not only did this victory bring personal gain for Shelton, as it was his first time ever advancing to a Grand Slam Final, but it also brought historical value. The victory marked just the second time an African American man reached the finals, beside Arthur Ashe. The match also made history for the first time two black Americans played in the semifinals at the U.S. Open.

Yet, Shelton’s hardest challenge still awaited him: No. 1 Zverev in the finals of the U.S. Open on Sunday. Shelton’s double-fault to open the first set, showed signs of what was to come. Both men matched each other in playstyle as they both created difficult circumstances for their opponents. Shelton’s thunderous slams were matched by Zverev’s very own 139-mph serves. The two remained very close throughout the match in aces, with the German recording nine and the American on top with 10.

After taking the first two sets 6-3 and 7-6(2), Zverev looked to put the game away in straight sets, but Shelton wouldn’t allow that. He played more patiently near the baseline and stepped up when he needed to. This worked in his favor as he took the third frame 7-5.

But as Zverev improved his serve percentage and looked to put the game away, his ability to transition between attack and defense displayed exactly why he was seeded No. 1 in the tournament. He forced Shelton to the net and delivered shots that were unhittable. As the Gator alum continued to tire, Shelton eventually fell 6-2 in the fourth and final set of the tournament. The win marked Zverev’s second Grand Slam title of the 2026 season and Shelton’s first Grand Slam title finals loss. 

After a long and hard-fought U.S. Open tournament, Shelton will look to avenge his loss in the Laver Cup on Sept. 25-27 in London, Great Britain.

Contact Ethan Feinberg at efeinberg@alligator.org. Follow him on X @thefeinline.

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