Ben Shelton is coming off a huge confidence-boosting win over defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-finals, and that victory should give him plenty of belief heading into this matchup. Frances Tiafoe, meanwhile, has not been at his best and underwent surgery just last month, raising further questions about his current physical condition.
Shelton Chases A Maiden US Open Final
- Tiafoe is 0–2 in semifinal matches at the US Open.
- He is currently on a five-match winning streak against Top 10 players.
- Shelton is 0–2 in quarterfinal matches at Grand Slam tournaments.
- He has won 15 of his last 17 matches against fellow Americans.
HTH - Ben Shelton leads 3-1
| Year | Tournament | Round | Surface | Winner | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Washington | QF | Hard | Shelton | 7-6(2), 6-4 |
| 2024 | US Open | 3R | Hard | Tiafoe | 4-6, 7-5, 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-3 |
| 2024 | Houston | F | Clay | Shelton | 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 |
| 2023 | US Open | QF | Hard | Shelton | 6-2, 3-6, 7-6(7), 6-2 |
Tiafoe Survives Michelsen Thriller to Keep New York Dream Alive
Frances Tiafoe made a dramatic comeback against Alex Michelsen to secure his place in the semifinals at the US Open, winning 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6. He even trailed 0-3 in the deciding set before raising his level once again to complete the comeback.
He has now become only the second player in the Open Era to reach his first three Grand Slam semifinals at the same tournament, joining Kei Nishikori, with all three of Tiafoe's appearances coming at the US Open.
The American started the North American swing with early exits in Washington and Montreal while also dealing with fitness issues and undergoing surgery to remove a cyst from his wrist. However, he quickly turned things around by reaching the final in Cincinnati before continuing his run into the US Open semifinals.
Tiafoe has played four semifinals on tour this year and won three of them, including victories over Brandon Nakashima in Acapulco and Cincinnati. With this run, he will also achieve a new career-high ranking of No. 8 next week.
He lost his previous two Grand Slam quarterfinals, both at the US Open in 2022 and 2024, against Carlos Alcaraz and Taylor Fritz respectively, with both matches going to five sets. With his incredible momentum this week, he will be looking to finally go one step further.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Age | Born 20 January 1998 |
| Plays | Right-handed |
| World Ranking | No. 12 |
| Career High | No. 10 (19 June 2023) |
| Elo Ranking | No. 15 |
| Tour-Level Titles | 4 |
Shelton Ends Alcaraz's Five-Set Streak in Stunning Upset
Ben Shelton eliminated defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in five sets to reach the semifinals at the US Open, winning 6-7, 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6. He saved eight of the 11 break points he faced and converted five of the 16 he created.
With this victory, Shelton ended Alcaraz's 12-match winning streak in five-set Grand Slam matches and reached his second US Open semifinal. He previously reached this stage in 2023 but lost to Novak Djokovic in straight sets.
Apart from a few disappointing losses, Shelton has posted solid results throughout the North American swing, defending his title at the Canadian Open, reaching the quarterfinals in Washington and now making another deep run in New York.
The American has played four semifinals this year and won all four, converting each victory into a title.
Like his compatriot, Shelton has reached two Grand Slam semifinals before and lost both. Both defeats came against Top 2 opponents, against Jannik Sinner at the Australian Open in 2025 and Novak Djokovic at the US Open in 2023.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Age | Born 9 October 2002 |
| Plays | Left-handed |
| World Ranking | No. 9 |
| Career High | No. 5 (10 November 2025) |
| Elo Ranking | No. 7 |
| Tour-Level Titles | 7 |