Big hitter Ben Shelton blasted his way past fellow-American Frances Tiafoe to advance to the US Open semifinals. He struck his groundstrokes with venom, drawing appreciative gasps from the huge crowd. He prevailed over four sets 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (7), 6-2, easing into the semi-finals.
With this hard-earned victory over another American, Shelton, aged 20, became the youngest American after Michael Chang thirty-one years ago in 1992 to reach the US Open men’s semi-finals. He is next up against perhaps the greatest player ever of the modern era, Novak Djokovic. Djokovic has won 23 Grand Slams in his career.
Ben Shelton, ranked 47th is yet to win his 1st ATP title. He spoke of the tiring win over Tiafoe and said that he felt like he had left everything out here. It was an emotional clash, and he thanked the spectators for staying out late to watch the game.
The US Open is one of the most watched events in the American sporting calendar. And any all-American game is sure to increase the buzz surrounding it. It was a capacity crowd at New York’s Arthur Ashe Stadium that witnessed the riveting battle that could have gone either way till the third set.
Ben Shelton Could End 20-Year Drought For America
It is the first contest in over 15 years that features two Black Americans fighting it out on the biggest tennis venue in the world that again is named after a Black. Back in 2008, Donald Young and James Black met in the first round of the US Open. But this time around there was much more at stake. Ben Shelton is one win away from the finals. But Djokovic stands in the way of a 2-decade drought for Americans.
Tiafoe had a dream run to the semifinals last year. This year he dropped only a set before he ran into Ben Shelton and lost the very first set. But despite winning the next, he had no answer for Shelton’s powerful forehand. It was finally in the fourth game that Ben Shelton broke Tiafoe twice before finally holding serve at 5-2 for the big win.
