Ben Shelton chases history

NEW YORK (AP):

Ben Shelton is playing for his first Grand Slam title, though he knows this US Open final is about more than what it means to him.

When he faces top seed Alexander Zverev today, Shelton will be trying to become the first American man to win a major title since Andy Roddick in 2003. He can also become the first black American man to win his country’s premier tennis tournament since Arthur Ashe in 1968.

That is a lot for a 23-year-old to contemplate, in addition to the fact that he is facing a player he has never beaten. Yet the eighth-seeded Shelton said he can handle it all.

“For me, this whole tournament now at this point has been unchartered territory. I’m in positions I’ve never been in before. I’ve beaten a guy or guys that I have never beaten before. I’m just excited to put it all out on the line,” Shelton said.

“Yes, I can think about how cool this moment is and what I’m playing for. At the end of the day, I’m here in New York, I’m hanging out with my team, I’m with my homies playing a little bit of tennis and I’ve been able to downplay the moment pretty well.”

Shelton has already made some history during his first run to a major final, outlasting defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a quarterfinal that ended at 3:33 a.m., the latest finish in US Open history. He then followed up with a semifinal victory over Frances Tiafoe, ensuring an American would reach the championship match.

Shelton was born in October 2002, nine months before Roger Federer won his first major title at Wimbledon. Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic soon joined him in dominating Grand Slam tennis, making it rare for an American man to have a realistic opportunity to win one during the ensuing 23 years.

Now Shelton finds himself in a position similar to the one Zverev occupied six years ago, trying to win his first Grand Slam title in New York.

The German came agonisingly close in 2020 before suffering a stunning collapse. He became the first man since 1949 to lose a US Open final after winning the opening two sets, falling to Dominic Thiem in a fifth-set tiebreak.

“I’ve played a lot of big matches since then,” Zverev said.

“Back then, of course, it was my first Grand Slam final. I was inexperienced. I was still a young guy, I would say. Yeah, just different. Everything is different.”

Now he has been the dominant force in Grand Slam tournaments during a season disrupted by injuries to Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. Zverev finally broke through for his first major title at the French Open before reaching the Wimbledon final, where he lost to Sinner. He is 24-2 in Grand Slam matches in 2026.

The 2020 final was played in an almost empty stadium, with fans barred because of the coronavirus pandemic. Arthur Ashe Stadium will be packed today, and the crowd is expected to be firmly behind Shelton.

Zverev said he welcomes the atmosphere.

The most hostile crowd

“I played a lot of French guys in France. I think the most hostile crowd, if you call it that, is when you are playing a French in Paris Bercy back in the day,” he said. “There was quite intense, and I always enjoyed those. I always enjoyed those kind of atmospheres.”

Zverev holds a 5-0 record against Shelton and has won 10 of their 11 sets, though they have not met this year.

Shelton possessed a dominant serve from the moment he arrived on tour, and the left-hander’s ability to deliver serves at more than 140 mph has long been a major weapon. His improvement in defence and longer rallies has helped transform him into a more complete player.

“I think Ben has been trending in the right direction throughout this year. I think four titles on different surfaces kind of is evidence of it,” said Bryan Shelton, his father and coach. “I think part of the reason is that he’s become more mature and more disciplined on the court. He’s willing to suffer a little bit in the rallies and go deeper and really use his athleticism.”

Ben Shelton met up after his victory on Thursday with Jalen Brunson, the NBA Finals MVP who led the New York Knicks to their first championship since 1973. Brunson told Shelton he would be back to watch the final.

Perhaps he will witness the end of another lengthy drought.