Ben Shelton will face more than Alexander Zverev when he steps onto the court for Sunday’s U.S. Open final. The American is chasing an end to a 23-year Grand Slam title drought for U.S. men, a 51-year wait for a Black American man to win a major, and his own losing history against his opponent at Flushing Meadows.
The numbers are daunting, and together they paint a difficult picture.
Yet Shelton has not been intimidated by the stakes.
“For me, this whole tournament now at this point has been uncharted territory,” Shelton said. “I’m in positions I’ve never been in before. I’ve beaten guys that I’ve never beaten before. I’m just excited to put it all out on the line. 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, hanging out with my team, with my homies, playing a little tennis. And I’ve been able to downplay the moment pretty well.”
There is plenty for the 22-year-old to absorb after his breakthrough run to a first Grand Slam final. Shelton is the first Black American man to reach a major final since MaliVai Washington made Wimbledon’s championship match in 1996, and the first to do so at the U.S. Open since Arthur Ashe in 1972.
Still, simply reaching the final is not where Shelton wants the story to end.
A victory would snap a run of 90 consecutive majors without an American men’s champion. It would also make Shelton the first U.S. man to win a Grand Slam title since Andy Roddick at the 2003 U.S. Open, while ending the wait for a Black American male major champion that has stood since Ashe won Wimbledon in 1975.
For Shelton, those layers of history have not appeared to create added pressure.
Growing more composed both on the court and away from it, Shelton enters the U.S. Open final with a perfect 4-0 record in title matches this year.
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“Don’t want to jinx him here, but if you look at his record throughout his career, he’s played well on Sundays,” Shelton’s father/coach Bryan said. “That’s where he wants to be. He feels like he’s going to play his best tennis at the end of [tournaments]. So, glad he has a chance at the U.S. Open.”
This tournament is a different test from the ATP Masters 1000 Canada, Stuttgart, Munich and Dallas. And the top-seeded Zverev is a different challenge. But Shelton is in a good headspace coming into their meeting.
“I think I handle these big situations I have in my career pretty well. I feel that confidence and belief take over,” Shelton said. “The nerves are always there. It’s something you’ve got to lean into. The nerves are as much there in the first round for me as in the semifinals, and I’m sure the finals will be the same. It’s something you’ve got to be able to overcome.
“But for me, I’m having fun. I’m playing against the No. 1 seed, Grand Slam final, playing against a Grand Slam champion trying to get my first. It’s a lot of reasons that this is an enjoyable moment for me and knowing I can leave it all out there on the court and push myself to the absolute limit in every way and see what I can do is an exciting, exciting thought.”
Shelton is 0-5 against his veteran foe. But the big-hitting lefty has Zverev’s attention.
“Ben is a big, powerful guy,” Zverev said. “Massive serve, massive groundstrokes. Everything he does is just big.”
The head-to-head history bodes ill for Shelton. The Floridian won the opening set of their first meeting back in 2024 but hasn’t taken one since.
But after being winless against Stefanos Tsitsipas and Carlos Alcaraz, Shelton beat both in this tourney. After having lost to Frances Tiafoe here two years ago, Shelton beat him in the semifinals to get to Sunday.
“Problem-solving has been the name of the game here,” Shelton said. “I was 0-1 against Stef, 0-3 against Carlos. [Tiafoe] beat me the last time we played on this court. It’s been a lot of uphill battle, so I’m fully ready for the challenge to problem-solve.
“I’m a different player. I have so many more tools. I feel like I know my identity, am comfortable in my own skin, and I know what it takes for me to be playing top-level tennis. … So, I’m looking forward to the challenge, being able to problem-solve on Sunday. I know what I’m up against, and I’m also the most confident I’ve ever been in my game.”