grand slam

NEW YORK: Big-serving Ben Shelton overpowered US compatriot Frances Tiafoe in four sets on Friday to reach the first Grand Slam final of his career, booking a US Open title showdown with Alexander Zverev.

Eighth-seeded Shelton blasted 20 aces on his way to a thrilling 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 victory on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court.

Top seed Zverev held off 50th-ranked Russian Karen Khachanov 6-3, 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (8/6) to reach his third straight Grand Slam final – a run that delivered his maiden major at the French Open and saw him finish runner-up at Wimbledon.

Shelton – who took down defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-finals – will now have the chance to become the first American man to win a Grand Slam title since 2003, when Andy Roddick triumphed at the US Open.

“It’s a lot of emotion,” Shelton said in an on-court interview. “My dad, my mom have sacrificed a lot for me to be in this position today. My dad lost his mom earlier this year, and she’s the reason that he was able to play tennis.

“Without her, there’s no Ben Shelton standing here today. So this one is for her. And I’m gonna need you guys on Sunday to bring the energy. I’m going for it. I’m gonna leave it all on the court.”

Zverev is eager for the chance to play spoiler.

“Hopefully I can not make the American dream come true on Sunday,” the German said.

The pulsating all-American semi-final played out in front of a star-studded crowd, with tennis legends including Serena Williams, Stan Smith and Lindsey Davenport on hand along with actors Ben Stiller and Rami Malek and New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson.

Tiafoe claimed the first set after Shelton uncharacteristically double-faulted to trail at 5-4.

They traded breaks early in the second, but Shelton took advantage of Tiafoe’s increasingly erratic serve to break for a 5-3 lead and level the match.

The momentum was all with Shelton, who broke for a 3-2 lead then seized the set with a break in a marathon ninth game that went to deuce seven times.

The tension was mounting in the fourth set, but Shelton kept his composure as Tiafoe raised his level and gained the crucial break in the final game.

On Sunday he’ll be up against an experienced opponent in Zverev, who after laboring through two five-setters to open the tournament has steadily upped his game.

‘Anything but straightforward’

Zverev doused Khachanov’s hopes of reaching a first Grand Slam final, although the Russian – who fell to Zverev in the Olympic gold medal match in Tokyo in 2021 – put up a spirited challenge in the second and third sets.

“Straight-set win, but anything but straightforward,” Zverev said. “He played incredibly well, fought incredibly well.”

Khachanov denied Zverev on two set points in the second set tiebreaker with a thumping forehand and a brilliant backhand down the line before Zverev closed out the set.

Neither player mustered a break point in a tense third set. But when Khachanov took a 6-4 lead in the tiebreaker he surrendered both set points with forehand errors. Zverev came up with his 15th ace and sealed the win when Khachanov sent a forehand long.

“Second and third set I think it’s more than obvious that they could have gone both ways,” Zverev said. “I just played a few points better here and there.”

A somber note was struck during the national anthem ceremonies of both the day and night sessions on the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks that brought down the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York.

“It’s a difficult day to be out here playing,” Shelton said in his remarks to the crowd. “My thought and payers go out to all the families affected by 9/11.”

The women’s final is on Saturday, when Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina will try to deny Aryna Sabalenka a third straight title just days after ending the Belarusian’s near two-year reign atop the world rankings by reaching the semi-finals.

New York: Frances Tiafoe rallied from two sets down — and 3-0 down in the fifth set — to edge 22-year-old Alex Michelsen 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (10/6) and reach the US Open semi-finals on Tuesday.

American 11th seed Tiafoe had all he could handle from his 22-year-old compatriot, who hadn’t dropped a set in reaching the first Grand Slam quarter-final of his career.

But in a match of swinging momentum shifts, Tiafoe battled back from 5-3 down in the third set and recovered an early break in the fifth to reach his third US Open semi-final in five years.

Tiafoe clinched it in the 10-point match tiebreaker after four hours and 38 minutes, Michelsen weeping in the victor’s arms as they met at the net.

Tiafoe will face either defending champion Carlos Alcaraz or eighth-seeded American Ben Shelton for a place in Sunday’s championship match.

Michelsen came out swinging on Arthur Ashe Stadium against an uncharacteristically passive Tiafoe, who usually feeds on the energy of the crowd.

But when Michelsen found himself serving for the match at 5-4 in the third, his nerves betrayed him. Two double faults helped Tiafoe break back, and Tiafoe strung together seven straight games to close out the third set and seize control of the fourth.

Michelsen, who has yet to win a title on the ATP Tour, responded with an early break in the fifth set, but Tiafoe refused to fold.

“He gave me some gifts, a couple of double faults there,” Tiafoe said of his narrow escape in the third set.

“But then I slowly started to get my rhythm there, snuck out third set and slowly started playing better and better.

“But he is a hell of a player,” Tiafoe added. “He should have easily won today.”

When he had completed the comeback Tiafoe flung his arms into the air, then consoled a weeping Michelsen at the net.

“I was like, man, I know, I’ve been there,” Tiafoe told ESPN. “I know how much that hurts.”

NEW YORK: Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz will be under the microscope again on Sunday taking on 20th-seeded American Tommy Paul for a place in the US Open quarter-finals.

The Spaniard, playing his first tournament since a four-month absence with a wrist injury, acknowledges he has yet to play his best but says he’s “getting there” with both the sharpness of his shots and his on-court decision making.

He headlines a day that also features women’s two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka and third-ranked American Jessica Pegula — just one of the players with a chance to supplant Sabalenka atop the world rankings in New York.

Surprise Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova will try to continue her progress toward another Grand Slam against dangerous Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk while US hope Frances Tiafoe faces the always tricky former champion Daniil Medvedev.

AFP Sport looks at three matches to watch on Day 8 of the US Open:

Tommy Paul (USA x20) v Carlos Alcaraz (ESP x2)

Alcaraz leads head to head 6-2

— Although Alcaraz has dominated their meetings — Paul’s last win over the Spaniard was back in 2023 — the defending champion said the American is “really dangerous for everyone on the tour.

“The way he plays, the way he hits the ball, it’s really complicated to dominate the ball, dominate the points,” said Alcaraz, who won their last meeting in the Australian open quarter-finals on the way to the title that made him the youngest man to claim a career Grand Slam.

Alcaraz said he was looking forward to another great battle — and having some fun.

“We pull off great points, great shots,” he said. “It’s going to be really fun to watch, fun to play, as well.”

Ben Shelton (USA X8) v Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE)

Tsitsipas leads head to head 1-0

— A resurgent Tsitsipas has Shelton’s attention. The former top-five player from Greece upset red-hot Arthur Fils in the first round and ousted 18th-seeded Jiri Lehecka in the third and is deeper into a Grand Slam than he’s been in more than two years.

Playing pain free after back problems derailed his 2025 campaign, the two-time Grand Slam finalist is also working with a new coach, having replaced his father Apostolos in that role.

“I have been watching his matches,” Shelton said. “I think he’s playing great. I think that his style of tennis can be very, very effective on all surfaces, all-court game, great athlete.”

Shelton said his three four-set wins in the first three rounds — against Tallon Griekspoor, Hubert Hurkacz and Denis Shapovalov — had him well prepared for anything Tsitsipas might throw at him.

“I think this is a great way to start the tournament in terms of variety. I have dealt with a lefty, dealt with a big hitter, dealt with a feel guy, dealt with a massive server, dealt with a spot server, serve and volleyer.”

Aryna Sabalenka (BLR x1) v Taylor Townsend (USA)

First meeting

— Sabalenka knows she’ll be in hostile territory when she takes on 96th-ranked American Townsend on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“I think I’m ready for the crowd situation,” Sabalenka said. “She’s, I’d say, tricky player, because she brings the variety — comes to the net, really make you think during the game.”

Townsend is in the fourth round for a second straight year, but it has been anything but a straightforward 12 months for the 30-year-old, who says she has “been through a lot over this past year.” It hasn’t dimmed her desire to win, and Townsend said she was “pumped” to take on Sabalenka in a quest for a first Grand Slam singles quarter-final.

“I’m built for these moments,” Townsend, a three-time Grand Slam doubles winner, said. “I’m ready to take it. I’m ready to go.”

NEW YORK — Novak Djokovic grinded through physical and internal ailments, made one mistake after another and could not find what it took to beat a feisty, younger opponent who was not intimidated under the lights against tennis’ most decorated player.

The 39-year-old is out of the U.S. Open after a first-round defeat to Mariano Navone on Sunday night, losing 7-6 (5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 in a five-set marathon that lasted 4 hours and 36 minutes. It was the longest opening match of a Grand Slam in Djokovic’s career and became his earliest exit in one in two decades, dating to the 2006 Australian Open. He had never lost in the first round at the U.S. Open.

With this defeat, 21 years to the day of his U.S. Open debut, the question now lingers as to whether this was Djokovic’s final match at this or any Grand Slam.

Djokovic made 70 unforced errors in a painful performance that ended mere minutes before midnight.

The record holder with 24 major titles threw up at least once and later appeared to be cramping when he grabbed at his left foot. Djokovic swallowed pills brought to him by a doctor and had his lower back massaged during a medical timeout between the fourth and fifth sets, and he grimaced after several shots.

Throughout his time on court, it was clear Djokovic was not himself, and the wear and tear of sickness and soreness took its toll. The No. 4 seed from Serbia cruised to early 3-0 and 4-1 leads before blowing them and losing the first set — the first time that happened to him in the first round of the U.S. Open since ’06.

With his wife, Jelena, watching from the stands with worried looks on her face, Djokovic had moments where he looked like one of the best to play the sport. His fist pump was reserved after winning the second set, and he put his hand to his ear and gestured to the crowd for applause on the way to taking the third.

But Navone — a 25-year-old from Argentina who earlier this year won his first ATP singles title — did not go away. After firing a shot wide in the fourth set, Djokovic landed awkwardly and dropped his racket.

Djokovic all but conceded the fourth set. But he was unable to muster enough for what would have been his 43rd five-set victory as Navone picked up his first.

Whyno writes for the Associated Press.

Pinch-hitter Edmundo Sosa hit his first career grand slam with two outs in the ninth inning, and the Philadelphia Phillies roared back for a 5-3 victory over the Angels on Friday night.

Sosa connected just two batters after Wade Meckler reached deep into the right field stands to rob Bryson Stott of a three-run homer.

After J.T. Realmuto drew a walk that loaded the bases and chased shaky closer Ben Joyce (0-2), Sosa crushed a low changeup from Sammy Peralta 404 feet to center, far beyond Mike Trout‘s reach.

Alex McFarlane (4-1) pitched the eighth for the Phillies. Jonathan Bowlan got the ninth instead of closer Jhoan Duran, and he put two Angels on base before he struck out Adam Frazier to finish his second save.

Bryce Harper extended his on-base streak to a career-high 30 games with a bunt single in the fourth for Philadelphia, which improved to 2-2 on its nine-game West Coast trip. The Phillies also moved one game behind the Cubs for the top NL wild-card spot.

Reid Detmers yielded one run and eight hits over six resilient innings, but the AL-worst Angels lost their fifth straight with yet another bullpen implosion.

After Alec Bohm and Justin Crawford reached base without a hit off Joyce, Meckler appeared to save the game for the Angels with his spectacular running catch on Stott’s sinking fly, putting his body onto the waist-high wall of the short porch and sticking his glove in among the fans.

Instead, Sosa connected for the Phillies’ first go-ahead grand slam with two outs in the ninth inning since Shane Victorino did it in 2009.

Meckler drove in a run on the first pitch he saw in his return from the concussion injured list during a three-run first inning for the Angels, who managed just three singles — one after the first.

Andrew Painter recovered nicely from that 28-pitch first in which he threw two wild pitches that brought home Trout and Meckler, facing the minimum 15 batters during five hitless innings afterward.

Up next: Phillies All-Star Cristopher Sánchez (16-4, 2.62 ERA) takes the mound Saturday against the Angels’ Ryan Johnson (3-7, 5.75 ERA).