Ben Shelton was four points from his first grand slam final as his US Open 2026 men’s semi-final against Frances Tiafoe tightened late in the fourth set in New York.
Tiafoe led the match 6-4, 3-6, 3-6 before Shelton fought back to level the fourth set at 5-5. The pressure built quickly from there, with Shelton holding at love after four unreturnable serves to stay right in the contest.
Late-set tension in New York
The fourth set featured the kind of swing points that can decide a major semifinal. Shelton escaped danger with a hold that included his 16th ace, then added his 17th ace and 18th ace as he kept pushing Tiafoe back. One of those serves came at 133mph, another at 117mph, underlining how aggressive Shelton was when the match reached its biggest moments.
Tiafoe, meanwhile, had already shown his own resilience. During the fourth set, he escaped a point that had looked like triple break point with a lob winner, keeping the set alive and making Shelton continue to earn every chance. At one stage, Shelton had won 11 of the last 12 points, a burst that explained how quickly the momentum had shifted.
The second men’s semi-final at Arthur Ashe Stadium also carried extra context after the other semifinal result involving Zverev and Khachanov. But with Tiafoe and Shelton still locked in a tense fourth set, the immediate focus remained on whether Shelton could close the gap and reach his first grand slam final.
