Ben Shelton advanced to the US Open final and will face Alexander Zverev of Germany for the men's singles title, marking a high point in his breakout run.
Shelton clinched his place by defeating fellow American Frances Tiafoe in the semifinal, winning four sets to one with a scoreline of 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5.
The result makes Shelton the first Black American man to reach the US Open final in more than half a century, a milestone that has prompted comparisons to the trailblazing career of Arthur Ashe.
A Shelton victory would also return a major men's singles trophy to the US, an outcome not seen since the era of Andy Roddick, and it has reawakened attention on the tournament venue named after Ashe at Flushing Meadows.
Remembering Arthur Ashe and His Broader Legacy
Ashe stands as the first Black man to win a grand slam singles title and remains the only Black man to have won the US Open singles title, a landmark that still resonates with fans and players.
He learned tennis on segregated courts in Richmond, Virginia, and after early coaching from Ronald Charity he continued under lifelong coach Walter Johnson, eventually earning a full scholarship to UCLA.
Ashe became the first Black player named to the US national Davis Cup team and later served as its captain, achievements that paralleled his success on court, including a five-set win over Tom Okker for his signature title.
He used his profile to challenge injustices beyond sport. After being denied a visa to South Africa because of apartheid, he successfully pressed for that country's exclusion from Davis Cup competition and later traveled there to document segregation in his memoir Days of Grace.
Ashe co-founded the National Junior Tennis League, Artists and Athletes Against Apartheid and the Association of Tennis Professionals. He took part in demonstrations and was arrested during protests on multiple occasions.
Following a heart-bypass surgery that left him infected by tainted blood, he went public with his HIV diagnosis at a press conference with his wife, and he launched organizations focused on AIDS and urban health.
He died of AIDS-related pneumonia, and tributes at his funeral reflected his enduring impact. Pam Shriver told the New York Times that Ashe "brought a level of conscience to the game," and Andrew Young said he "took the burden of race and wore it as a cloak of dignity."
