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Frances Tiafoe was right when he said his U.S. Open quarterfinal match against fellow American Ben Shelton was going to be a win for tennis, as it marked the first time two Black men had faced one another so deep into the tournament.
But Tiafoe, ranked 10th in the world, was on the losing end of the historic contest as Shelton came out on top in the biggest match of his young career.
The 20-year-old stunned Tiafoe 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (9), 6-2 in front of a dedicated late-night crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium to secure a spot in the semifinals of a Grand Slam for the first time.
In the process, Shelton also became the youngest American male to reach the Open semis since Michael Chang in 1992.
Awaiting Shelton is World No. 2 Novak Djokovic, who turned pro when the young American was just a year old.
The significance of the match between Tiafoe and Shelton was not lost on either player, but Shelton was fueled by emotion, and it powered him to victory.
Shelton said the 25-year-old Tiafoe has been like a brother to him since he has been on tour, so it was a meaningful win for a multitude of reasons.
Forty minutes into the match, Tiafoe had lost a set for just the second time in the 2023 U.S. Open.
After the players traded off the first four games, Shelton finally broke Tiafoe’s serve and bulldozed through the next four games to win the opening set.
But Tiafoe tightened up, committing just six unforced errors in comparison to Shelton’s eight (and two double faults), to win the second set, even the score, and remain competitive.
After Shelton took a 3-1 lead in the third set, Tiafoe charged back before the two traded off games to force a tiebreaker.
Neither player led by more than two points in the tiebreak, but Shelton generated the majority of the action — both good and bad — until two unforced errors from Tiafoe handed the Gainesville, Fla., native the third frame.
Shelton then put his hand to his ear as the Ashe crowd roared for him.
The unrelenting power with which Shelton struck each ball through the hot and thick air ground Tiafoe down as the match progressed.
And when Shelton broke Tiafoe’s serve in the first game of the fourth set, he pretty much had the victory on his racket.
Both players are known for a powerful service game, which has been on full display the past couple of weeks in Flushing Meadows.
Shelton, however, held the edge Tuesday night.
Finishing with 14 aces and posting a 77-win percentage on first serves, Shelton was largely a force from the baseline.
The 11 double faults show just how aggressive Shelton was on his serve, but since Tiafoe was far from his best self, the young player’s mistakes didn’t impact him as much as they could’ve.
After whipping a forehand shot out of Tiafoe’s reach for match point, Shelton pretended to answer a phone.
It was the semifinals, and Djokovic, the three-time U.S. Open champion, calling.
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