The Men’s 2026 US Open is in the home stretch, with the semifinal matches scheduled for Friday, September 11th. Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton will collide in an all-American showdown, while Alexander Zverev and Karen Khachanov occupy the other side of the bracket.
For American tennis fans, this year’s final four should be especially exciting. It has been over 20 years since an American man has won the slam on home soil, last happening in 2003 by Andy Roddick. This year represented one of the best opportunities in recent tennis for one of the Americans to get it done.
Going into the US Open, it was apparent the field wasn’t as strong as past slams. The absence of Jannik Sinner, and Carlos Alcaraz coming back from a long injury break, allowed for a more even playing field. Half of this proved to be true through the first week at the US Open. Yes, there was no Sinner, but Alcaraz proved that his time away from the game might’ve made him even stronger.
Each of these players in the final four endured hard-fought paths to the top of their respective quarters, but some were more memorable than others.
Perhaps the match of the tournament occurred in the quarterfinals between Shelton and Alcaraz. After losing the first set in a tiebreaker, Shelton entered what he’s been referring to as “flow state”. At one point, winning nine games in a row against the defending US Open champion, Shelton managed to take the match to a fifth set. The final set was everything a tennis fan could’ve asked for. With every point, Arthur Ashe Stadium would erupt, no matter who came out ahead after the fact. Shelton eventually crossed the finish line first, winning 10-7 in the tiebreaker.
This victory marks one of the biggest moments in Shelton’s young career and positions him in a semifinal match against a familiar opponent. There’s no doubt the momentum is rolling for Shelton; it’s going to be difficult for anyone remaining to stop this freight train.
Tiafoe also made his mark in his quarterfinal win over young American Alex Michelsen. After dropping the first two sets, it seemed Tiafoe’s game wasn’t in a good enough spot to get it done. Big Foe then found a way to win the next two sets, forcing a final set that saw both Michelsen and Tiafoe playing their best tennis of the match. In the back-and-forth deciding set, the two managed to go to a tiebreaker, with Tiafoe pulling through in the end with a 10-6 tiebreak victory.
Both of these matches combined for over nine hours of tennis, and now the two American victors will face off for a spot in the championship match. The most recent American to reach the finals was Taylor Fritz in 2024, but the much larger champion drought extends over 20 years.
On the other side of the bracket, Alexander Zverev has made quick work of every competitor he’s faced. Only trailing at one point in the tournament, in his first-round matchup against Lorenzo Sonego, the German has looked dominant. Due to some luck, Zverev hasn’t faced the competition some of the other quarterfinalists have, but there’s no doubt he has dealt with his path easily. His most recent win came against Botic van de Zandschulp in a match that barely lasted over two hours. It’s safe to say Zverev will be in top form going into this semifinal match.
His opponent, Karen Khachanov, has made it through some of the toughest challenges in the tournament. Facing Felix Auger-Aliassime in round two and Learner Tien in round four, he has proven his serve and power still have the ability to overwhelm his opponents. His toughest challenge is yet to come, though. Zverev will be prepared for the big first serves, so it’s up to Khachanov to disrupt his flow. Now is the chance for the former world top 10 to remind everyone of who he still is.
The Opportunity Is There At The 2026 US Open
No matter what happens Friday between Tiafoe and Shelton, an American will have a chance to play for the US Open championship. This opportunity won’t come around often; the question now is whether either player will be able to capitalize.
Zverev is the heavy favorite for a reason (sitting at -110 odds on DraftKings), and if he gets through Khachanov, he will be a difficult matchup for either American. After watching the two matches the American players went through to get to this point, it’s hard to count them out against anyone.
American men’s tennis has waited for this moment since 2003. Plenty of talented players and close calls since then, but few opportunities have looked as promising as this. Now, it’s up to Shelton and Tiafoe to write history.
