As the 2026 US Open heads toward its finals, Black men have made history: Ben Shelton & Frances Tiafoe will officially be facing off in a semifinal match. This match marks the first time that two Black American men have played one another in a Grand Slam semifinal since the Open era began in 1968. This match, as well as the final, will be played at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, NY, which is incredibly fitting considering that the result of the semifinal will result in the first Black American man playing in the US Open final since Ashe himself in 1972.
These players are no strangers to making history together. Just three years ago, Tiafoe and Shelton faced off in the US Open quarterfinals and were also the first two Black American men to meet at that level. Their newest accomplishment speaks not only to historical significance, but to each player’s skill advancement since the 2023 US Open.
The winner of Friday’s semifinal will not only be the first Black American man in the US Open final since 1972, but they will be the first Black American man in any Grand Slam final since MaliVai Washington, who reached the Wimbledon championship match in 1996— 30 years ago.
While this is Tiafoe’s third US Open semifinal in five years (including one he defeated Shelton to reach), this is Shelton’s second, his first being immediately following the aforementioned historic quarterfinal.
This news comes on the heels of an extremely eventful and culturally impactful US Open. From influencer groups making headlines for distracting players with ring lights and noise to Naomi Osaka’s choice to wear a durag causing press questions (and subsequent social media support) to Coco Gauff making it to a quarterfinal of her own, this US Open has had no lack of intrigue surrounding it.
The semifinal match will be this Friday, September 11. The time has yet to be announced.