Shelton and Tiafoe carry US hopes into semi-final as Zverev faces Khachanov

NEW YORK, Sept 10 : Home fans will have an all-American U.S. Open semi-final to savour on Friday when Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe meet for a place in the final, while top seed Alexander Zverev renews a long-running rivalry with resurgent Russian Karen Khachanov.

Shelton and Tiafoe will take the Arthur Ashe Stadium spotlight after both produced dramatic quarter-final victories.

Eighth seed Shelton, the highest-ranked American in the draw, claimed the biggest win of his career by stunning defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a five-set thriller that finished at 3:33 a.m., the latest conclusion in U.S. Open history.

The victory was Shelton's first against the seven-time Grand Slam champion and made him only the second American man in the last two decades to beat a top-three opponent at the U.S. Open, after his next opponent Tiafoe defeated Spanish great Rafael Nadal on his way to the 2022 semi-finals.

Tiafoe's quarter-final feat was no less impressive. The 11th seed has enjoyed a dream fortnight in New York and pulled off some magic of his own, battling back from two sets down to beat compatriot Alex Michelsen 5-7 3-6 7-5 6-3 7-6(10-6) and reach the U.S. Open semi-finals for a third time.

The all-American clash carries the hopes of a nation waiting for a men's singles Grand Slam champion since Andy Roddick won the U.S. Open in 2003, with the winner guaranteed a place in Sunday's final.

ZVEREV'S MOMENT

The second semi-final has a starkly different dynamic.

Zverev has moved through the draw with three straight-set victories since the third round, including a routine win over Botic van de Zandschulp in the quarter-finals, after arriving in New York as the reigning French Open champion and the only man to reach all four Grand Slam