Actor Matthew McConaughey says he usually plays tennis once or twice a week and is looking forward to meeting his co-star from True Detective, Woody Harrelson, on the court. The latter shakes his head. To one side of the ESPN studio, John McEnroe laughs with them, and the former recalls seeing Big Mac play an exhibition match in Dallas against the Frenchman Yannick Noah. He then ventures a prediction: “I think Shelton is going to pull it off…”. And McEnroe concludes: “It’s been a long time [26 years since the last American winner, Andy Roddick]… Whoever wins this match [the Shelton-Tiafoe] will be champion. It’s time.”
A few hours later, at nightfall and when the light projectors have already shaped imaginary Twin Towers south of Manhattan, Shelton indeed pulls it off and beats his compatriot Tiafoe, while the local fan, as hopeful as wary, debates a yes but no. The disappointment two years ago with Taylor Fritz — then overcome by the Californian by Jannik Sinner, wrapped in the clostebol controversy — makes them cautious, but at the same time, in a city as cinematic as New York, it’s tempting to imagine stories. The young Shelton champion? Why not? Will the one from Atlanta finally, after so many years — or so few, because it seems like 9/11 (2001) and 2003 were yesterday — end the local drought in the men’s draw?
The precedents do not inspire optimism: 5-0 in favor of Alexander Zverev, who in the first match of the day closed the encounter with Karen Khachanov by wrapping him in chloroform, slowly, without needing to press; more and more heavy balls (very timely tactic) so that the Russian would either speed up or get overwhelmed by so many returns. In the end, 6-3, 7-6 (7), and 7-6, after 2h 57m. Meanwhile, in the second act, the story starts off crooked for Shelton, or very well for Frances Tiafoe, and the clock stretches until finally, the first of them — 23 years old, now fourth in the world thanks to this summer’s run — ends up imposing that sweet present that excites his supporters because there are those conditions and also the facts.
Three nights earlier he had defeated Carlos Alcaraz, and the victory against his compatriot (4-6, 6-3, 6-3, and 7-5, in 3h 17m) guides him to his first major final, becoming the youngest non-European player to reach a Grand Slam final since Argentine Juan Martín del Potro (2009 US Open) and the youngest American since former number one Roddick (2005 Wimbledon).
A player with personality, he puts his finger to his ear several times and rallies the Arthur Ashe crowd with an emotional and patriotic speech: “My father [Bryan, his coach] lost his mother this year. She is the reason he could play tennis and without her, Ben Shelton wouldn’t be here today… So this victory is for her.” “On Sunday I need you to give me all your energy. Let’s go all out. I’m going to give everything on the court. I hope you come to cheer me on. Let’s do it for the United States.”
A Matter of Belief
“And one more thing: it’s a hard day to be here playing. My thoughts and prayers are with all the families affected by 9/11. New York is one of the most wonderful cities in the world and has been the scene of one of the greatest tragedies. My thoughts and prayers are with all those affected.”
The American leaves his mark during the evening, with 47 winners (20 of them aces) and a serve that reaches up to 240 km/h. He will break through on Sunday as the fourth player born after 2000 to reach a Grand Slam final, after Alcaraz, Sinner, and three months ago (Roland Garros) Flavio Cobolli. For all these reasons, Zverev is not taking anything for granted. The German, finally in his professional prime at 29 years old, will play his sixth major final (third consecutive) and has his second major within reach after his Paris victory in June.
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“I hope I don’t make the American dream come true on Sunday…”, he jokes courtside. And adds: “I feel like I’ve had many difficulties in Grand Slams. I was very close many times and maybe this year God said: ‘this is going to be your year’. And now I just want to enjoy the time I’m on the court. That’s the idea, I’m enjoying it. I love playing these big finals and I’m looking forward to Sunday.”
He will do so from Hamburg on an upward trajectory, after a progressive path and steady pace in this latest appearance. At the top. The points accumulated so far and the pass to the final place him as the most efficient player of the season, tied with Sinner (both 7,950 points in the race). What lies ahead won’t be easy: the inevitable ghosts of 2020 — when he lost to Dominic Thiem after having two match points —, a crowd of 24,000 people supporting the opponent, and an ascending Shelton. The kid believes it. “Ben is a very powerful guy. His serve is impressive, his shots are impressive. He does everything big,” he describes. But he also believes. After many twists and turns, Zverev finally believes.
THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF 9/11
The US Open joined on Friday the multiple events organized in New York in remembrance of 9/11. That edition of the tournament ended two days before the attacks on the Twin Towers, on September 9, and the Australian Lleyton Hewitt was crowned champion, superior to Pete Sampras.
The tournament’s main court, Arthur Ashe, was colored blue from dusk and the screens displayed the words Never Forget alongside the date 9/11/01. The American flags displayed throughout the complex flew at half-mast all day.
Tribute ceremonies were held during the two sessions of the day and before the first men’s semifinal (3:00 local time), a retired Army sergeant major who was serving at West Point on that date sang the national anthem.
Cadets from the West Point Military Academy carried and unfolded a giant flag on the court, and former police officers who intervened on 9/11 officiated the pre-match coin toss.
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