After an exceptional tournament, Ben Shelton earned a spot in the 2026 US Open final, facing none other than Alexander Zverev. His presence is particularly significant, as he could end a 23-year drought without an American winning the tournament on home soil.
The last American man to accomplish this in the singles category was Andy Roddick, who won the title in 2003 by defeating Spain’s Juan Carlos Ferrero in the final, 6-3, 6-2, 6-3.
That triumph not only represented his only Grand Slam title, but also made Roddick the last American male tennis player to win any Grand Slam tournament to date. In this way, Shelton could etch his name into the history of his country.
On the women’s side, the story of glory is a bit more recent. In 2023, Coco Gauff defeated Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 to claim her first Grand Slam title at just 19 years old, winning the US Open.
Andy Roddick holds close the winner’s trophy after defeating Juan Carlos Ferrero.
The greatest American tennis players
The history of successful American tennis players is extensive and diverse in terms of their strengths and qualities. Here is a list of the most successful U.S. players in Grand Slam tournaments:
- Pete Sampras: 14 titles (2 Australian Open, 7 Wimbledon, 5 US Open)
- Bill Tilden: 10 titles (3 Wimbledon, 7 US Open)
- Andre Agassi: 8 titles (4 Australian Open, 1 French Open, 1 Wimbledon, 2 US Open)
- Jimmy Connors: 8 titles (1 Australian Open, 2 Wimbledon, 5 US Open)
- John McEnroe: 7 titles (3 Wimbledon, 4 US Open)
- William Larned: 7 titles (7 US Open)
- Richard Sears: 7 titles (7 US Open)
- Don Budge: 6 titles (1 Australian Open, 1 French Open, 2 Wimbledon, 2 US Open)
- Arthur Ashe: 3 titles (1 Australian Open, 1 Wimbledon, 1 US Open)
- Bill Johnston: 3 titles (1 Wimbledon, 2 US Open)
A promising career ahead for Shelton
At just 23 years old, Ben Shelton has already built a pretty sweet trophy case on the ATP Tour. The American powerhouse burst onto the scene by capturing his first title at the 500-level Tokyo Open in 2023, and he proved his game works just as well on dirt by taking down the clay-court Houston Open in 2024.
