By Shrivathsa Sridhar
NEW YORK, Sept 11 (Reuters) – Ben Shelton said he was thriving in unfamiliar territory after reaching his first Grand Slam final at the U.S. Open, with the American crediting a newfound consistency for his breakthrough run in New York.
Shelton beat compatriot Frances Tiafoe 4-6 6-3 6-3 7-5 on Friday to book a final with German top seed Alexander Zverev and move closer to ending a 23-year American wait for a men’s singles Grand Slam champion since Andy Roddick’s triumph in New York.
The 23-year-old will also aim to become the first Black American man to capture the New York title since Arthur Ashe in 1968, but knows he must earn a first victory over Zverev in their sixth meeting.
“This whole tournament at this point has been unchartered territory,” Shelton told reporters. “I’m in positions I’ve never been in before. I’ve beaten guys that I’ve never beaten before. I’m just excited to put it all out on the line.
“I can think about how cool this moment is and what I’m playing for. At the end of the day, I’m here in New York, I’m hanging out with my team, I’m with my homies playing a little bit of tennis and I’ve been able to downplay the moment well.
“I’ve got great people around me that keep me grounded and focused and humble, and I think these moments I want to cherish, I don’t want to take lightly. But at the same time, it’s very business-like the way I’ve been going about it.”
While Shelton acknowledged the nerves that come with the biggest match of his career, he said the chance to test himself against the top seed on the sport’s grandest stages on Sunday was something he was embracing.
“The nerves are always there,” he added.
“It’s something that you’ve got to lean into. The nerves are as much there in the first round for me as in the semis, and I’m sure the finals will be the same.
“It’s something you’ve got to be able to overcome, but I’m having fun, you know? I’m playing against the number one seed, playing against a Grand Slam champion trying to get my first.
“It’s a lot of reasons that this is an enjoyable moment for me. Knowing I can leave it all on court and push myself to the absolute limit … and see what I can do is an exciting thought.”
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in New York; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)
