Elina Svitolina has announced the end of her five-year marriage to fellow tennis star Gaël Monfils, attributing the decision to the emotional and mental impact of Russia's war in her native Ukraine.
Svitolina, 32, said in a statement posted on both players' Instagram profiles on Monday that she had endured sleepless nights, doubts and a feeling of losing herself, even with Monfils' support, before coming to the conclusion that she could not rediscover herself within their marriage.
"Gaël saw all of it," she wrote. "He never let go of my hand. We fought through this together for a long time, with everything we had. But some battles happen deep inside you, and no amount of love from someone else can win them for you.
"With time, I came to understand that I need to find my way back to myself and that I cannot do that within our marriage."
Svitolina's announcement comes a year after she ended her 2025 season early, saying she was not in the right emotional state to compete following Ukraine's Billie Jean King Cup semifinal defeat by Italy. Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Svitolina has spoken repeatedly about fearing for family and friends at home while competing overseas.

#herself

Welcome back to the Monday Tennis Briefing, where The Athletic will explain the stories behind the stories from the past week on court.
This week, a debut **** le that will help a player for the next year, possible changes on the ATP Tour and the indoor version of Carlos Alcaraz.
If you'd like to follow our fantastic tennis coverage, click here.
The structure of tennis means that fairy-tale runs and surprise **** le wins can come back to loom over a player down the line. For Poland's Maja Chwalińska, who reached the French Open final as a qualifier earlier this year, the latter now means that the former is off her back.
Chwalińska's 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 win over Britain's Sonay Kartal on Sunday at the WTA 1000 Wuhan Open in China was not just her first tour **** le. It was not just a remarkable feat for a 25-year-old who had played just 10 tour-level main-draw matches before 2026. It was also insurance for her future self.

#year #player

Inspired by her championship victory at the 2005 Australian Open, this is the athlete's second Barbie collaboration this year.
Serena Williams and Barbie have released a new doll inspired by one of her greatest career achievements.
Mattel announced a fresh Barbie Signature doll in her likeness. With this launch, the Compton native officially joins Team Barbie, described by the company as a group of powerful athletes and role models who show girls how confidence and ambition can help them pursue their dreams.
"As we celebrate International Day of the Girl, Barbie is proud to honor Serena Williams. Barbie has always inspired girls to believe they can be anything, from the sports stadium to the fashion runway to the boardroom," shared Nathan Baynard, Vice President and Head of Barbie, Mattel in a statement. "Serena Williams embodies that message through her extraordinary achievements as an athlete, entrepreneur, and advocate for equality. By honoring her with a Barbie Signature doll, we're celebrating a barrier-breaking icon whose legacy empowers fans everywhere to dream big and embrace their own potential."
Dressed in a green and white cutout top with mesh detailing, statement earrings, and a matching white headband and skirt, the doll also comes with a tennis racket and ball. The outfit is inspired by Williams' iconic championship victory at the 2005 Australian Open over Lindsay Davenport.

#australian #open

After years in the limelight as professional tennis stars, Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi now live a low-key life in Las Vegas.
While Andre keeps his fans updated on social media, his wife rarely makes an appearance. So, when she cropped up on Andre's Instagram recently, fans couldn't believe their eyes.
Andre shared a photo dump of memories and eagle-eyed followers quickly honed in on one particular image featuring Steffi.
They've built a very happy life together (@ Getty Images)
In the shot, Steffi, Andre and their daughter, Jaz, were chatting to former French tennis professional Yannick Noah, who appeared to be making the family laugh.

#vegas

Carlos Alcaraz's long locks have garnered attention since he returned to the ATP Tour after a prolonged absence with a wrist injury.
Alcaraz sported the long hair and beard throughout the US Open, Laver Cup, and the ******* an Open.
In ******* an, when asked about his hair, he said: "I think right now I need to change it and see what suits me best. I don't know what will be next but there are a couple of hairstyles I haven't tried yet..I feel like hair grows and it's time to mess it up and try new things."
MORE: Carlos Alcaraz's ******* an Open win should encourage Jannik Sinner
Tennis – U.S. Open – Flushing Meadows, New York, United States – September 8, 2026 Spain's Carlos Alcaraz in action during his quarter-final match against Ben Shelton of the U.S. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Robert Deutsch Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters (Reuters)

#open #carlos

Fresh off the premiere of Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story, star Ella Beatty made her first appearance at Paris Fashion Week. Yesterday, the actress was at the Balmain Womenswear Spring/Summer 2027 show, and today, Beatty was photographed at the Balenciaga RTW Spring/Summer 2027 show.
At Balmain, she posed for photos with Balmain's CEO Matteo Sgarbossa, and wrote of the show on her Instagram stories, "Waaaaowww gorgeous" with a heart eye emoji and a shocked face emoji, adding, "thank you balmain !!!"
Beatty and Sgarbossa.Aurore Marechal - Getty Images
This morning, she was photographed in the front row of the Balanciaga show, which was held at the Tennis Club de Paris.
Beatty sits front row.Swan Gallet - Getty Images

#spring

On August 18, Amer Sports (NYSE:AS) reported second-quarter results that beat its own guidance and then raised the bar for the rest of the year. Revenue climbed 32% to $1.63 billion, adjusted operating profit nearly tripled, and every region and segment posted double-digit growth. Diluted earnings per share reached $0.18, up from a much smaller figure a year earlier. What stands out about August 18 is not just the size of the beat but how broad it was.
Technical Apparel grew 32% to $674 million, led by Arc'teryx and backed by a 17% omni-comp gain across owned stores and e-commerce. Outdoor Performance grew even faster, up 37% to $569 million, driven by Salomon Softgoods. Ball & Racquet Sports rose 24% to $390 million on the strength of Wilson Tennis 360. CEO James Zheng pointed to strong double-digit growth across every segment, geography, and channel as the reason for confidence in the outlook.
That confidence showed up in the numbers: Amer Sports raised full-year 2026 guidance to roughly 24% reported revenue growth, a gross margin of 60.5% to 61.0%, an operating margin of 14.2% to 14.5%, and diluted EPS of $1.27 to $1.30. The balance sheet backs up the reinvestment CFO Andrew Page described, with $573 million in net cash and $720 million in cash and equivalents at quarter-end.
Some of the second quarter's biggest numbers lean on a one-time tailwind. Gross margin expanded 710 basis points to 65.6%, but 390 of those points came from net tariff refunds. Operating margin's 820 basis point jump included the same 390-point benefit. The effect is largest in Ball & Racquet Sports, where adjusted segment operating margin rose 1,300 basis points to 17.2%, yet 970 of those points came from tariff refunds alone. Selling, general and administrative expenses rose 30% to $909 million, and on an adjusted basis SG&A grew 33%, faster than revenue itself.
Inventories climbed 19% year over year to $1,897 million. The guidance for the next quarter also points to a slower pace: third quarter revenue growth is guided at 18% to 20%, well below the 32% just reported, with gross margin guided down to about 59.0% and net finance cost alone guided to $15 million to $20 million, against roughly $85 million for the entire year.

#revenue #basis

Picture a snowy mountain slope in France or an elite tennis court during a grand slam. Whether it is an Arc'teryx jacket designed for the harshest alpine conditions or a Wilson racket in the hands of a professional, Amer Sports (NYSE:AS) equips the world's most demanding athletes. The company functions as a global powerhouse in athletic gear and apparel, operating a premium multi-brand platform that spans from high-end technical clothing to specialized sports equipment. With its current stock price at $27.26 as of Sept. 16, 2026, the company has seen the stock decline 26% over the past year, reflecting the market's digestion of its rapid post-IPO scaling.
Our proprietary Hidden Gems scoring system **** igns Amer Sports an overall Superscore of 75 out of 100, placing it in the Above Average category. This score ranks the company in the Top ~21% of every company we evaluate, ahead of roughly 79 out of every 100 firms we score. The Superscore serves as a data-driven starting point, and this article examines both the operational momentum fueling its recent success and the structural hurdles that keep the company below top-tier rankings, helping you weigh these signals against your own research.
Strong revenue momentum: The company achieved 27% year-over-year revenue growth in 2025, reaching $6.6 billion as it successfully scaled its brand-led platform across global markets.
Effective channel pivot: Direct-to-consumer revenue surged 43% in 2025, allowing the company to capture higher margins and deepen its direct relationship with premium consumers.
Expanding operational efficiency: Adjusted EBITDA margins widened to 18% in 2025, demonstrating that the company's shared infrastructure strategy is successfully converting scale into bottom-line profitability.

#company #sports #global #premium

Alexander Zverev has continued a long-running theme in men's tennis by emerging victorious at the US Open.
Zverev edged out Ben Shelton in the final of the hard-court Grand Slam in New York, winning their clash in five sets.
And with his impressive US Open run, the German has just completed a clean sweep for European players in the 2026 men's Grand Slam season.
He also won the French Open, while his fellow Europeans Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner won the Australian Open and Wimbledon respectively.
In fact, the ATP records must go back a full 17 years to find the last Grand Slam champion who wasn't born in Europe; Juan Martin del Potro.

#alexander #german #french

It looks like Victoria Azarenka and Danielle Collins are hanging up their tennis racquets, at least for the foreseeable future.
Both last played at the 2025 US Open. The post 2026 US Open WTA rankings signify 12 months that each has played. Therefore, they earned no ranking points in the past year and are now classified as inactive by the WTA.
MORE: With missteps at the US Open, is ESPN really committed to tennis coverage?
The former WTA World No. 1 from Belarus, Azarenka, has been quiet for the past year with the exception of a couple of social media messages.
The most poignant, on July 31, to commemorate her 37th birthday talked about the contentment she experienced in her life and the ability to spend her birthday with her family, something she could never do as a WTA player traveling the globe for 11 months each year.

#played #past

Ben Shelton's run at the 2026 US Open was filled with highlights, including his epic five set win over Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals.
However, in the US Open final against Alexander Zverev, tennis fans are wondering about a decision he made and if it ultimately derailed his chance to win the ******* le.
MORE: Tennis season not over after 2026 US Open, tournaments continue through November
The American won the coin toss. He decided to serve first. In a normal match, this is an excellent decision because Shelton's serve is among the best on the ATP Tour.
September 13, 2026; New York, United States; Ben Shelton of the U.S. serves during his men's singles final match against Germany's Alexander Zverev. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

#tennis #final #match #carlos

Emily Blunt and John Krasinski attended the US Open with their daughters Hazel, 12, and Violet, 10
The family has made attending the US Open an annual tradition, appearing at the tournament in recent years
Krasinski and Blunt have been candid about wanting to prioritize family time in recent interviews, and have shared that they often bringing their daughters to filming locations to stay together
John Krasinski, Emily Blunt and their daughters are continuing their annual family tradition of stopping by the US Open!
On Sunday, Sept. 13, the family of four made their yearly appearance at the 2026 US Open at the USTA's Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City.

#krasinski #john #tradition

Brad Pitt and Ines de Ramon attended the women's and men's singles finals at the US Open in New York City on Sept. 12 and 13
Earlier this summer, the couple was also seen at a FIFA World Cup match in Los Angeles, and they stepped out for Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's N.Y.C. wedding
Pitt's next movie, Heart of the Beast, is in theaters Sept. 25, and he also stars in The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth, which is in IMAX theaters Nov. 25 and releases on Netflix Dec. 23
Brad Pitt and Ines de Ramon are wrapping up their summer by taking in the country's top tennis competition.
Pitt, 62, and de Ramon, 33, attended the US Open men's singles tournament final on Sunday, Sept. 13, and were on hand to watch Germany's Alexander Zverev beat young American star Ben Shelton in four sets. (Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina defeated Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka in three sets on Saturday, Sept. 12, to win the women's singles trophy, which Pitt and de Ramon also attended.). The actor, who wore a navy blue ***** on-down shirt with matching pants and a backwards ball cap, was seen holding de Ramon's knee as the two looked on intently during the match.

#sept #singles #brad #seen

Lauren Sánchez Bezos brought a romantic take on classic tennis whites as she joined her husband, Jeff Bezos, for the star-studded men's final at the 2026 US Open.
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#lauren

Michelle Obama put a sleek, modern twist on a divisive silhouette while attending the opening night of Celine Dion's Paris residency.
The former first lady wowed in a slate gray dress trimmed with navy blue velvet.
Dion's Paris show marks her first in six years.
Michelle Obama made a major fashion statement for a meaningful evening as she joined other superfans at the opening night of Celine Dion's Paris residency on September 12. After back-to-back appearances in New York City, the former first lady showed off her Big Apple pride overseas in a sleek gray peplum dress.
Michelle Obama attends the 2026 US Open Tennis Championships on September 10, 2026 in New York City.

#sleek

Nicole Kidman's younger daughter is still rarely seen in public, but the gaps between appearances are getting shorter.
The 59-year-old actor brought 15-year-old Faith Margaret to the U.S. Open in New York on Sept. 11, with the mother and daughter arriving at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center hand in hand before watching the men's semifinals.
Faith has generally maintained a lower public profile than her older sister Sunday Rose, who has already built a modeling résumé. That made the relaxed outing particularly noticeable as Faith walked beside her mother in a polka-dot maxi dress while Kidman traded her recent premiere gowns for jeans, sneakers and a pale blue shirt.
Faith has also joined Kidman at several public events over the past year, appeared with her in a beauty campaign and traveled with her to Australia earlier this month, although most of those appearances have remained tied to her mother's work.
Kidman and Faith attended Day 13 of the tournament at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Friday. E! News reported that the pair entered the venue holding hands before settling in for the men's semifinal action.

#hand

NEW YORK — Forget the Honey Deuces and the celebrities-in-the-audience shots. The finest element of the U.S. Open — the Grand Slam held in the largest tennis stadium in the world — will always be the tennis itself. The trick, in 2026 and beyond, is how to get audiences to actually care about, you know, that tennis.
Ben Shelton and Alexander Zverev did their very best on Sunday, bringing both narrative and firepower to the four-set men's final. Yes, the influencers were posing at every aisle on every changeover, and more than a few fans appeared unclear on the basic concept of "sit your ******* down while the point is going on." But when Shelton and Zverev locked in, unleashing serves that nearly hit 150 mph or lashing shots that skipped a fingernail's width in bounds, the crowd was right there with them, rising and falling, a living thing that pulsed with energy unlike any other stadium in tennis.
Less than 24 hours earlier on the same court, Elena Rybakina finished off Aryna Sabalenka in a three-set triumph of resolve and willpower over emotion and firepower. Sabalenka, who had won the previous two Opens, entered as the crowd favorite. But the fans in the stands at Arthur Ashe love hard-fought on-court battles as much as they love the endless scroll of celebrity cameos on the video boards. So after a couple dozen Hollywood and music stars took their turns to varying volumes of applause, the crowd focused in on the match. Sabalenka drew motivational cheers, and then, once the result was clear, Rybakina inspired celebratory ones.
The two matches ended this year's U.S. Open on a triumphant note. At last, the tennis tournament centered on actual tennis, not ticket prices or runway-style entrances to Arthur Ashe Stadium or hundred-dollar chicken nuggets. (Yes, I admit it, I was part of the problem with that last one.)
The influencers' presence dominated the early coverage of the U.S. Open, in large part because they did their job of drawing attention to themselves. But by the time the tournament reached its final crescendo, the influencers had moved on. Two hours before the men's final, the cheapest tickets to get in the stadium could be had for less than $400, suggesting that tennis for tennis' sake isn't the primary motivator for many attending the U.S. Open.

#crowd #shelton

Long before the first serve in the US Open Women's Final on Saturday, there were different players on the iconic courts.
Children and adults with disabilities were in the spotlight at Flushing Meadows. They learned the basics of tennis and put them on display at the Court of Dreams clinic.
Fifteen-year-old Thaddeus Henry had been a participant at the US Open through the non-profit ACEing Autism for the past eight years.
"It's just a pleasure to see how far he's come," said his mother, Carla Rogers-Henry.
Rogers-henry explains why they keep coming.

#final #children

Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton faced off in the U.S. Open semifinals aiming to end a long drought for American men in Grand Slam tournaments, with Shelton winning in four sets. Andy Roddick was the last U.S. man to win a major — in 2003. Since then European players have dominated. Juan Martín del Potro, the last non-European champion, believes American tennis has the potential to break this pattern. Del Potro is now an ******* yst for ESPN Latin America and has shared insights on his career and offered advice to Carlos Alcaraz on managing injuries. Del Potro retired in 2022 after multiple surgeries.
Ninety Grand Slam tournaments have passed since Andy Roddick defeated Juan Carlos Ferrero in the 2003 final at Flushing Meadows. Since then, no other U.S. male player has managed to win the U.S. Open on home soil or any of the other three majors.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
Apart from Argentina's Juan Martín del Potro at the 2009 U.S. Open and his compatriot Gastón Gaudio at the 2004 French Open, every champion across the world's four major tournaments has been European.
On Friday night, Ben Shelton won in four sets the all-American U.S. Open semifinal with Frances Tiafoe and now will attempt to end the long wait for another men's Grand Slam champion from the United States. Shelton will play Alexander Zverev in the final.

#grand

LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 27: Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan practises with Coach Stefano Vukov ahead of The Championships Wimbledon 2023 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 27, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) Getty
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 09: Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan looks on against Qinwen Zheng of China during their Women's Singles Quarterfinal match on Day Eleven of the 2026 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 09, 2026 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) Getty
The coach of Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina, Stefano Vukov, supports her from the players box as she competes against Belarus' Victoria Azarenka during their women's singles semi-final match on day eleven of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 26, 2023. - -- IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE -- (Photo by Martin KEEP / AFP) / -- IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE -- (Photo by MARTIN KEEP/AFP via Getty Images) Getty
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 25: Stefano Vukov watches Elena Rybakina train before The Championships Wimbledon 2026 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 25, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) Getty
Elena Rybakina is a professional tennis player widely regarded as one of the world's best. Her coach, Stefano Vukov, is also rumored to be her boyfriend. Vukov transitioned from playing professionally to coaching Rybakina. The 39-year-old was born on March 27, 1987.

#rybakina #elena #london

With **** ignments that include calling three of tennis' four major tournaments and ESPN's top college football game weekly through the playoffs, Chris Fowler readily admits he's living the dream.
His weekend travel itinerary, however, hardly seemed the stuff of dreams.
After calling Friday's second U.S. Open semifinal, he was on a private flight that landed in Austin around 3 a.m. Saturday. Following a scant amount of sleep, there was a late-morning production meeting before calling Saturday night's matchup between No. 1 Ohio State and No. 4 Texas on ABC, arguably the top non-conference matchup in college football this season.
Once Saturday's game ends, it's back on a plane to New York for Sunday's 1 p.m. CT men's final on ABC between Alexander Zverez and Blake Shelton, with the latter trying to become the first American man to win a major since Andy Roddick at the 2003 U.S, Open.
"They are my two favorite sports and I get to call the championship events in them," Fowler told the Houston Chronicle on Saturday afternoon during a brief respite in Austin. "So that's a dream job. I live in the dream I had since I'm 10 years old."

#saturday #open #austin

Matthew McConaughey and Camila Alves stepped out for a stylish date at the US Open on September 11.
The couple wore coordinated tailored looks for the outing.
McConaughey said that the tournament was "the place to be on the planet."
Matthew McConaughey and his wife Camila Alves have once again made a strong case for being two of the chicest tennis fans around. The 10 Things I Hate About You actor and his model and designer wife made an appearance at the US Open on September 11, sitting in the crowd for day 13 of the tennis tournament. The couple coordinated in complementary sleek tailored looks for their joint outing.
Matthew McConaughey and Camila Alves arrive at the US Open.
Credit: Getty

#mcconaughey #matthew #alves #coordinated

Aryna Sabalenka is hitting the tennis court for the final showdown in the women's singles division of the US Open on September 12. She's the No. 1 seed in women's singles, but she's got to beat Kazakhstani player Elena Rybakina to win that coveted US Open trophy. If Sabalenka wins, the 28-year-old will be celebrating a three-peat in the division, having already won in 2024 and 2025.
Throughout the tournament, Sabalenka has had the support of her fiancé, Georgios Frangulis, who has been proudly watching from the stands. Below, we rounded up everything to know about Frangulis and his relationship with the Belarusian tennis star. Scroll down for more.
Frangulis is a Brazilian entrepreneur who founded the company Oakberry in 2016. Although he studied law in Brazil, he never completed his degree or took the bar exam.
Oakberry is a brand that specializes in açaí products. Açaí berries are harvested in the Amazon rainforest, the majority of which is located in Frangulis' home country of Brazil. Oakberry, which sells açaí bowls, smoothies, and more, has hundreds of stores in dozens of countries.
In August 2016, right before Oakberry was launching, Frangulis was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. He had surgery to remove a four-centimeter nodule that October.

#oakberry #tennis #september

Update morning 9/12: Ben Shelton outlasted fellow American Frances Tiafoe in the all-American semifinal to set up a dramatic men's final vs. top-seeded German Alexander Zverev on Sunday afternoon. Zverev has had quite an easy draw to the final, and he'll be the favorite to win his second major this year. Shelton's big serve will test him, and it will be on Shelton to hit competitive backhands to match strokes with Zverev, who also won the French Open. Meanwhile, the women's final between No. 1 seed Aryna Sabalenka vs. No. 2 seed Elena Rybakina should be a banger, and that kicks off in just a few hours.
Update late night 9/10: It will be No. 1 seed Aryna Sabalenka vs. No. 2 seed Elena Rybakina for the women's ****** le at the 2026 US Open on Saturday afternoon. The men take the spotlight on Friday with an all-American semifinal between Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe, plus No. 1 seed Alexander Zverev vs. unseeded Karen Khachanov.
The 2026 US Open is down to the Final Four, and both the men's and women's draws have produced some fantastic matchups. It's been 23 years since an American man won a tennis Grand Slam, but there are two U.S. natives facing off against each other in the semifinals — on the 25th anniversary of 9/11, no less. The women's draw went straight chalk with the top four seeds advancing to the semis, promising to bring fans the highest level of tennis possible.
The women's semifinals both take place on Thursday, September 10. Top-seeded masher Aryna Sabalenka takes on American No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula to open play at 7 p.m. ET at Arthur Ashe. Sabalenka looked to be on the brink of a meltdown in the quarterfinals against Wimbledon champ Linda Nosková, but she dug deep to win the match and stay alive. Sabalenka is the biggest hitter on tour, but she's been in a slump in 2026 without a major championship. She has already lost her world No. 1 ranking after the tournament, but she won't care if she can win her fifth major and third straight US Open ****** le. The 32-year-old Pegula is enjoying a late career peak, and she's still chasing her first Grand Slam. Pegula's steady nature could be an advantage against the more emotional Sabalenka.
Elena Rybakina faces American Coco Gauff in the night cap. Rybakina is the No. 2 seed in this tournament, but she will surpass Sabalenka for the world No. 1 ranking when it's over regardless of what happens. At 27, Rybakina is the second-oldest woman to ever ascend to world No. 1 in the rankings for the first time. Gauff will be the fan favorite. She was not at her top level in her quarterfinal victory over Mirra Andreeva, but she still got the job done to advance. Gauff beat Sabalenka in the 2023 US Open final and the 2025 French Open final. She's seeking her third major at age-22.

#final

Ben Shelton has been handed a potential blow ahead of his US Open final against Alexander Zverev, with girlfriend Trinity Rodman unlikely to be in the stands because of a scheduling clash.
The American tennis star booked his place in his first Grand Slam final by beating Frances Tiafoe 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 on Friday night at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Shelton now faces Zverev on Sunday with a chance to become the first American man to win a Grand Slam since Andy Roddick in 2003. However, he will have to overcome a difficult record against the German.
Photo by Christian Kaspar-Bartke/Getty Images
Rodman is scheduled to play for Washington Spirit against Boston Legacy FC in an NWSL away game on Sunday, with kick-off at 1pm local time.

#slam

Knicks news: Jalen Brunson, Ben Stiller catch Frances Tiafoe vs. Ben Shelton match appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Jalen Brunson took a break from basketball on Friday to catch one of the biggest tennis matches of the year. The Knicks point guard was spotted in the stands at Arthur Ashe Stadium for the all-American US Open semifinal between Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton, seated near longtime Knicks superfan Ben Stiller as the two Americans battled for a spot in Sunday's final.
Brunson and Stiller were part of a star-studded crowd that packed Flushing Meadows for the occasion. Tennis legend Serena Williams was in attendance, as were actors Salma Hayek and Rami Malek, along with US women's soccer star Trinity Rodman, who is Shelton's girlfriend. The atmosphere matched the stakes, with an American guaranteed a spot in the championship match regardless of the outcome.
Jalen Brunson and Knicks superfan Ben Stiller are in attendance for the Frances Tiafoe vs. Ben Shelton match in the US Open Semifinals 🤩🎾 pic.twitter.com/IbYhWk4wJi
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#brunson #match #clutchpoints

For 23 years, it has been the world's most annoying sports trivia question: Who's the last American man to win a Grand Slam singles ****** le?
Ben Shelton has always been the one with the ability to change it.
No disrespect to any of the others who have carried the red, white and blue banner for more than two decades across the men's tennis tour since Andy Roddick won his US Open ****** le in 2003. John Isner served his way to millions of dollars and a few nice tournament wins. The likes of Mardy Fish and Sam Querrey did the best they could in the Roger Federer/Rafael Nadal/Novak Djokovic era. Taylor Fritz has worked tirelessly to improve his game and continues to be a factor among the best players in the world.
But there is no divine right for any country, even one as big and athletically successful as the USA, to produce Grand Slam champions in a global sport where only a select few are going to rise to the top. It takes everything: Talent, development, the right set of circumstances and maybe a little bit of luck.
And for Shelton, the 23-year old who was born in Atlanta, raised to be an NCAA champion in Gainesville, Fla., and unleashed onto the world stage by a meticulously patient father/coach, only one more match stands in his way of the ultimate American story.

#grand #slam #best #andy

Alexander Zverev has performed better than any other ATP player at Grand Slams this year.
Men's tennis had been dominated by Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz over the past couple of years, with this year's Australian Open being the ninth consecutive major one of them had won.
This all changed at Roland Garros, where Zverev won his first major **** le after Sinner suffered a shock early exit.
Zverev has now reached the US Open final, his third consecutive Grand Slam final this year, and after his win over Karen Khachanov, he spoke about his impressive season at the major tournaments and how it compares to Sinner and Alcaraz.
Photo by Manuela Davies/USTA via Getty Images

#sinner #alcaraz #year #final

The Arthur Ashe Stadium glowed light blue from dusk until dawn as the US Open marked the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
American flags were flown at half-mast as New York remembered the 2,977 people who died when hijackers crashed passenger jets into the Twin Towers in Manhattan on that day in 2001.
That year's US Open had concluded just two days earlier, with Lleyton Hewitt winning the men's singles **** le.
American player James Blake had lost in the second round that year and was in Augusta, Georgia, on Tuesday, 11 September.
But the New York-born future world number four says the day "shattered the guise of safety" felt by Americans and many professional tennis players.

#arthur #ashe #stadium

Ben Shelton has an older sister, Emma Shelton
She was a highly ranked tennis player in college at the University of Florida, where their father still works as the head coach
During the 2025 Wimbledon Championships, Ben jokingly asked the crowd to help Emma get more time off work so she could keep watching him play
Ben Shelton can count on his family's support as he advances in the US Open semifinals on Sept. 11 — including that of his older sister, Emma Shelton.
Like her pro athlete younger brother, Emma played tennis. She rose through the ranks on the women's tennis teams for the University of South Carolina and the University of Florida, where their dad, former professional tennis player Bryan Shelton, has worked as the men's tennis head coach.

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