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.
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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.

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