5 min readSep 10, 2026 05:54 PM IST
When Francis Tiafoe and Ben Shelton take the court in New York on Friday, they will add a new chapter to the men’s story. (AP)Althea Gibson broke the colour barrier in 1950. The Williams sisters changed the game — from competition to domination. Women have been at the forefront of Black athletes’ tennis legacy. When Francis Tiafoe and Ben Shelton take the court in New York on Friday, they will add a new chapter to the men’s story.
It will be the first Grand Slam singles semi-final in the Open era featuring two Black American men. The winner will become the first Black American man to enter a Major final in 30 years — MaliVai Washington last did it at Wimbledon 1996.
In fact, only four Black men across nationalities have ever reached a Grand Slam singles final: Arthur Ashe, Yannick Noah, Washington and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. One more name is set to join the list.