Coco Gauff on Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe’s historic semifinal: ‘I never thought I would see’ it

The tennis star says she’s rooting for both players as they make history at the 2026 US Open.

Coco Gauff understands what it means to see Black athletes make history in tennis. She, however, acknowledged in an interview with US Open that the moment unfolding at the 2026 US Open is something she never expected to witness. Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe are set to meet in an all-Black men’s semifinal, marking the first time two Black American men have faced each other in a Grand Slam semifinal during the Open Era, according to Reuters.

For Gauff, the significance goes beyond the result of one tennis match.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by US Open (@usopen)

“Honestly, especially on the men’s side, I never thought I would see an all-Black semifinal between the guys,” Gauff said. “I just never thought that would be able to happen.” The moment is particularly notable because Gauff is also in the semifinals on the women’s side. After defeating Mirra Andreeva in a dramatic quarterfinal comeback, the 22-year-old advanced to the final four in New York.

That puts three Black American singles players in the semifinals across the men’s and women’s draws. Gauff said she appreciates being part of that moment herself.

“And to also have me in the semis, I think it’s really cool,” she said.

She also made clear that she isn’t approaching the Shelton-Tiafoe matchup as a rivalry between one player she supports over the other. “I have respect for both Ben and Frances,” Gauff said. “I’m rooting for them and hopefully whoever wins can bring it home.”

The semifinal comes after both players produced dramatic quarterfinal victories. Tiafoe fought back from two sets down to defeat Alex Michelsen in five sets, while Shelton defeated defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in another five-set battle. The winner will advance to the US Open men’s final. For Gauff, however, the significance is already clear. The sight of two Black American men competing this deep into a Grand Slam is something she says she once couldn’t imagine.