Ben Shelton-Frances Tiafoe US Open semifinal carries Arthur Ashe’s legacy

NEW YORK — The large signage that is on the front of the world’s biggest tennis stadium at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows should tell you all you need to know about the impact of the man whose name it bears; who meant so many things to so many people during his short time on this Earth.

Arthur Ashe not only shattered barriers but also made sure the glass would never be repaired. He wanted the next generation, especially young Black Americans, to have a place in the game he loved so much.

So, when Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton take the court Friday night in the second US Open semifinal, it is not only a triumph for Black Americans but also for the sport of tennis.

The winner of the match will be the first Black American man to reach a US Open singles final since Ashe in 1972, and the first Black American man to reach a Grand Slam singles final since MaliVai Washington at Wimbledon in 1996. Both will have career-high rankings at the end of the tournament: Shelton will be No. 4, and Tiafoe, who at the very least will…

Original source: https://www.usatoday.com/sports/