Frances Tiafoe's US Open run ends with a semifinal loss to fellow American Ben Shelton

NEW YORK (AP) — Big Foe made another big run at the U.S. Open but again could not break through to his first Grand Slam final.

Frances Tiafoe got knocked out in the semifinals on Friday night by fellow American Ben Shelton. This was his third trip to the semifinals at Flushing Meadows in five years after also getting this far in 2022 and ’24.

“It’s hard,” Tiafoe said after losing 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5. “As you look at it, obviously I’ve been in this position a lot now — thankfully, but also it’s tough. I wanted to be in a Grand Slam final. Obviously it was a big match.”

Tiafoe won the first set Friday night to the delight of a packed house at Arthur Ashe Stadium but could not overcome 20 aces from his hard-serving opponent.

“On Foe, he’s like a big brother to me,” Shelton said. “To be honest, every time that we get to take this court together, Arthur Ashe, and play each other is super special. This is where we want to be: at the tail end of this tournament.”

The 28-year-old Tiafoe, a Washington, D.C.-area native and a fan favorite for his personality and exciting style of play, got a standing ovation from the crowd leaving the court after the four-set defeat.

“I just want to win it,” Tiafoe said. “The love is incredible, man. It’s something that gives me definitely tears in my eyes from a kid starting how I did, and the love I have here is crazy. Every match I play, from everyone, all the staff, the security guards — everyone really wants to see me do the thing.”

Tiafoe improved drastically from his performance at the U.S. Open a year ago, when he lost to Jan-Lennard Struff in the round of 32. He was feeling “really, really bad” about himself at that time.

This time, he beat Daniil Medvedev and came back from down two sets against Alex Michelsen in the quarterfinals. But falling short left him with a familiar, empty feeling.

“These last couple weeks have been great weeks, but I haven’t been able to finish,” Tiafoe said. “And that’s probably going to be the next thing for me.”

See AP’s full tennis coverage here

Frances Tiafoe, of the United States, returns the ball to Ben Shelton, of the United States, during the men's singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Ben Shelton, of the United States, left, embraces Frances Tiafoe, of the United States, after Shelton won their match during the men's singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Spectators watch as Frances Tiafoe, of the United States, serves the ball to Ben Shelton, also of the United States, during the men's singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Frances Tiafoe, of the United States, reacts to winning a game during the men's singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships against Ben Shelton, of the United States, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Frances Tiafoe, of the United States, gestures after he lost his match to Ben Shelton, of the United States, during the men's singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

NEW DELHI (AP) — Leaders of the BRICS nations were meeting in New Delhi on Saturday for a summit focused on trade, investment and global conflicts, as the bloc seeks a bigger role in shaping the global agenda for emerging and developing countries.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is hosting Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and counterparts from the other eight BRICS members. The summit comes as wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, along with rising U.S.-China tensions, test the bloc’s ability to find common ground among countries with competing geopolitical interests.

Thousands of police and paramilitary personnel were deployed around the summit venue and other parts of New Delhi, with traffic restrictions and diversions in place.

BRICS was founded in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India and China, with South Africa joining in 2010. It has since expanded to 11 members, representing about half the world’s population and a significant share of global economic output. The group has increasingly called for greater representation for developing countries in global institutions.

The leaders are expected to discuss economic cooperation, energy, food security, technology, supply chains and reforms to global institutions. Reducing reliance on the U.S. dollar will also be a priority, with members promoting greater use of their own currencies in trade and payments as well as pushing for alternatives to Western-dominated financial institutions.

For India, the summit highlights its effort to maintain strategic ties with Russia and Iran while deepening relations with the U.S. and Europe. New Delhi has sought to balance its longstanding partnerships with Moscow and Tehran with efforts to expand economic, defense and technology ties with Washington and other Western nations.

India has maintained close ties with both Moscow and Tehran despite the war in Ukraine and tensions between Iran and the U.S., while calling for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve conflicts. Modi met Putin and Pezeshkian separately in New Delhi on Friday ahead of the summit.

The summit comes as Iran, a member of the expanded BRICS group, is directly involved in the war in the Middle East, putting the bloc’s unity under pressure as its members navigate differing positions on the conflict and relations with the U.S.

A key test for India will be whether it can secure a joint statement from leaders at the summit. Those divisions were evident in May, when BRICS foreign ministers failed to agree on a joint statement over the Iran war, forcing India to issue a chair’s summary instead.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa attends a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, India, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026. (Kristina Solovyova, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

The leader of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, right, arrives for the BRICS summit in New Delhi, India, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026. (Indian Foreign Ministry via AP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks with journalists on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, India, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026. (Alexander Kazakov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, pose for a photo holding an edition of the Tirukkural, written by the 6th-century Tamil poet Tiruvalluvar, during their meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, India, on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026. (Alexander Kazakov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, center right, arrives for the BRICS summit in New Delhi, India, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026. (Indian Foreign Ministry via AP)