Ben Shelton’s first Grand Slam final was always going to draw a major crowd, but Sunday’s US Open championship match also turned into something of a Knicksreunion.
Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Landry Shamet were all spotted at Arthur Ashe Stadium as Shelton faced Alexander Zverev, with several of the Knicks stars joined by their partners and family members for one of the biggest sporting events on the New York calendar.
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Hart arrived with his wife, Shannon, with the couple wearing coordinated white and gray outfits before taking their seats. His allegiance was clear before the match even began.
“We all Ben Shelton fans today,” Hart wrote on X, adding an American flag emoji. That support was hardly surprising given the scale of what Shelton was trying to accomplish.
Brunson and Hart following Shelton’s run closely
Brunson attended with his wife, Ali, while his father, Knicks assistant coach Rick Brunson, was also part of the group making its way into Arthur Ashe.
It wasn’t the first time Brunson and Hart had turned out for Shelton during the closing stages of the tournament.
The two Knicks stars and their wives were also on the blue carpet for Shelton’s semifinal against Frances Tiafoe, another sign that the American’s run had captured attention well beyond the tennis world.
Shamet was there as well with fiancée Cameron Aimonetti. He also brought the personal camera that became a familiar part of the Knicks’ championship celebrations earlier this summer, including their parade through lower Manhattan.
The Knicks contingent joined a celebrity-heavy crowd that also included Brad Pitt, Ed Westwick, Benny Blanco, Christopher Briney and Isabel Machado.
Shelton chasing more than first major title
The atmosphere around the final was driven by more than celebrity interest. Shelton, 23, entered the match with the chance to become the first American man to win a Grand Slam singles title since Andy Roddick captured the US Open in 2003.
He had already made history before facing Zverev. Shelton became the first black American man to reach the US Open singles final since Arthur Ashe in 1972, adding significance to what was already the biggest tournament of his career.
He reached the final by beating Tiafoe in the semifinals after a dramatic five-set victory over defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals. That run helped turn Shelton into one of the biggest American sports stories of the week.
The Knicks may have owned plenty of attention in New York after their championship run, but on Sunday, several of their stars were happy to hand the spotlight over.