​September 11, 2026; New York, United States; Ben Shelton of the U.S. celebrates winning his semi final match against Frances Tiafoe of the U.S. © Geoff Burke-Imagn ImagesAmerican tennis fans have waited more than two decades for a new men’s Grand Slam champion, and they will have a home favorite to support in Sunday’s US Open final. 23-year-old Ben Shelton has reached his first Grand Slam final at Flushing Meadows, where he will face World No. 2 Alexander Zverev. The German is playing in his third major final of the season, while Shelton will look to end the long wait for an American men’s Grand Slam champion.Meanwhile, fans were drawn to an exchange between Shelton and Roddick after the post-match broadcast. Former pro-turned-coach Rennae Stubbs later cleared up what the exchange was about and praised it as a “nice moment.”Andy Roddick’s “I Don’t Care” Reply to Ben Shelton Goes Viral as Rennae Stubbs Explains What HappenedFollowing his semifinal win, Shelton was seen approaching Roddick at the tournament’s live broadcast desk. The microphones picked up Shelton apologizing for not replying to a recent text message from the Hall of Famer. Roddick simply replied, “I don’t care.”The brief exchange quickly caught attention online, with some fans seeing tension between the two Americans. However, the former doubles No. 1 later weighed in on social media, saying there was no friction between them.“He said he is sorry he hasnt responded on text and he said ‘i dont care’ cause Andy knows it not about him and also that he knows Ben is busy,” Stubbs wrote on X. She added, “Andy is a real one and Ben appreciate him making the effort. Nice moment.”Fans also joined in with their own interpretations of what Shelton might have said to the former World No. 1. They joked it was about Shelton’s 158 mph serve, working the crowd, or taking Roddick’s place as the last American man to win a Grand Slam, with Roddick saying he doesn’t care.Roddick remains the last American man to win a Grand Slam singles title, having lifted the US Open trophy in 2003. Now, he is supporting Shelton as the 8th seed looks to follow in his footsteps.MORE: ‘Doesn’t Scare Me’ – Ben Shelton Brings Up Carlos Alcaraz To Dismiss Alexander Zverev Concern Ahead of US Open FinalThe stakes are high for Shelton as he faces the top seed in Sunday’s final at Arthur Ashe Stadium. He has already made history as the first African American man to reach the US Open final since Arthur Ashe in 1972, but winning the title will be a tough challenge.The French Open champion is playing in his third Grand Slam final of 2026 and leads their head-to-head 5-0. With 2,000 ranking points at stake, Shelton will need to play his best tennis to beat Zverev and make more history.This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.