It’s been over 22 years since an American man has claimed victory at the Australian Open. Ben Shelton is now on the verge of potentially breaking this streak, having made it to the semifinals in Melbourne. However, he must overcome the reigning champion to reach the final.

The No. 21 seed Shelton will compete against No. 1 seed Jannik Sinner in one of the two men’s semifinals scheduled for Friday. The victor will move on to face either No. 2 seed Alexander Zverev or No. 7 seed Novak Djokovic for the coveted Norman Brookes Challenge Cup.

Shelton is the final American man left in the tournament and hopes to secure his first Grand Slam title and be the first American man to win the Australian Open since Andre Agassi in 2003.

On the other hand, Sinner aims to clinch his second consecutive title at the Australian Open and his third major overall. He staged a remarkable comeback from two sets down to defeat Daniil Medvedev and win the 2024 Australian Open, having also won the 2024 U.S. Open.

At 22, Shelton is anticipating a challenging match against Sinner. “Facing off against the best players in the world is a great chance to improve and gauge your skills,” Shelton expressed.

Sinner, 23, praised Shelton, calling him “one of the best servers on tour.”

Here’s everything you need to know about the semifinal clash:

When is the men’s semifinal at the Australian Open?

The match between Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev is set to begin at 10:30 p.m. ET on Thursday (2:30 a.m. in Melbourne).

Jannik Sinner versus Ben Shelton is scheduled for Friday at 3:30 a.m. ET (7:30 p.m. in Melbourne).

How can I watch Ben Shelton vs. Jannik Sinner?

The men’s semifinal will be shown live on ESPN, and you can also stream it on ESPN+ or through the ESPN app. For more options, matches can be streamed via Fubo, which currently offers a free trial.

Enjoy the Australian Open with a Fubo subscription

Ben Shelton’s journey to the Australian Open semifinal

No. 21 seed in the tournament

• 1st round: Defeated Brandon Nakashima 7-6 (7-3), 7-5, 7-5
• 2nd round: Defeated Pablo Carreno Busta 6-3, 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 6-4
• 3rd round: Defeated (16) Lorenzo Musetti 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5)
• 4th round: Defeated Gael Monfils 7-6 (7-3), 6-7 (3-7), 7-6 (7-2), 1-0, Retired
• Quarterfinals: Defeated Lorenzo Sonego 6-4, 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (7-4)

Jannik Sinner’s path to the Australian Open semifinal

No. 1 seed in the tournament

• 1st round: Defeated Nicolas Jarry 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (7-5), 6-1
• 2nd round: Defeated Tristan Schoolkate 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-3
• 3rd round: Defeated Marcos Giron 6-3, 6-4, 6-2
• 4th round: Defeated (13) Holger Rune 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
• Quarterfinals: Defeated (8) Alex de Minaur 6-3, 6-2, 6-1

Sinner vs. Shelton head-to-head

Sinner holds the edge in their head-to-head matchups, leading 4-1. Shelton managed to defeat Sinner 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5) in their first encounter at the Shanghai Masters in October 2023, but Sinner has won the last four meetings.

Their latest clash took place in the fourth round of the Shanghai Masters in October, where Sinner secured a 6-4, 7-6 (7-1) victory on Shelton’s 22nd birthday on an outdoor hard court.

What does the Australian Open champion receive?

The champions of both the men’s and women’s singles will receive equal prize money for winning the Australian Open. The winner will take home $2.199 million (or $3.5 million AUD), while the runner-up will earn $1.193 million (or $1.9 million AUD).