Ben Shelton reached his maiden Grand Slam final at the US Open following a four-set semifinal victory over Frances Tiafoe.
His father and coach Bryan Shelton revealed that a phone call with Rafael Nadal last month provided a mental blueprint to help Ben bounce back after a first-round exit in Cincinnati.
The left-hander will face Alexander Zverev in the final, aiming to become the first American man to win a major since Andy Roddick in 2003.