Shortly before 7pm on Friday evening, hidden among the hubbub and honey deuce and hordes of tennis fans, a small group of uniformed cadets lined up in the plaza beneath Arthur Ashe Stadium.They were from West Point, the military academy 60 miles north of Flushing Meadows and they stood silently in white shirts, white hats and white gloves. Barely anyone noticed as they folded a giant flag before marching toward the show court of the US Open.They emerged behind the baseline half an hour later, moments before the lights dimmed and Arthur Ashe paused to remember. Back in 2001, the curtain fell on the US Open two days before two planes struck Twin Towers and the world changed forever. On Friday, the 25th anniversary of 9/11 fell on the same day two American men – Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton – battled for a place in the final.It made for a highly-charged night 10 miles from Ground Zero. A night of commemoration and celebration. A night of tributes to the heroes of this city’s darkest hour. A night that included an all-American showdown and ended with Shelton in his first US Open final. ‘It’s a difficult day to be out here playing,’ he admitted afterwards.Some of the tributes were subtle – Arthur Ashe glowed blue and the date ‘9/11/01’ was beamed between sponsors on LED screens. Some were spine-tingling, such as JoJo’s performance of the national anthem as those cadets unfurled a giant Star-Spangled Banner. Some included first responders from Ground Zero. Other tributes took place thousands of miles from Flushing Meadows. On Friday morning, Alexandra Stevenson stepped off court in Los Angeles and cast her mind back 25 years. Hers is perhaps the most poignant, painful example of how tennis became entangled with events across the East River. There were emotional tributes to the victims of 9/11 at the US Open in New York on Friday JoJo sings the national anthem before the semifinal between Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton In an all-American showdown in New York, Shelton overcame Tiafoe to reach the US Open final The former world No 18 spent her morning helping a teenage hopeful prepare for a tournament. Back in 2001, however, she was the youngster on the receiving end of wise counsel.After a practice session ahead of the US Open main draw, Stevenson – then just 20 – climbed into one of the cars that carry players to and from Flushing Meadows. Car 61. Her chauffeur that day? Manuel ‘Manny’ Del Valle Jr, a 32-year-old New York firefighter who had taken on a side-hustle to save some extra cash. ‘Sometimes they say God winks,’ Stevenson says. ‘And I feel like, for some reason, Manny came into my life at that time.’They began to talk and, before long, Del Valle was driving Stevenson to and from the US Open every day. Several evenings were spent having dinner at a table for three – Stevenson’s mother acted as ‘chaperone.’He offered advice on how to cope with defeat and he explained why he decided to become a firefighter. ‘I’ll never forget this the rest of my life,’ Stevenson says. ‘He said: “Because I want to go in when there’s something happening, and I want to save as many people as I can.”’Eventually, they agreed to go on a date. It was set for September 13 – dinner at the top of the World Trade Center followed by salsa dancing. But Del Valle didn’t make it to Windows on the World. Two days before their date, he headed into the flames of the North Tower and never came out. Manuel ‘Manny’ Del Valle Jr, a 32-year-old New York firefighter, was killed on September 11 Del Valle grew close with tennis star Alexandra Stevenson after driving her at the US OpenA quarter of a century later, Stevenson picked up the phone not long before Alexander Zverev faced Karen Khachanov in the first of Friday’s semifinals. She wanted to remember Del Valle and her school friend, Deora Bodley, who was on board United 93 when it came down in Pennsylvania.A few days earlier, Lleyton Hewitt had beaten Pete Sampras in straight sets. Among his slated media obligations? A photoshoot at the Twin Towers on September 10. In the end, it was moved to Grand Central. On his flight back to Australia, Hewitt noticed airline staff crying in the galley before he landed to a different world. Hewitt was just 20 when he triumphed in New York; on Sunday against Alexander Zverev, 23-year-old Shelton will look to end a 23-year wait for an American man to win the US Open.’My thoughts and prayers go out to all the families affected by 9/11,’ he said after beating Tiafoe in four sets. ‘This is one of the greatest cities in the world and [9/11 was] one of the greatest tragedies.’Alexandra Stevenson woke up early on the morning of 9/11. She was back in California following the end of the US Open. Her plans that day? Practice in the morning and then fly back to New York. But then she turned on the TV.‘I immediately texted Manny because he told me he was going to be the first one in if anything happens,’ she recalls. ‘And of course, no answer.’ So Stevenson tried his family. She had only known Del Valle a couple of weeks but the firefighter had passed on his parents’ numbers in case of emergencies.They relayed what they knew: that Manny was off duty but had gone back to help. ‘And now they couldn’t find him,’ Stevenson recalls. It took a couple of weeks for search crews to dig through the debris and find the 32-year-old. A giant Star-Spangled Banner was unfurled ahead of the semifinal at Arthur Ashe Stadium Tiafoe took the first set before Shelton leveled as the two American stars battled it outDel Valle had reached the foot of the North Tower but their way out was blocked by the wreckage of the collapsed South Tower. ‘They tried everything to get out,’ ’ Stevenson says. ‘The bodies of the team were [found] at the door.’Every September 11, Stevenson toasts both Manny Del Valle Jr and Deora Bodley; she has been for dinner with his comrades at the firehouse of Engine 5; for his funeral, she organized a wreath that carried a two-word tribute: ‘Te Recordare.’It means ‘I will remember you’ and it was the name of a song Del Valle played on repeat during those journeys to and from Flushing Meadows.On Friday, 25 years later, New Yorkers lived out that same creed. As the screen behind the umpire’s chair read: Never Forget.