History made past 3am: Shelton ends Alcaraz’s US Open reign at the latest finish the tournament has ever seen
Ben Shelton (No. 8) beat Carlos Alcaraz (No. 2) 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (7) in the quarterfinals of the US Open, taking the deciding tie-break 10-7, at the latest finish in the tournament’s history. in the quarterfinals of the US Open 2026, winning the deciding tie-break 10-7 with an ace at the latest finish in the tournament’s history. It is his first win in 18 attempts against a top 3 opponent and his first in four meetings with Alcaraz. Shelton next plays Frances Tiafoe in an all-American semifinal.
Alcaraz – Shelton, US Open 2026 | © AP Photo/Adam Hunger/SIPA
Ben Shelton had played 17 matches against top 3 opponents and won one set in all of them before his quarter-final of the US Open. Early on Wednesday morning, he finished the 18th with an ace to conclude the greatest win of his career. The American No. 8 seed beat two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (7) in the quarterfinals of the US Open, taking the deciding tie-break 10-7, at the latest finish in the tournament’s history.
Neither man was broken in the fifth set. Alcaraz saved two break points serving at 3-4, and the tie-break began at 3:22 in the morning with 4 hours 15 minutes already played. Shelton led 3-1, Alcaraz took four points in a row to lead 4-3 and then 5-3, and from 6-6 Shelton was the best, bombing a 146 mph serve winner on his first match point.
What the defeat ended for Alcaraz
The Spanish No. 2 seed arrived 25-0 after winning the first set at this tournament, on an 18-match Grand Slam winning streak, and 13-0 in his career against American opponents at majors. All three of those ended in one night. It was also only the second five-set defeat of his career, after Matteo Berrettini at Melbourne in 2022.
It was not a night his body enjoyed. Alcaraz was sick into his towel during the match. Having won the first set and leading 1-0, he lost nine games in a row, and the third set went 6-1 against him.
Shelton thanks a crowd that had work in three hours
The American gave the win to the stadium. “For me it’s always about the people in the crowd, whether it’s my coaches and my team over there, or my family and friends over here. For the city of New York, they showed up tonight till 3 a.m. With the USA chants until the very end, that’s what kept me going and that’s what got me this win tonight.”
He then worried about them. “I always say that this is the greatest sports city in the world. I say that this is the greatest stadium in the world. I’m just hoping that my best friend and my sister over there don’t have to be at work at six a.m. in three hours. It’d be huge from their employers to let them have the day off today.” And on his opponent: “Sharing the court with Carlos is an absolute honor.”
A day on Ashe in which nothing finished early
The match closed a day of quarterfinals played entirely on Arthur Ashe Stadium, and every one of them went the distance. Aryna Sabalenka came from 4-2 down in the deciding set to beat Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova 7-6 (1), 3-6, 7-6 (7) in 2 hours 22 minutes.
Frances Tiafoe recovered from two sets and a break down, and from Alex Michelsen serving for the match, to win 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (6) in 4 hours 39 minutes. Jessica Pegula lost the first set and went a break down in the third before beating Emma Navarro 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 in 2 hours 21 minutes.
Shelton plays Tiafoe in the semifinals, the first all-American men’s semifinal at the US Open since Taylor Fritz beat Tiafoe two years ago, and the third at any Grand Slam this century. It equals Shelton’s best result at a major, after semifinals here three years ago and at the Australian Open last year, and it comes on the back of a summer in which he won a second ATP Masters 1000 title in Montreal.
US Open 2026, men’s singles quarter finals
A. Zverev [1] vs B. Van de Zandschulp – not played
K. Khachanov vs A. Blockx [28] – not played
F. Tiafoe [11] d. A. Michelsen: 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6(6)
B. Shelton [8] d. C. Alcaraz [2] : 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (7)
