New York: American Ben Shelton pulled off one of the biggest victories of his career by defeating defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a dramatic five-set quarter-final at the US Open, securing a 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(10/7) victory in a match.
The four-hour, 28-minute battle became the latest-finishing match in US Open history, surpassing the previous record of 2:50 am set exactly two years ago when Alcaraz defeated Jannik Sinner in a five-set quarter-final.
This time, Alcaraz was unable to produce another late-night comeback as Shelton kept his composure in the deciding match tie-break to seal his place in the semi-finals.
The 23-year-old American has been in outstanding form during the North American hard-court swing, improving his record to 13-2 during the stretch. Shelton, who won his second ATP Masters 1000 title in Montreal, will now return to the US Open semi-finals for the first time since 2023.
Alcaraz, playing his first tournament after a four-month injury layoff, had dropped only one set on his way to the quarter-finals. His defeat ended his 18-match Grand Slam winning streak and his hopes of successfully defending his US Open title.
Shelton, now 38-13 for the 2026 season, will face 11th seed and compatriot Frances Tiafoe in an all-American semi-final. Both players will be chasing their first Grand Slam final appearance.
Shelton leads Tiafoe 3-1 in their previous meetings. The two Americans have met twice at the US Open, with Shelton winning their 2023 quarter-final before Tiafoe prevailed in the third round in 2024.
For Alcaraz, the defeat ended his bid for an eighth Grand Slam title and denied him the chance to become the first man since Roger Federer to successfully defend the US Open crown. The Spaniard had won the Australian Open earlier this year, becoming the youngest man to complete a Career Grand Slam.
