NEW YORK
American tennis star Ben Shelton pulled off the biggest victory of his career, stunning defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a late-night thriller at the US Open. In an epic quarter-final that stretched over four hours and 28 minutes, Shelton defeated the Spanish powerhouse 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(10/7) to reach the semi-finals at Flushing Meadows for the first time since 2023.
This extraordinary showdown also wrote history by recording the latest finish ever at the US Open. As the clock ticked deep into the morning, Shelton sealed the match with a blistering 146-mph ace at precisely 3:33 a.m. The previous record for the latest finish was set exactly two years prior, when Alcaraz edged Jannik Sinner in another five-set classic that wrapped up at 2:50 a.m.
With this loss, Alcaraz saw his impressive 18-match winning streak at Grand Slam tournaments come to a sudden halt. The Spaniard entered the tournament following a 4-month injury layoff and was aiming for his eighth major title. He was also trying to become the first male player to successfully defend the US Open crown since Roger Federer. Despite dropping only one set en route to the quarter-finals, Alcaraz could not find a way past Shelton’s explosive serving and fierce baseline aggression in the closing tiebreak.
Shelton, who recently claimed his second ATP Masters 1000 title in Montreal, displayed incredible mental toughness to bounce back after dropping the opening set and later surrendering the fourth. His powerful serve proved to be the ultimate weapon under the New York lights, wearing down the defending champion in the tense final-set tiebreak.
Looking ahead, Shelton advances to an all-American semi-final clash against 11th seed Frances Tiafoe. Both players are chasing a spot in their very first Grand Slam final. Shelton currently holds a 3-1 head-to-head advantage over Tiafoe, though their previous meetings at Flushing Meadows have proven that neither player will back down easily on this grand stage.
