Shelton ends Alcaraz’s title defence in US Open marathon
Ben Shelton has reached the semi-finals after defeating defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a five-set match that finished at 3.33am in New York.
Ben Shelton defeated defending champion Carlos Alcaraz 6-7 (5-7), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (10-7) in a four-hour, 28-minute US Open quarter-final reported by Sky Sports as the latest finish in the tournament’s history.
The result was Shelton’s first career victory over a top-three opponent, ending a previous 0-17 record. The American recovered from losing the opening-set tie-break before forcing a deciding set and prevailing in the 10-point match tie-break.
Shelton will meet fellow American Frances Tiafoe in the semi-finals. Tiafoe defeated Alex Michelsen in five sets, recovering from two sets down and a 3-0 deficit in the deciding set.
The all-American semi-final guarantees that a United States man will reach the tournament’s final. Andy Roddick was the last American man to win a major title, in 2003.
Shelton is through to his third Grand Slam semi-final, having previously reached the last four at the 2023 US Open and 2025 Australian Open. Alcaraz was playing his first tournament since April after more than four months away with a reported wrist injury.
