Ben Shelton produced the biggest victory of his career in the early hours of Wednesday morning, defeating defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a five-set US Open quarter-final that became the latest-finishing match in tournament history.
Shelton prevailed 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(10-7) after four hours and 28 minutes of increasingly dramatic tennis at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The match began at 11:05 p.m. on Tuesday and finally ended at 3:33 a.m., with a capacity crowd still making itself heard as the American completed what is likely the biggest win of his career.
For Shelton, it was his first victory over Alcaraz and a proper statement that his powerful, aggressive game can withstand the pressure of a Grand Slam night session against one of the sport’s best.
Alcaraz entered the quarter-final with a perfect 13-0 record against American opponents at Grand Slam level. He also arrived as the defending US Open champion but had not played competitively for almost five months because of a wrist injury.
He edged a tense opening set in a tiebreak, 7-5, repeatedly finding solutions when Shelton’s serve and first-strike tennis threatened to take control. Yet the momentum changed dramatically in the second set.
Shelton began attacking Alcaraz’s second serve and stepping forward on returns, while his own delivery remained one of the match’s most difficult weapons to contain. The American swept through the second set 6-1 and continued the pressure in the third, taking it 6-3.
For certain periods, Alcaraz appeared unusually vulnerable and we saw plenty of unforced errors, also on his forehand. At one point he became slightly unwell during a changeover, showing how severely these conditions were testing both players. Yet he refused to disappear.
What a match ?? https://t.co/WH2dusf0DQ
— Tennisnerd (@Tennisnerdnet) September 9, 2026
The fourth set belonged to the Spaniard, who raised his level and broke Shelton three times to force a deciding set. What followed was the kind of final set that made the match’s late hour almost irrelevant to the thousands who remained inside Ashe.
Neither player could establish a decisive advantage through the opening 12 games.
The deciding match tiebreak ultimately provided the separation. Shelton kept his composure under enormous pressure, winning it 10-7 to seal an impressive victory.
Great atmosphere
The atmosphere inside Arthur Ashe became part of the story today. Shelton repeatedly drew energy from the crowd, with American fans staying until the early morning
“For me, it is always about the people in the crowd,” Shelton commented after the match.
“Whether it is my coaches or my team over there, all my friends and family, or even the city of New York that showed up tonight till 3 a.m. With the USA chants until the very end by the crowd, that’s what got me the win tonight.”
The previous record for the latest finish at the US Open was also set by Alcaraz. In the 2022 quarter-finals, he saved a match point before overcoming Jannik Sinner in a five-set epic that ended at 2:50 a.m.
Next up: Tiafoe
For Alcaraz, the defeat ends his title defence and a remarkable Grand Slam run, following his injury absence. For Shelton, he moves on to another huge challenge when he will face Frances Tiafoe on Friday. Big Foe managed a heroic comeback against Michelsen to reach the semi’s, and this should be a good American battle where both players aim to reach their first major final..
