American Ben Shelton produced one of the biggest wins of his career on Wednesday, defeating defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a dramatic five-set quarter-final at the 2026 US Open.
Shelton recovered after losing the opening set to win 6–7(5), 6–1, 6–3, 1–6, 7–6(10–7) in a match that lasted four hours and 28 minutes. The contest finished at 3:33 a.m. in New York, making it the latest-finishing match in US Open history.
Alcaraz, who was defending his US Open title, started strongly by taking the first-set tiebreak. However, Shelton responded aggressively, winning the next two sets and putting the Spaniard under significant pressure.
Alcaraz fought back to take the fourth set and force a deciding set. Neither player could break serve in the final set, sending the match into a deciding tiebreak. Shelton held his nerve and sealed the victory with a powerful ace.
The result ended Alcaraz’s 18-match Grand Slam winning streak and gave Shelton his first career victory over a top-three opponent. It also sends the 23-year-old American into his second US Open semi-final.
Shelton will now face fellow American Frances Tiafoe, who earlier reached the semi-finals after coming from two sets down to defeat Alex Michelsen. The all-American clash guarantees that an American man will reach the US Open final.
