American tennis star Ben Shelton produced one of the biggest upsets of the 2026 US Open after defeating defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a dramatic five-set quarter-final at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Shelton recovered from losing the opening set to beat the Spanish third seed 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(10-7) in a marathon contest that lasted four hours and 28 minutes.
The match began late on Tuesday night and ended at 3:33 a.m. local time on Wednesday, making it the latest finish in US Open history.
Alcaraz, who had entered the contest as the defending champion, started strongly by taking the first set in a tiebreak. Shelton, however, responded emphatically, taking control of the second and third sets with his powerful serve and aggressive baseline play.
The Spaniard fought back in the fourth set to force a decider, but Shelton held his nerve when it mattered most. The American eventually prevailed in the deciding tiebreak, sealing the victory 10-7.
Alcaraz also appeared to struggle physically during the exhausting encounter, while Shelton maintained his composure in the crucial stages. The victory ended Alcaraz’s 18-match winning streak at Grand Slam tournaments.
For Shelton, the win represents the biggest victory of his career against a top-three opponent and sends him into his third Grand Slam semi-final.
He will now face fellow American Frances Tiafoe in the last four, setting up an all-American battle and raising hopes of a first US men’s Grand Slam champion since Andy Roddick won the US Open in 2003.
Shelton’s remarkable run has also given American men’s tennis another major reason for optimism as the US Open enters its decisive stages.
