Ben Shelton ended Carlos Alcaraz’s 2026 US Open title defence with a five-set quarter-final victory over the Spaniard, winning 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(10-7) in a match that finished at 3:33 a.m. in New York.
The four-hour, 28-minute contest was the latest-finishing match in US Open history. Shelton, the eighth seed, recovered after losing the opening set and eventually won the deciding 10-point tiebreak to reach the semi-finals.
Shelton survives five-set battle
Alcaraz took the opening set after a tiebreak, putting the defending champion in an early position of advantage.
Shelton responded strongly in the second set, winning it 6-1 before taking the third set 6-3.
Alcaraz fought back in the fourth, winning it 6-1 to force a deciding set.
The fifth set remained close before Shelton prevailed in the final tiebreak, 10-7.
The result sent Shelton into the last four while ending Alcaraz’s attempt to defend the US Open championship he won in 2025.
A record-breaking finish
The match started late on Tuesday night and concluded at 3:33 a.m. Wednesday morning.
According to USOpen.org, Shelton’s victory was the latest finish in tournament history.
The American sealed the match with a 146-mph ace, completing one of the most significant victories of his career.
The length and timing of the contest added another unusual chapter to the tournament’s history.
Alcaraz had returned from a long layoff
The US Open represented Alcaraz’s return to Grand Slam competition after an extended absence.
He had been away from competitive tennis for approximately four and a half months because of a right wrist injury.
Despite the layoff, the Spaniard progressed through the opening rounds in strong form.
He defeated Roman Safiullin 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in the first round before overcoming Jaime Faria in four sets. He then defeated Wu Yibing in straight sets and beat Tommy Paul 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 in the fourth round.
The loss to Shelton therefore brought his tournament to an end in the quarter-finals.
Shelton’s serve proved important
Shelton’s powerful serve was one of the defining features of the match.
Alcaraz later praised the American’s serving, particularly during the decisive stages.
The US Open reported that Shelton’s left-handed serve, returns and angled groundstrokes created problems for Alcaraz throughout the match.
Shelton also became the first American man to defeat Alcaraz at a Grand Slam, according to USOpen.org.
Alcaraz credits Shelton
Following the defeat, Alcaraz gave credit to Shelton for his performance.
The Spaniard said Shelton had played extremely well and identified the American’s serve as an important weapon during the decisive moments.
Alcaraz also said he left the court proud of the way he had fought through the match.
The defeat ended an 18-match winning streak for Alcaraz in Grand Slam competition.
Shelton advances to an all-American semi-final
Shelton’s quarter-final victory set up a semi-final against fellow American Frances Tiafoe.
Tiafoe had also needed five sets to reach the last four, defeating Alex Michelsen 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6(10-6).
The other semi-final featured Alexander Zverev against Karen Khachanov.
The American semi-final between Shelton and Tiafoe provided both players with an opportunity to reach the US Open final.
Alcaraz’s route to the quarter-finals
Alcaraz entered the tournament as the defending champion and third seed.
His opening-round victory over Safiullin was particularly notable because it marked his first professional match in 139 days.
He subsequently built momentum through the draw.
Against Wu, he won 6-3, 6-4, 6-1, while his fourth-round victory over Tommy Paul was completed in straight sets.
His quarter-final against Shelton was therefore his fifth match of the tournament.
The five-set defeat prevented him from reaching a second consecutive US Open final.
Shelton reaches the final four
Shelton’s victory represented a significant progression in his 2026 US Open campaign.
The American had already defeated several opponents on his route to the quarter-finals, including Stefanos Tsitsipas in the fourth round.
His victory over Alcaraz then gave him a place in the semi-finals for the second time at the US Open.
The win also made Shelton one of the four remaining men’s singles players competing for the championship.
A new US Open champion was guaranteed
Alcaraz’s defeat had another important consequence.
Because the defending champion was eliminated in the quarter-finals, the 2026 US Open men’s singles tournament was guaranteed to produce a new champion.
The remaining semi-finalists were Shelton, Tiafoe, Zverev and Khachanov. USOpen.org confirmed that none of the four had previously won the US Open men’s singles title.
Zverev eventually defeated Shelton in the final, winning 6-3, 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2 to claim the 2026 US Open title.
What the result means for Alcaraz
The defeat ended Alcaraz’s 2026 US Open campaign earlier than his title defence would have required.
He had returned from injury and reached the quarter-finals without dropping a set in his first and third-round matches, but Shelton produced the decisive performance when the two met.
For Shelton, the victory became the defining result of his tournament.
For Alcaraz, the match marked the end of his attempt to retain the US Open crown.
The 2026 tournament ultimately moved beyond both players’ quarter-final encounter, with Zverev emerging as champion after defeating Shelton in the final.
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