American tennis player Ben Shelton defeated defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a thrilling five set quarterfinal at the US Open, ending the Spaniard’s title defense and securing a place in an all American semifinal.
The marathon contest lasted four hours and 28 minutes before finishing at 3:33 a.m. local time at Arthur Ashe Stadium, making it the latest completed match in US Open history.
The match saw momentum shift repeatedly between the two players. Alcaraz took the opening set through a tiebreak, but Shelton responded strongly by winning the next two sets and moving ahead 2 1. Alcaraz then fought back to take the fourth set and force a deciding fifth set.
With a large crowd remaining in the stadium despite the late hour, Shelton drew energy from the home support. He eventually won the deciding tiebreak to secure a 6 7(5), 6 1, 6 3, 1 6, 7 6(10 7) victory.
Shelton sealed the historic win with a powerful 146 mph ace. The American praised the support from his coaches, family, friends and the New York crowd, saying their encouragement helped him continue fighting until the final point.
The victory was particularly significant for Shelton as it marked his first win over a player ranked inside the top three. He also advanced to the third Grand Slam semifinal of his career. His next opponent will be fellow American Frances Tiafoe, guaranteeing an American player a place in the men’s US Open final.
For Alcaraz, the defeat ended his attempt to retain the US Open title. The Spaniard had endured a difficult season affected by injuries and missed both the French Open and Wimbledon. He did, however, win the Australian Open earlier in 2026, taking his total number of major titles to seven.
Despite the disappointment, Alcaraz remained positive after the match. He said he was proud of his effort and explained that he felt physically tired early in the contest but managed to push himself and improve as the match progressed.
Alcaraz also praised Shelton’s performance, describing the American as an extremely powerful player who handled different situations on court very effectively.