+34
Ben Shelton defeated defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in five sets in a US Open quarter-final that finished at 3:34 am, the latest finish in tournament history, and will face Frances Tiafoe in an all-American semi-final.
Carlos Alcaraz is out of the US Open. Ben Shelton defeated the defending champion 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (10/7) in a quarter-final that finished at 3:34 am Wednesday, the latest finish in tournament history.
The match lasted four hours and 28 minutes. It surpassed the previous Flushing Meadows record of 2:50 am set by Alcaraz's five-set quarter-final win over Jannik Sinner in 2022. The loss ended Alcaraz's hopes of retaining his title in his first tournament back from a four-month injury absence. Shelton earned his first career win over Alcaraz and matched the semi-final run he made at the US Open three years ago.
He will next face Frances Tiafoe in an all-American semi-final. Tiafoe came back from two sets down to beat Alex Michelsen 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (10/6). A new US Open champion will be crowned. Tiafoe or Shelton would become the first American man to win the US Open since Andy Roddick in 2003 and the first American man to claim any Grand Slam singles title in 23 years.
Shelton called the match 'a war, epic match, so physical' and said Alcaraz is already one of the greatest champions in the sport at 23. He added that playing Alcaraz is fun and that some of the stuff Alcaraz comes up with is ridiculous. He said it was the most enjoyable match of his career. Alcaraz said it was close and he was not going to be disappointed about not getting the win.
He was proud of how he fought and said: 'I leave the court with a smile, healthy, and this is what I needed.
' Alcaraz had gone from strength to strength through his first four matches. Shelton, however, was pumped up by the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd and capitalised on Alcaraz's flagging serve. He got the better of rallies that left the Spaniard winded. Shelton, the US number one, managed the moment and the occasion across five sets.
Two days after dominating Tommy Paul, he served precisely and stayed solid from the baseline. The match was a severe physical test for Alcaraz, who was playing with few matches under his belt after his injury absence. The match was the last of four quarter-finals that all went to deciding sets. Aryna Sabalenka, Tiafoe and Jessica Pegula won comeback victories over Linda Noskova, Alex Michelsen and Emma Navarro respectively.
Because of those long matches, Alcaraz and Shelton did not start until 11:05 pm. Once they started, neither man faced a break point in the first 10 games. Alcaraz survived a complicated hold at 4-4 after back-to-back double faults. He then took the first break and served for the opening set, but Shelton broke back and took the tiebreak 7-5 after 61 minutes despite trailing 5-3.
Shelton began the second set by adding pace to his forehand. He generated four break points in the opening game and then saved three break points on his own serve at 0-1. After that he broke Alcaraz three times in the set, with two of those breaks coming from Alcaraz double faults, including one on set point. By the time Shelton consolidated a break to lead 3-0 in the third set, he had won nine consecutive games.
Alcaraz could not maintain his serve and looked increasingly frazzled as errors piled up. Shelton kept serving precisely and held his nerve through the noisy Ashe crowd. Shelton later said he knew his serve would get better and that if he had already dialed in the return to the point where he could break Alcaraz, his chances were good to get the second set.
'Once I got rolling the second set and broke him three times, it was a lot easier to just play and swing more freely. ' Alcaraz finally stopped the rot while Shelton served for the third set at 5-3. He created a break point with a curling forehand and even chased down a 148mph Shelton serve, but Shelton absorbed the pressure on his backhand. Shelton closed out a two-sets-to-one lead as Alcaraz doubled over.
That intense finish to the third set energised Alcaraz instead of breaking him. He blasted forehands, covered every inch of the court, and took the fourth set in 36 minutes to force a fifth set at 2:20 am. He was not entirely right, vomiting into a towel at the final changeover, but he was untouchable on the court. The fifth set was razor thin.
Alcaraz had a break chance at 2-2, while Shelton created three break points at 4-3. After earlier staring down a 0-30 deficit at 1-1, Shelton answered with enormous first serves and fearless forehands. He saved a break point by coming to the net and smashing an overhead, then celebrated with a roar. Shelton could not convert his 4-3 chances, allowing Alcaraz to force a 10-point match tiebreak.
In the tiebreak, Shelton did not blink. At 6-6 in the tiebreak he hit a 146mph unreturned serve to lead 7-6. He then stayed solid from the baseline to reach match point. At 9-7, a 146mph ace ended the match.
The match ended with thousands of fans still roaring in a half-full Arthur Ashe Stadium. Shelton had the greatest win of his career and a place in the semi-finals. Alcaraz left the court proud and healthy.
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The42_ie:This story was compiled and edited by the HeadTopics newsroom and HT AI from the reports above.
Carlos-Alcaraz Ben Shelton Carlos Alcaraz US Open Quarter-Final Record Latest Finish All-American Semi-Final US Open Frances Tiafoe Tennis
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