US Open: Ben Shelton stuns defending champion Alcaraz in marathon quarter-final

The four-hour, 28-minute contest became the latest-finishing match in US Open history, surpassing the previous record of 2:50 a.m., which was set exactly two years ago when Alcaraz defeated Jannik Sinner in a five-set quarter-final, according to the ATP website.

This time, however, Alcaraz could not produce another late-night escape as Shelton held his nerve in the deciding Match Tie-break to complete a stunning upset and book his place in the semi-finals.

The 23-year-old American has been in impressive form during the North American hard-court swing and improved to 13-2 during the stretch. Shelton, who won his second ATP Masters 1000 title in Montreal, has now reached the US Open semi-finals for the first time since 2023.

Alcaraz, meanwhile, was playing his first tournament after a four-month injury layoff. The Spaniard had dropped just one set on his way to the quarter-finals before Shelton brought his title defence to an end.

Shelton, who is now 38-13 for the 2026 season, will face 11th seed Frances Tiafoe in the semi-finals. Both Americans will be chasing a maiden Grand Slam final appearance.

Shelton leads Tiafoe 3-1 in their previous meetings. The pair have met twice at the US Open, with Shelton winning their 2023 quarter-final before Tiafoe prevailed in the third round in 2024.

For Alcaraz, the defeat ended his bid for an eighth Grand Slam title and a chance to become the first man since Roger Federer to successfully defend the US Open crown.

The Spaniard had arrived in New York on an 18-match winning streak at Grand Slam tournaments, his longest such run, which included his 2025 US Open title and his Australian Open triumph earlier this year. The Australian Open victory also made him the youngest man to complete the Career Grand Slam.

Shelton's victory now sets up an all-American semi-final against Tiafoe, with the 23-year-old looking to continue his remarkable hard-court run and reach his first major final. (ANI)