Ben Shelton pulled off the biggest win of his career in the early hours of Monday morning, stunning defending champion Carlos Alcaraz 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 to reach the US Open semifinals in what became the latest match in tournament history.
The No. 8 seed American finished off the No. 2 seed Spaniard with an ace at 3:33 a.m. ET at Arthur Ashe Stadium, capping a five-set thriller that started just after 11 p.m. Sunday night. The victory marks Shelton's first career win over a top-5 seed at a Grand Slam and sends him to his second US Open semifinal.
"What a way for Carlos to win the first set. This match is 🔥," the US Open's official account posted on social media after Alcaraz took the opening set in a tiebreak.
The loss ends several streaks for Alcaraz. The 23-year-old had reached four consecutive Grand Slam finals and was 15-1 in five-set matches coming into the quarterfinal. He had also won 13 straight matches against Americans and 14 in a row against left-handers — all streaks that Shelton broke in his star-making performance.
After dropping the first set 7-5 in a tiebreak, Shelton dominated the second set 6-1, beating Alcaraz at his own game by controlling points and moving his opponent around the court. The American showed a more complete side of his game, finding balance between playing under control while still letting his natural power shine through.
Shelton continued his momentum in the third set, taking it 6-3 to move within one set of victory. But Alcaraz, the defending US Open champion who had won three of his last four Grand Slam starts, showed his championship mettle by storming back to take the fourth set 6-1 and force a decider.
The fifth set went to serve until the tiebreak, where both players produced spectacular rallies deep into the morning hours. With fans who had stayed up all night cheering them on, Shelton held his nerve to close out the match and advance to an all-American semifinal.
The victory represents a breakthrough moment for Shelton, who is currently ranked No. 9 in the world as of August 31, 2026, according to his ATP profile. The 23-year-old from Atlanta has seven career ATP titles and reached a career-high ranking of No. 5 in November 2025.
For Alcaraz, it marks his first quarterfinal exit since the 2025 Australian Open, snapping his streak of reaching four straight Grand Slam finals. The Spaniard was seeking to defend his US Open title but couldn't find an answer for Shelton's power and improved court craft in the crucial moments.
The match was delayed due to earlier contests going the distance, with all three preceding matches requiring five sets. Shelton and Alcaraz had to wait until well past 11 p.m. to take the court, but neither player showed signs of fatigue as they battled through nearly five hours of high-quality tennis.
Shelton will now face an American opponent in the semifinals, setting up the possibility of an all-American final at Flushing Meadows. The left-hander's fearless hitting and explosive serve proved too much for even Alcaraz to handle in the early morning hours, as he claimed the most significant victory of his young career under the lights at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
