Ben Shelton defeated defending champion Carlos Alcaraz 6-7 (5-7), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (10-7) at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Their grueling five-set US Open quarter-final concluded at 3:34 a.m. local time on September 9, setting a new tournament record for the latest finish in Flushing Meadows history.
The New York night session pushed past the limits of conventional scheduling on a marathon day of tennis. Following three earlier quarter-final matches that all went the distance, Alcaraz and Shelton did not take the court until after 11 p.m. The ensuing four-hour and 28-minute battle shattered the previous tournament record for a latest finish—a 2:50 a.m. conclusion set during Alcaraz’s quarter-final victory over Jannik Sinner in 2022.
How Shelton Broke Down the Defending Champion
Alcaraz entered the tournament as the defending champion, returning to major competition after a four-month layoff due to an injury. The Spaniard tested his form successfully through the early rounds, but Shelton presented a starkly different physical challenge.
After splitting the opening two sets—with Alcaraz claiming the first in a 61-minute tiebreak—Shelton seized control of the match. Shelton reeled off nine consecutive games across the second and third sets, capitalizing on Alcaraz’s flagging serve.
“I knew that my serve was only going to get better, and if I had already dialled in the return to the point that I could break him, I thought my chances were good to get that second set. Once I got rolling the second set, broke him three times in that set, it was a lot easier to just play and swing more freely.”
Ben Shelton
Alcaraz Fights Back Before the Deciding Tiebreak
Despite falling behind two sets to one, Alcaraz refused to surrender quietly. The 23-year-old Spaniard found a sudden surge of energy in the fourth set, disrupting Shelton’s rhythm to claim the set 6-1 in just 36 minutes and force a decider.
The fifth set proved razor-thin in its margins. Alcaraz missed a break opportunity at 2-2, while Shelton missed his own chance at 4-3. Neither player blinked until the contest arrived at a 10-point match tiebreak. Shelton ultimately sealed his first career victory over Alcaraz by hammering an ace on match point.
“That was a war, an epic match, so physical. Carlos is one of the greatest champions in our sport already at 23 years old. It’s always fun being on the court against him. It’s ridiculous some of the stuff he comes up with sometimes – the most enjoyable match that I’ve had in my career, for sure.”
Ben Shelton
The Crowd, the Curse, and an All-American Semi-Final
The partisan Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd played a central role in sustaining both players through the hours of the morning. Shelton thanked the spectators for staying until 3:30 a.m. and chanting USA
until the final point, calling New York the greatest sports city in the world
.
Alcaraz’s elimination also revived social media discussion surrounding the urban tennis legend known as the Roger Federer Curse,
which notes that no male US Open defending champion has successfully defended the title since Federer in 2008.
Shelton advances to face compatriot Frances Tiafoe in the semi-finals. Tiafoe reached the final four by completing a remarkable comeback from two sets down against Alex Michelsen, winning 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (10-6) after four hours and 38 minutes.
Chasing History on Home Soil
The setup guarantees an American man in the US Open final.
For Alcaraz, the exit brought disappointment paired with philosophical acceptance. Despite the physical toll of the 4.5-hour contest, the Spaniard reflected on the quality of the tennis produced under extraordinary circumstances.
“I’m just proud about myself, about how I fought,” he said, calling his opponent “a beast” physically. “It was close. It was close. So I’m just not going to be disappointed about not getting the win at the end,” he said. “Shelton is an unbelievable player, powerful. He just managed how to play really, really well in every situation, so credit to him.”
Carlos Alcaraz
