Shelton Ousts Alcaraz in 3:33 a.m. US Open Epic

What happened

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Ben Shelton ended Carlos Alcaraz's US Open title defense with a 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(7) quarterfinal victory inside Arthur Ashe Stadium. According to the official US Open report, the four-hour, 28-minute match ended at 3:33 a.m. local time, the latest finish in tournament history, when Shelton struck a 146-mph ace to complete the biggest win of his career.

The No. 8 seed recovered after Alcaraz took a tight opening set in a tiebreak. Shelton then won nine consecutive games during a forceful middle stretch, taking control with his left-handed serve, aggressive returns and sharply angled groundstrokes. Alcaraz answered emphatically in the fourth set, conceding only one game and forcing the contest into a deciding fifth.

The last set stayed level all the way to the match tiebreak. Shelton held his nerve there, converting the opportunity that had escaped him in three previous meetings with Alcaraz. The result was Shelton's first victory over a Top 3 opponent and snapped the Spaniard's 18-match winning streak at Grand Slam tournaments. Alcaraz had entered New York as the defending champion after returning from a four-and-a-half-month absence caused by a right wrist injury.

Why it matters

Shelton is back in the US Open semifinals for the first time since his breakthrough run in 2023. He has now turned a difficult draw into a defining fortnight, following earlier wins over Tallon Griekspoor, Hubert Hurkacz, Denis Shapovalov and Stefanos Tsitsipas. The quarterfinal victory also confirmed his ability to sustain his high-risk, first-strike tennis against one of the sport's leading champions across five sets and deep into the night.

Tournament impact

The upset removed the No. 2 seed and two-time US Open champion from the men's draw. It also guaranteed an American finalist because Shelton will face No. 11 seed Frances Tiafoe in Friday's semifinal. Tiafoe advanced by defeating Alex Michelsen in another five-set quarterfinal earlier on Tuesday. The matchup gives both players a direct chance to become the first American man to win the US Open singles title since Andy Roddick in 2003.

What to watch

Recovery will be central to Shelton's preparation after the historic late finish. His serve produced the final answer against Alcaraz, but Tiafoe arrives with his own momentum after surviving four hours and 39 minutes against Michelsen. Their semifinal will place two experienced Arthur Ashe Stadium performers on opposite sides of the net, with Shelton seeking his first major final and Tiafoe trying to convert his third US Open semifinal appearance into a championship match.