Ben Shelton eliminated defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a grueling five-set match that concluded at 3:33 a.m. Wednesday, marking the latest finish in U.S. Open history and advancing Shelton to the semifinals.
Shelton secured the 6-7, 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 victory after a marathon contest lasting 4 hours and 28 minutes. The win ended Alcaraz's 18-match winning streak in Grand Slam tournaments. Despite physical fatigue, Alcaraz fought back through the match, even vomiting before the start of the final set, but could not overcome Shelton's powerful serve, including a 146 mph ace to seal the match.
“I’m tired. It was a war,” Shelton stated after the match. “Carlos is one of the greatest champions of our sport. It was the most enjoyable match I’ve had in my career, for sure.”
Alcaraz, who had previously played in the second-latest finishing match at the U.S. Open in 2022, expressed disappointment but pride in his fight. “I mean it was close, it was really close, so I was disappointed I didn't get the win at the end,” Alcaraz said. “But I’m happy, I am proud of myself about how I fought. As I said, physically I was really tired but I found a way to push myself.” He added that his goal was to play matches and stay healthy after returning from a right wrist injury.
Shelton, who reached his third major semifinal, will face No. 11 seed Frances Tiafoe in the semifinals. Tiafoe advanced by defeating Alex Michelsen 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6. The U.S. is now guaranteed to have a male singles finalist at the U.S. Open for the first time since Andy Roddick won the title in 2003.
Tiafoe's path to the semifinals was also challenging. He came back from a 0-3 deficit in the fifth set against Michelsen, who had not dropped a set prior to that match. Tiafoe acknowledged a slow start, stating, “It wasn’t good, let’s put it that way. It wasn’t good. Three out of five is a blessing, because you have time to get it together. I definitely waited for the last minute.”
With Shelton's victory, Arthur Ashe Stadium remained filled late into the night, with thousands of fans remaining to witness the historic finish. Shelton, benefiting from the home crowd's energy, heard chants of his name and "USA! USA!" throughout the latter stages of the match.
The U.S. Open has seen multiple late-night matches this year, contributing to a marathon day that also included three other singles quarterfinals going to match tiebreakers. This guarantees an American presence in the men's final, an event that hasn't occurred since Roddick's victory.