Ben Shelton produced one of the biggest victories of his career by defeating defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a dramatic five-set quarter-final at the 2026 U.S. Open. The American won 6-7 (5/7), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (10/7) after four hours and 28 minutes of intense tennis.
The match finished at 3:34 a.m. local time on Wednesday, September 9, making it the latest-ever finish in U.S. Open history. The previous record was 2:50 a.m., set when Alcaraz defeated Jannik Sinner in a five-set quarter-final in 2022.
The defeat ended Alcaraz’s hopes of successfully defending his U.S. Open crown. The Spaniard was also playing his first major tournament after a four-month injury absence and had looked impressive during his opening four matches.
Alcaraz took the opening set after a closely contested battle. Shelton had an opportunity to break late in the set and eventually forced a tiebreak, but Alcaraz produced four consecutive points to take the lead.
However, Shelton dramatically changed the momentum in the second set. Backed by a passionate Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd, the American won nine consecutive games across the second and third sets. He attacked Alcaraz’s serve and dominated several long rallies as the Spaniard began to look physically fatigued.
Shelton eventually took the second and third sets to move within one set of victory. Alcaraz refused to surrender, responding strongly in the fourth set and winning it 6-1 in just 36 minutes.
The fifth set was decided by the smallest of margins. Both players created break opportunities, but neither could establish a decisive advantage. With the set tied, the match moved into a 10-point deciding tiebreak. Shelton maintained his composure and sealed the historic victory with an ace on match point.
The win gives Shelton his first career victory over Alcaraz and takes him back to the U.S. Open semi-finals, matching his run from three years ago.
He will now face fellow American Frances Tiafoe, who also produced a remarkable comeback by defeating Alex Michelsen in five sets. The all-American semi-final promises another major night of tennis in New York.