Ben Shelton Shocks Carlos Alcaraz in Historic US Open Quarter-Final Upset

In a thrilling quarter-final at the US Open, Ben Shelton achieved a remarkable upset over defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, winning in a dramatic five-set match that concluded at 3:33 AM. This victory marks Shelton's first semi-final appearance at the US Open, where he will face Frances Tiafoe. Alcaraz's defeat ends his bid for an eighth Grand Slam title, concluding a remarkable 18-match winning streak at Grand Slam tournaments. Shelton's impressive performance throughout the hard-court season sets the stage for an exciting all-American semi-final.

By Narendra Chaudhary Sep 9, 2026, 15:05 IST

Shelton's Stunning Victory

In a remarkable display of skill, Ben Shelton achieved one of the most significant victories of his career by defeating defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a thrilling five-set quarter-final at the US Open. The match concluded with a score of 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(10/7) at 3:33 AM local time on Wednesday.

This four-hour and 28-minute battle marked the latest finish in US Open history, breaking the previous record of 2:50 AM set two years ago when Alcaraz triumphed over Jannik Sinner in a five-set quarter-final, as noted by the ATP website.

Unlike his previous late-night heroics, Alcaraz was unable to pull off another comeback this time, as Shelton maintained his composure during the decisive Match Tie-break, securing a stunning upset and advancing to the semi-finals.

The 23-year-old American has shown impressive form throughout the North American hard-court season, boasting a 13-2 record during this period. After clinching his second ATP Masters 1000 title in Montreal, Shelton has now reached the US Open semi-finals for the first time in 2023.

On the other hand, Alcaraz was competing in his first tournament after a four-month injury hiatus. The Spaniard had only lost one set leading up to the quarter-finals before Shelton ended his title defense.

With a season record of 38-13 for 2026, Shelton is set to face 11th seed Frances Tiafoe in the semi-finals, with both players aiming for their first Grand Slam final appearance.

Shelton holds a 3-1 advantage over Tiafoe in their past encounters. They have faced each other twice at the US Open, with Shelton winning their quarter-final match in 2023, while Tiafoe won in the third round in 2024.

For Alcaraz, this defeat concluded his pursuit of an eighth Grand Slam title and the opportunity to be the first man since Roger Federer to successfully defend the US Open title.

Arriving in New York with an 18-match winning streak at Grand Slam events, Alcaraz's run included his 2025 US Open title and his Australian Open victory earlier this year, which made him the youngest man to achieve a Career Grand Slam.

Shelton's triumph now sets the stage for an all-American semi-final against Tiafoe, as the 23-year-old aims to extend his impressive hard-court performance and reach his first major final.