Ben Shelton faced off against Carlos Alcaraz in a grueling five-set match that ended in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Shelton sealed the victory with a powerful 146 m.p.h. ace that Alcaraz couldn’t return. This victory marked the end of Alcaraz’s reign as the U.S. Open champion.
After a marathon battle lasting 4 hours and 28 minutes, Shelton emerged victorious with a 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (10-7) scoreline. Alcaraz, who had an 18-match winning streak in Grand Slam events, fought hard despite struggling with fatigue and even vomiting before the final set.
Although Alcaraz expressed disappointment at not retaining his title, he acknowledged the importance of staying healthy throughout the tournament. Shelton, on the other hand, praised the support of the home crowd and described the match as one of the most enjoyable in his career.
In the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open, three of the four singles matches went to tiebreakers, showcasing intense competition. Shelton’s next opponent will be No. 11 seed Frances Tiafoe, who staged a remarkable comeback to secure a spot in the semifinals after defeating Alex Michelsen in a five-set thriller.
The upcoming Shelton-Tiafoe matchup guarantees an American player in the men’s final, with the last U.S. male player to win a Grand Slam title being Andy Roddick in 2003. The tournament also promises a new champion, as none of the remaining quarterfinalists on the opposite side of the draw have previously won the U.S. Open.
