Shelton Dethrones Alcaraz in Record US Open Thriller

​NEW YORK — American powerhouse Ben Shelton etched his name into tennis history on Wednesday morning, delivering a masterclass in resilience to dethrone defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a quarter-final classic at the US Open.

​In a grueling contest that pushed past physical and temporal boundaries, eighth-seeded Shelton outlasted the Spanish star 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(10-7) inside a roaring Arthur Ashe Stadium. Clocking in at four hours and 28 minutes, the match concluded at precisely 3:33 a.m. local time, shattering the record for the latest-finishing match in tournament history.

​The defeat brought a sudden halt to Alcaraz’s dominant 18-match Grand Slam winning streak. Playing in his first tournament following a four-month injury layoff, the 23-year-old Spaniard showed flashes of his legendary brilliance—rallying from two sets to one down and forcing a deciding tie-break despite struggling with visible fatigue and accumulating 53 unforced errors.

​Shelton, fueled by an electric home crowd that refused to leave their seats into the early hours, relied on his lethal serve and relentless baseline aggression. Though Alcaraz clawed back to dominate the fourth set, Shelton rediscovered his composure in the high-stakes final-set tie-break to secure the biggest win of his career.

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​”That was a war,” Shelton said on court, praising the historic atmosphere in New York. “Sharing the court with Carlos is an absolute honor, and I cherish every moment that I have out here.”

​With the victory, Shelton advances to his second US Open semi-final, setting up a blockbuster all-American showdown against compatriot Frances Tiafoe. As both men chase a maiden major title, Wednesday’s historic result guarantees that an American man will feature in the US Open final, keeping alive hopes of ending the nation’s long wait for a men’s singles Grand Slam champion.