Sports · updated 1h ago · 2 min read
Ben Shelton Beats Defending Champion Carlos Alcaraz in Latest-Ever U.S. Open Finish
Shelton defeated defending champion Alcaraz in five sets to reach the US Open semifinals. The match finished at 3:33 a.m., the latest finish in US Open history.
How seriously to portray Alcaraz’s illness.
2 of 3 outlets skipped it: saince injury layoff, Alcaraz’s wrist had no remaining sequelae (muñeca).
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La Voz de Galicia
“antes del comienzo del parcial definitivo a Alcaraz se le apreció vomitando en una toalla.”Read the original ↗
EL PAÍS focuses on Alcaraz’s smile and recovery, while La Voz de Galicia foregrounds vomiting and physical collapse.
Shelton stuns Alcaraz
Ben Shelton eliminated defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the latest-ever U.S. Open finish, winning 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6 and 7-6(10-7) after a match that ended at 3:33 a.m. on Wednesday.
“The American star ultimately outdueled the defending champion in the latest ever finish at the tournament, a thriller that didn’t finish until 3:33 a.m.”
The quarterfinal stretched 4 hours, 28 minutes, and Shelton’s victory ended Alcaraz’s 18-match winning streak in Grand Slam tournaments.
Shelton next plays No. 11 seed Frances Tiafoe in the semifinals after Tiafoe beat Alex Michelsen 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 and 7-6(10-6) on Tuesday.
Alcaraz had returned to the tournament after a right wrist injury and was seen vomiting before the start of the final set, but he still battled through the deciding tiebreak.
Shelton capped the win with a 146 mph ace that Alcaraz could not get back, sealing the match in Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Voices after the war
After the match, Shelton described it as a physical battle, saying, "That was a war. Epic match. So physical," as the crowd stayed until the end.
Shelton also said, "I always say that this is the greatest sports city in the world," and added that he was hoping his best friend and his sister would not have to be at work at 6 a.m. in three hours.
Alcaraz, who had been out nearly five months with a wrist injury, acknowledged the difficulty of the moment while still smiling as he left the court.
The New York Times described the contest as a heavyweight prize fight, with the end coming at 3:33 a.m. when Shelton won the final tiebreak.
NBC News reported that the grueling quarterfinal was played under the lights after a day of marathon contests at Flushing Meadows, with the highlight-filled match swinging back and forth.
What’s at stake next
With Shelton’s win, the U.S. is guaranteed to have a representative in Sunday’s final, as the tournament moves toward an all-American semifinal with Shelton and Tiafoe.
“The U.S. is guaranteed to have a representative in Sunday's final as it seeks its first men's major title since Andy Roddick lifted the title here in 2003.”
NBC News said the victory takes Shelton to the semifinals, where he will face fellow American Francis Tiafoe, ensuring an American in the final as the country seeks its first men’s major title since Andy Roddick in New York in 2003.
The CBS News account added that Shelton reached his third major semifinal after previously reaching the final four at the 2023 U.S. Open and the 2025 Australian Open.
Alcaraz’s defeat ended his title reign and halted his 18-match winning streak in Grand Slam tournaments, while the match’s record-setting late finish became part of the U.S. Open’s history.
As the draw reshapes, the quarterfinal’s outcome also set up a semifinal showdown that Sky Sports framed as Shelton’s next step after defeating Alcaraz in the five-set thriller that ended at 3.33am.