September 9, 2026, marked a historic day in the U.S. Open as Ben Shelton defeated Carlos Alcaraz in the latest-finishing match in tournament history. Shelton emerged victorious with a scoreline of 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (10-7) after a marathon battle lasting 4 hours and 28 minutes, concluding at 3:33 a.m. on Wednesday.
The match saw the end of Alcaraz’s impressive 18-match winning streak in Grand Slam tournaments. Shelton’s next challenge will be against No. 11 seed Frances Tiafoe, who advanced to his third U.S. Open semifinal after defeating Alex Michelsen 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (10-6).
Ben Shelton rejoiced in his victory during the quarter-final match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 9, 2026. The match assured a U.S. representation in Sunday’s final, with the country seeking its first men’s major title since Andy Roddick’s victory in 2003.
Alcaraz had previously been involved in the latest finishing match at the U.S. Open, defeating Jannik Sinner in 2022 at 2:50 a.m. on his way to his first Grand Slam title at age 19. The atmosphere was electrifying as thousands of fans remained in Arthur Ashe Stadium, cheering for Shelton with chants of “USA! USA!” despite Alcaraz’s popularity.
“It’s incredible,” Shelton expressed. “I always say this is the greatest sports city in the world, and this is the greatest stadium in the world. I’m just hoping my best friend and my sister won’t have to be at work at 6 a.m. in three hours.”
Three out of four singles quarter-finals required match tiebreakers, adding to the drama of the day. It began with Aryna Sabalenka defeating Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova, keeping her aspirations for a third straight U.S. Open title alive. Alcaraz now faces an uncertain wait for his next Grand Slam victory.
Shelton has reached his third major semifinal, having made it to the final four in the 2023 U.S. Open and the 2025 Australian Open. His momentum surged as he won nine consecutive games, gaining a 3-0 lead early in the third set. Despite battling illness before the final set, Alcaraz fought back, even vomiting before play resumed.
Alcaraz managed to secure four consecutive points in the tiebreaker to lead 5-3, yet Shelton regained control with powerful serves surpassing 140 mph and capitalized on Alcaraz’s errors. Shelton clinched his victory with a 146 mph serve that Alcaraz couldn’t return.
Globally recognized for his durability, Alcaraz holds a 15-2 record in five-set matches. He captured his seventh Grand Slam title at the Australian Open earlier this year, shortly before his wrist injury.