Carlos Alcaraz’s US Open title defence has come to an end after Ben Shelton defeated the Spanish star in a dramatic five-set quarter-final that finished at 3:34 am local time, setting a new record for the latest finish in the tournament’s history.
The eighth-seeded Shelton prevailed 6-7 (5-7), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (10-7) after an extraordinary four-hour, 28-minute battle on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The match did not begin until around 11pm in New York after earlier matches caused a significant delay to the night session.
Despite the late hour, a large crowd remained inside the stadium to witness one of the tournament’s most memorable contests. Shelton was eventually greeted by a standing ovation as he completed the biggest victory of his career.
“That was a war, an epic match, so physical,” Shelton said.
“Carlos is one of the greatest champions in our sport already at 23 years old.
“It’s ridiculous some of the stuff he comes up with sometimes – the most enjoyable match that I’ve had in my career, for sure.”
The victory was particularly significant for Shelton, who had never previously defeated a top-three player in 17 attempts and had lost all three of his previous meetings with Alcaraz.
His triumph also strengthens American hopes of ending a 23-year wait for a home men’s singles champion at Flushing Meadows.
Shelton will now face fellow American Frances Tiafoe in Friday’s semi-final, guaranteeing an American finalist.
Alcaraz, ranked third in the world, was playing his first tournament since returning from a lengthy injury lay-off. The 23-year-old had spent more than four months out with a wrist injury but had looked impressive on his return, including a convincing victory over 20th seed Tommy Paul.
However, his lack of competitive match practice appeared to catch up with him during a physically demanding encounter against Shelton.
The Spaniard repeatedly produced moments of brilliance and managed to force the contest into a deciding set after falling two sets to one behind.
Neither player was willing to surrender in the fifth set, with the match eventually being decided by a tense 10-point tie-break.
Shelton held his nerve to complete the victory and book his place in the last four.
Despite the disappointment, Alcaraz remained positive about his performance after his lengthy absence.
“It was close. So I’m just not going to be disappointed about not getting the win at the end,” he said.
“I’m just proud about myself, about how I fought. I leave the court with a smile, healthy, and this is what I needed.”
For Shelton, however, the historic night continues, with the American now just two victories away from becoming the first home men’s singles champion at the US Open since Andy Roddick in 2003.
