Ben Shelton defeats Carlos Alcaraz in record-late U.S. Open quarterfinal

American Ben Shelton overcame defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a five-set quarterfinal at the U.S. Open that concluded at 3:33 a.m. on Wednesday. Shelton won 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (10-7) after a match that began just after 11 p.m. and lasted four hours and 28 minutes, with thousands of spectators remaining until the end.

The victory moves Shelton into a semifinal against No. 11 seed Frances Tiafoe, ensuring an American presence in Sunday's final as the United States seeks its first men’s major title since Andy Roddick's 2003 U.S. Open win.

Alcaraz, whose 18-match Grand Slam winning streak ended, had previously been part of the latest-finishing U.S. Open match in 2022 when his quarterfinal with Jannik Sinner finished at 2:50 a.m. The Spaniard, playing his first tournament since returning from a right-wrist injury, battled back in the fourth set but ultimately fell short.

Shelton said, "It's incredible. I always say that this is the greatest sports city in the world ... that this is the greatest stadium in the world. I'm just hoping that my best friend and my sister over there don't have to be at work at 6 a.m. in three hours."

Three of the four singles quarterfinals on the marathon day were decided by match tiebreakers. In other action, Aryna Sabalenka edged Linda Noskova to stay alive in her bid for a third consecutive U.S. Open title.

Shelton's win marks his first career victory over a top-5 seed at a Grand Slam and his third major semifinal appearance, following the 2023 U.S. Open and the 2025 Australian Open.